The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-26
bliss SartOriS and Bingham

.1tsf
but it came about after the manner ~
the unexpected, and their Ileiius e.
eaid-one always knows what lfiellgs /
saw in these circumstance ne -
weak point i'm Jobs character was iisz
inability to say Not at nome 20 -
historical trio who never Msil'4I - et.5si
TO return their calls, put III ~ bsz
him with a persistency worthy VI No.
bitterest enemies. ,-,-- e.s.-
Although Bingham had seen MISS SaI-
toris only once pfeNlously -
handsome enough TO make lliii -.
Der that first melting glorious - y
nette with flashing dark eyes vines
simply burned into a man anu Alile -
up his soul And the girl knew ma
she had these exquisite eyes a usuIS
afr7rfz, s1fuerb a raVishing race, a pleley
wit but She did not know that she was
q romantic simpleton, and that Blls-
AZ F5ingban said afterward, 1T was
All that unexpected dinner party 70
which the Allinghams had asked NINA
on the eve of his sudden departure loi
india "NiI you take IN Miss oaf-
toris2" said his hostess. and Bingham
RnoJz her In cheerfully. She was wearing
Something diauhan0us, winch darinSly
hinted to him of rOse-marble shoulders
Gems glittered in her hair but could
not equal the sparkle of her eyes as she
razed at the handsome Bingham. that
GavCrite Of the gods. VINO had been TOO
busy studying medicine tanother nant
Tor becoming acquainted with the IN
teriOrs of people rather than their eX
teriors) to fall in love. Her arms lthey
were very much in evidence were ex-
quisite. she had pretty lips. the upper
curled at the corner like the pink con-
wOlutiOns Of shell. dainty ears ana
flashing white teeth-teeth which We're
Tar more effective than the pearls TO
which a Die-taster at the table audlbly
COMPARED them. AS a matter of fact,
Dearly teeth in a woman look hideous.
Miss SartOris teeth were whittier than
those of a negress. and she had clear.
coIorless skin Of satiny texture and soft
ness-that kind Of cheek which elderly
gentlemen consider themselves priv
ieged to pat when making Christmas
presents. An elderly gentleman had
brought Miss Sartoris a present on this
occasion. He took advantage of the fact
20 pat her cheek until Bingham longed
TO pat him-with a pitchfork or goil
club. or any other available lethaI
weapon. If the old gentleman had not
been so attentive to Miss SartOris,
Bingham would have enjoyed his dinner
all the more. AS IL was the elderly
ones devotion annoyed Bingham. and
he mentally lowed that he would cut
out the old buffer" Which was rude
but action inspiring.
The "old buffer" evidently wanted to
mOnoDolize Miss Sartoris From time
to time he murmured something into
her shell-like ear about ''cOnceiteG
boys" Miss SartOris, who did not want
the old buffers presents although ne
had been a friend of her late father s..
blush of annoyance to become visible on
her satiny cheek Yes; the "Old buffer
was a nuisance. She stole a side glance
at Bingham from beneath the shelter OF
her marvelously long lashes, and the
trick was done Bingham also stole a
glance at Miss Sartoris' eyes from be ?
meath the shelter of his long lashes (he
mad eyes as blue as forget-me-nOt--
eyes which were much too clear and
sinless for those of an average mann and
their velvety fire enmeshed him
"a T.T-
the delusion that a career constitutes a.
mans chief object in life Just before
going to dine "a the Alinghams' he re-
ceived an official letter intrusting him
with the charge Of an expedition to In
dia I'm search of certain microbes which.
unlike anything else i'm that country. de-
cined to be subsidized by the govern
nent and persisted in taking irreverent
liberties with the half grown Tom
mes" sent out to maintain our eastern
empire
So many "Tommies' succumbed to
the new microbe that the government
o. decided TO have an inquiry. medical and
scientific. into The subject; it had also
a vague hope that when the micrObe in
question heard of the inquiry 1T would
have the deCency to offer every facility
for the proposed investigation into its
antecedents and character. The govern
ment also informed Bingham that if he
succeeded i'm analyzing or frightening
the Tommy Staying micrObe things
sense If ne fell in combat with the mi
crobe, one young medical genius more
OF less, would not visibly upset the
worlds economy. and il might be pru-
dent. provided Bingham had anything to
bestow on anybody, to make his will be-
fore quitting England.
Being thus on the eve of a perilous in
Nestigati0u, with the odds grea tly
against him. it i'll became Bingham TO
make AN even more dangerous one, mat
Ilhehy 10 Wit He might have known
that when such a microbe obtains an
entrance Into the masculine system it is
extremely difficult to eradicate But he
was SO busy with the Indian mfcrobe
that he had no thought of more common
place home productions. Hence he
warmed 10 his work as the dinner prO-
Bressed. and said things to Miss Sar-
toiis which made her wonder She had
never before discovered his attractive
ness. 1t would have astonished Bing-
nam nllnSeif had he been in q condition
10 think the matter over coOllv In this
particular occasion, however. he was not
In condition to do so As the Zulus
Say, blngnam saw blood" and the
plood was the blood of the "old buffer
lie mentally cut off the "old buffers"
head and stuck it ON spear. paraded II
before the WlgWam of his fair enchant-
ress' and yet to an outward seeming
ne was enjoying his dinner with fastidf.
GUS complacency, and talking i'm tones
or frozen fire to the witch beside him
Miss Sartoris gradually became con
.eitu7 OF l'lHslistlu piue eyes. The fire
I'm them gloWed like that of q sunwarn-
ed sapphire and it was she who haf
kindled the fame. A soft warm colo
stole into her creamy cheek She wished
that the old BUFFER had not dared t,
pat it. Most of her things-handlxer
chief gloves. etc.-fen under the tabl,
when Mrs. Allingham signaled that i
was time for the ladies' to 20 elsewhere
Although bingham gallantly dived afte
~ these feminine accessories. he retrieve,
only one glove and half hlmy lac
handkerchief She could see the end a
the other half where he had hurriedl
thrust it, close to his heart when n
hit his head against the table befor
emerging from under the cloth Hi
blue eyes were a caress. Hers absorbe
their fire crumpled him up in hear
she shot a Parthian glace at him as sh
LETT the room He would fain have gon
49, .--. ~.