The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-03-20

Her rose leaf lips were parted, show |
ing milky white teeth, and her olive
cheeks were tinted with the faintest
flush of embarrassment. She wore the
most wonderful of kimOnos, rich
blue brocaded silk shot with crimson
and gold, and high under her arms
was tied a broad obi of golden tissue.
AS Hayden stared at her she dropped
a graceful obeisance and spoke In Eng
fish with a delicious little foreign &C
cent, which deprived Hayden Of his
atom of hope that this f1ower-like
maiden might by some magic of the
workaday world be transformed into
his lost love.
"If the honorable foreigner will par
don my intrusion" she said softly, Il
would explain that have lost treas
ured keepsake On the sands-if might
be permitted to search around the
rocks" Her lashes futtered upward
as she glanced at him.
Certainly" he said, with an awk-
ward sense Of his own perturbation at
the sudden interruption Of his soil
tude. perhaps may be able to as
sist you. 1t is growing late. and the
sun will soon drop behind the hills"
Il thank you, but l shall perhaps
find 1t alone" she said in rather a
frightened tone And she swept past
him with the little lettering gait OF
Japanese ladies, whose feet are accus-
toned to wearing clogs. She did not
| wear those wooden monstrosities. but
| now and then there peeped out the toe
| Of a little blue brocaded slipper, all
too fragile and delicate for any sea-
shore save the fairy sands of the in
land sea.
She hurried along, looking hither
and thither, now bending to scan the
pebbles drifted In the lee of brown
rocks, now standing with one slim
hand arched above her troubled eyes
while she scanned the silver shore for
her lost trinket At last she shook
her head sadly and drifted toward
him against the gorgeous background
Of the setting sun.
"You couldn't find it?' queried Hay
den.
She shook her head.
eff you will tell me what It was,
mademoiselle, perhaps may be more
successful he suggested, with an
eagerness that surprised himself. BY
all rights he should have been too Ill
natured to assist this little japanese
sister of his lost sweetheart "Shall
I search for it 2" he added
She hesitated as If loath to tell him
what 1t was she had lost; then she said,
with some agitation: ut is chain-a
gold chain carrying locket. But it
has doubtless been found by some OF
the fishermen. l will not trouble the
honorable foreigner If he will accept
nv thanks for his kindness" She bow
ed once more and backed away from
her newly made acquaintance as II
filed with sudden fear Of him.
Hayden looked down at her with elo-
quent eyes, If only the magic which
had evolved her out Of the sunset
would transmute her into the being OF
Evalyn Grant it would be more than
mortal could ask. He drew a sharp
breath and took himself to task fol
expecting Providence to turn the world
upside down to rectify his asinine mis-
takes.
Good night" she called softly from
the gathering twilight.
"You are not going now-you couldn't
wait little while2 Perhaps I may
find the chain for you" he stammered
eagerly.
"Oh, must 60, thank you," she said
in shocked tone.
Suppose I find the chain-what shall
!. do with it?" He smiled at his OWL
cleverness.
There was a puzzled silence while
she stood there as II on the very out
skirts of the gathering dusk. He coult
see the dimness of her dark robe, ani
the last flicker Of the dropping SUI
caught the gold of her sash and helt
her prisoner to his sight
"What shall do with the chain Il
l find it?'' he persisted.
"You might bring 1t to my home, o.
you may leave 1t with Kashmura, thu
inn keeper but shall find it myself
perhaps tomorrow.
4 II wfil find it." declared Haydel
recklessly. s'Tell me where you liv'
so that may return it to you"
Again there was q silence while thu
little toy villages on the hillsides wer'
slowly effaced by the coming night
later to be revealed in the white ligh
of the full moon, now throwing grea
rim above the eastern heights.
There is little path that leads NJ
among the cedars-my home is there
The girls breath came in little fright
ened gnsps as II the darkness had TAX
en- away her courage.
"You are not afraid to 60 up Their
alone now?" asked Hayden curiously.
Il "Oh, no! was educated in tn
United States. am quite American.
Ishe said proudly. Il have no fear o
{ 1.-THE dark"
IT will bring the chain to you in tn
morning, o Che SAP. Is that you
tname?" he asked half humorOusly.