The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-22
THE EVENING STORY
BewItched by a Blond Fairy
(By Lester Rose.)


trip across the Atlantic would have
teen quiet indeed. The eastbound
traffic was light and most of it went
to the newer and faster boats. There
| were less than fourscore passengers
In the first cabin, and Dorsey Adams
looked forward to long, quiet week
with Nell Sommers
For more than a year Dorsey had
sought to win NelPs hand, and with
fair prospect of eventual success.
going to Europe for the winter he
planned to take the same boat and the
evident pleasure with which Nell
greeted the announcement greatly
cheered the anxious Adams.
| But the boat had not reached the
banks before the course of true love
showed it's customary unwillingness to
move smoothly. The had. in fact,
| when the love-course began to resem-
bic the serpentine Windings of the Mis-
sissippi, and evince far greater
1 roughness than the November seas.
7 Miss Sommerss had spent her first
night aboard in the agonies of seasick-
ness, and it was late the next morn
ing when careful steward and
sympathetic stewardess helped the ex-
Ihausted girl to the deck and comfort
Eably installed her in a deck chair
where Dorsey presently found her.
/ Dorsey seated himself on a stool
beside her chair, and prepared to
Miss Sommers who found the diver
sion. Against Dorsey's dark coat her
sharp eyes spied golden strand. She
! leaned forward to remove 1t, and the
next moment she was holding. it ac-
cusing1y before his eyes, while her
glance sought the sunny-haired SOU
brette who was crossing to play the
London music halls.
| you must have missed me last
night as you say" said Miss Som
merS bitterly
"But look here, Nell" declared
Dorsey, miserab1y. ST swear to you
that I spent the whole evening in the
smoking room except for a few min
utes on deck, just before I turned in.
I was alone all the evening"
| do not add perjury to your other
offenses,'' said Miss Sommers coldly.
"I hate man who does not tell the
truth. Therefore, I hate you. Please go
away"
| Dorsey went, miserably enough while
Nell Sommers sank back in her steamer
chair lost in her bitter thoughts. She
| liked Dorsey, and it cut her to the quick
that he should have spent the evening
flirting with the little soubrette, while
she herself lay in her berth vainly wish
ing the ship would run aground if only
the awful rolling Of the vessel might
stop.
| Dorsey, manlike, made for the solace
of the smoking room. At the head of
| the companionway lounged one of the
|
game the night before. Now his face
was wreathed in smiles as he followed
the miserable lover to the deck below.
| at see you were caught with the
goods" he said with laugh as he took
a seat at Dorsey's table. Adams looked
at him savagely.
'I wish you'd mind your own blamed
business" he growled. The stranger
only smiled pleasantly. ~
Don't be nasty, old man." he coun-
| +~xy4 IN in
| want to help you out"
| There was real friendliness in the
tones and Dorsey colored as he held
out his hand. es,
was here in the smoking room all last
| evening"" he suggested. That was
| the row."
"A lot of good it would do to say
that" said the intruder with smile.
"She would simply declare that 1 was
bolstering you up in an untruth. You've
got to do better than that, old chap.
BY the way, my names Greyson' Ben
Greyson. What's yours?
Dorsey made reply and over the high
balls they planned campaign. The
first gun was fred at luncheon when
Greyson leaned across the table ana
advised Dorsey that there was halr
on his coat. Dorsey carefully removed
q long golden strand while he made
the retort courteous and pointed out 20
Greyson the fact that there was na1r
upon his own coat. The little soubrette
at the end of the table beamed mlrtn-
fully upon the abashed men.
I'm glad they are so long, sne DE-
clared. eff it wasn't such a long one,
folks might think it was one OF mine. |
Amt it funny that I'm the only nlonoe |
oy, hoard p, she ran on. Its real
blonde. too she said proudly as she
shook her yellow curls.
Greyson passed her the hair ne nao
removed from his coat: If your mar
L.. cot n
~vou could work in museum instead
of on the stage"
Gee" said the small soubrette al
miringiy. st guess one of the HAIR
Tonic Sisters must be aboard. Inat
hairs five foot If it's an inch-
aI cts ask the purser,' suggested
He knows the passenger
list and I guess he knows the bionoe'
TOO There's hair on his coat.
The nnrser. who was fiirtatiously IN
clined and who had been making him.
self very attractive to the nttie SOU
brette. blushingly denied that there
was any such person as ofon 1t. VII 81
long hair. aboard. but the others at
his table refused to believe his state
ment and kept up the joke
The Joke became a mystery When
found on the coats of the men passen-
cera and even occasionally on the
dresses of the women. Even the gruH
old captain swore softly unoer MS
bairs was found on his coat to the
.raat clee of his officers who knew
him to be a woman hater of the most
pronounced type.
As the days progressed. the mystery
deepened and in default of matters of
GREATER moment became the chief top
ic of talk. Through 1T all Dorsey was
coldIy courteous to Nell and she re-
turned the GOODNESS with interest.
Tt was not until the last day Of the
rim that he ventured to reopen his
case for second pleading. Miss Som
mers had come on deck after dinner