The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-26
THE EVENING STORY
Curly Wiggles.
(By lola Forrester.)


Chester hired the taxicab at Forty
second street and Broadway at just
Sis. 1t swung up the path of lights
out of the theatre district and turned
east as he stood waiting for a cross
town car. He figured on eight minutes
in which to catch his train, but jumped
into the taxi with a sense of relief and
settled back to look up his time table.
A sudden short stop at Sixth avenue
made him bounce on the seat, and he
dropped the time table. AS he CROPPED
for it on the floor his hand touched
something soft and clingy and strange
feeling. Chester held it up and smiled.
1t was a bunch of curls, little, red-gold
ringlets, for all the world like the curly
wiggles he had made out of dandelion
stems when he was boy. He counted
them interestedly. Eight there were,
all about two inches long, and arrang-
ed in a Semi-cOrOnal
When he aIighted at the Grand Cen
trail station and went to pay his fare
he met the glance of the chauffeur and
became aware that he held a bunch
of curls in his hand for the world to
gaze at.
''Who was your last fare?" he asked
colby, at the same time stuffing the
curls into his coat pocket and daring
the man with his steady glance to
claim them.
1HSdLE0 party
where did you leave them?"
'At the opera. Did you find those
curls in the cab?"
81 did. and if you will find the owner
L will return them to her."
Chester started away, but the
chauffeur knew his ground. He call
ed the starter. and while they argued
Chester's train for New Rochelle roll
ed out without him. Yet, savagely,
he refused to give up his find. The
idea had occurred to him that the
head those curls had been pinned to
must bear the same tint and style of
hair Chester had a leaning toward
Titan locks. He made up his mind to
find the owner if it took all night.
Tell you what I will do he said
ing "I will go back to the opera
house and look for the lady with this
man, and we will return the curls to
her. If there is any reward he can
claim it, but I shall hand over the
curls.''
They reached the opera house lit
tie past 9. The chauffeur had one
lone clew to go upon. He had heard
one of the ladies in the party say she
was glad they had a box. Stolidly
Chester paid for standing room and
passed through the foyer. The chauf-
feur stood at the back, waiting to
identify the owner.
1t was the first time Chester had
IOT d stranger III d CLOWQS0
opera house He thanked his lucky
stars he was in evening dress, for the
sake of first Impressions, and the gem
eral fitness of things. And suddenly
he saw her. She was coming from one
of the lower boxes as the curtain fell,
and his eyes gloried in the very sight
of her She was tall and slim and
young as springtime itself All in white
satin and delicate old lace, with a
long cloak of green like the Unfolding
sheath of a lily, and he splendid
throat and shoulders rising from the
lace like a flower. But it was her
hair that made him know her. 1t
matched the curls in his hand exactly.
He had taken them from his over
coat pocket, and held them in readi-
ness. No flash of common sense dis
turbed his intent. They were her
curls, and she was undoubtedly en-
barrassed by their loss. He had found
them. He was the Knight of the
Locks. Through their recovery he
would win her favor, and gratitude,
and more too Who could say?
Just as she neared him, just as she
was about to pass he spoke in low
but distinct voice.
"I have found your curls."
She turned her head, and met his
gaze with a slow stare of utter amaze
ment, and as she saw the intense earn
estness in his face, a smile trembled
on her parted lips. She bit them to
keep from DIS HCIQ Oul
the little bunch of red gold curls.
"Just a moment, please, Gregory"
she said to the man behind her, then
to Chester, with infinite graciousness:
where did you find these curls p
"In taxicab just now, the one you
came E.ere in
She shook her head.
st did not come here in taxicab.
I have my own coupe."
Chested looked down at her gravely.
anxiously Her gaze held him. Her
hair enthraned him. 1t was SO near
to him that the faint, sweet fragrance
of it wakened his senses, and made
him forget his errand. Her eyes were
a strange grayish green like the sea in
stormy weather. Chester thought then
they were just exactly the tint of the
waves that beat along the Breton coast
in early spring.
Yet she was saying to him that the
curls were not hers that she never
wore false hair of any kind whatever,
and that he had made a mistake He
drew deep sigh and caught the eye of
the chap behind her. 1t was a rowing,
mischievous eye. and it regarded Ches-
ter through a monocle with utmost
enjoyment
murmured happily. my, my, my!
Ernestine, may I present a friend in
Distress Chester Townsend, think you
have heard my sister speak Of him. He
is a distant cousin. I wish he were
even more distant at this moment.
Chester, my poor boy. let me introduce
you to Miss Page"
81 beg pardon, SIR" said the voice
of the chauffeur suddenly in his ear,
IT think have located the lady. She's
up in the 1eft-hand side of the horse
shoe bend in black velvet and dia-
monds. I sent an usher to speak to.