The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-19

| was a threeLA brand. and that +be
movements of the old dame around
the room had all the litheness of girl
hood.
After the midday lunch she becanoa
petulant and nervous, and finally
drove Perkins away to sit by herself
She thus secured an interval in which
to pack small trunk with the things
she would need aboard the yacht. Al
the dinner hour she had the meal
served in her rooms. She ate snar-
ingly, but drank rather more than
usual of her favorite brand of wine
1t is needless to add that the bottle
passed through the hands of Perkins
before taking its place on the table
Half an hour after dinner NV LADY
felt drowsy and retired for a nap.
She could sleep for two or three
hours and then have plenty of time
to turn the key on the unsuspecting
Perkins.
Her puffs were laid aside for the
nonce. her complexion secured
against accident and she laid her
head on the pillow and fell asleep like
a tired child-or a grandmother
However. when the count drove m
soon after 10 O'Clock he found NV
Lady ready end waiting. and the drive
| to the quay was quickly made.
En- route he wanted to inquire If
there had been much trouble in dis
/
companion seemed disinclined for
conversation he decided to let the
point stand over until later They
went on board the yacht at once. and
| My Lady was handed over to the
| care of the stewardess She miph+
nave inquired if the rest of the party
| had come aboard yet, but she didn't
| She didn't seem to care
| The count and the captain had had
their morning cocktails and were hun
grliy awaiting the appearance of My
| Lady and breakfast, when she sailed
into the cabin after a night of sleep
broken at intervals by chuckles thai
! seemed to chuckle Of their own accord.
| She had a smile of serenity on her
face. and she sat down 10 the tab;o
with good appetite. The captain
doffed his cap and made his bow. Tha
count started to do the same thing. but
caught his breath and then yelled
| 1t was Perkins-Perkins the Jewell
Perkins the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the all
around best-ever. She was calm. She
was tranquil She was very much al
home.
She excused the ~l,eence of NV lady
on the grounds of very pressing en-
gagement, and promised, as her substi.
tute, to enjoy every hour of the trip sc
kindly planned and SO auspiciously be-
gun.
1t was a breakfast with firecracker;
/
minute or two there was a snappine
and cracking, and every minute or two
something would go off. The coun.
cursed and raved and tore his hair, the
captain grinned and chuckled and
Perkins said she hadn't enjoyed a
| breakfast so much in many moons
1t was soon discovered that she and
the count were not en- rapport and
couldn't view matters in the same light.
In fact they speedily decided that they
didn't want to be found drowned in the
same Mediterranean sea. If the dis
appointed and cursing man had had
| Perkins afar on the desert. or on some
lonely mountain peak, he would have
gladly wrung her neck, but on the
| yacht there were restraints.
! OF course, the craft put back When
Perkins reached the hotel she found
my lady in tears and her complexion
ruined for life. The count left Nice tho
same evening, without having called :
| the captain of the yacht had no news
for reporters and to this day there arc
not half a dozen people who can elevate
| their eyebrows and look knowingly
| when certain name is mentioned
| Perkins did not take advantage OF
| the circumstance as another might.
She simply used the incident as a lever
when she wanted to cut short another
| Irritation. After she had stated her
case with the force and clearness of an
| attorney at law, she would hold up a
forefnger and conclude with:
| Cut it short, my lady. 1 may not be
| there next time to doctor your wine
| and take your place, and then what
| would the world ay?''-(Copyrighted
1908, by Associated Literary Press.)