The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-13
The EVENING STORY
Alma. Kan.
Jacks Wife.
(By Dorothy Douglas

| George Lands scowled heavily as
each new passenger rounded the after
deck and came within his vision
Mostly he glowered at the masculine
| seagoers because they were free to
| enter the smokeroom and stay there
| as long as fancy willed. He, Lands,
| had intended to have nice, uninter-
rupted crossing spent in the smoke
cards. Instead, he was stationed out
on deck in an abominable steamer
chair keeping wary eye out for Jack
| Gardeners wife.
Landis's brow lowered more omin-
ously as he recalled Gardeners words
| when he had discovered that the
same steamer was to convey both
Lands and his wife to the Scotch
shore.
You can't miss her, Lands, be-
cause Ethel is the most beautiful
! woman in the world, and the tiddie
| the most wonderful child. Ethel
wears one of those plush coats-you
can pick her out by that" Jack had
| smiled happily and added: Just
| keep an eye on her-she is bit of a
flrt."
rawlings of a married idiot" NUT
tered Lands, then drew a swift
A figure in a plush coat had round
supposed the coat to be plush; it was
something soft and silky against
cleaned like cameo.
| Jacks wife," calculated Lands I'M
der his breath, and decided instantly
| to have nothing to do with Ethel
| to trifie with he added mentally.
| He watched the girl and the Won
| derful child-for the child was also
there-until they had found a steam
err chair at the far end of the deck.
| After that he leaned back and won
dered not that his heart was beating
= dull thud against his Shetland
| waistcoat.
heart miss beat" he decided.
then ruminated gloomily on Jack
Gardeners luck. What has Gar
dener done to deserve a fate like
| that 90 he questioned, and found the
| query unanSwerable.
Lands settled back in his chair
with half shut eyes and pictured the
girl who had set his pulses beating.
| Even at the far end of the deck her
| hair cleaned red gold in the sun; her
eyes were gray and the long lashes
gave them the effect of having been
| pressed in by smutty fingers. Lands
turned resolutely toward the stern of
| the boat and remembered that the
girl was another mans wife.
| During the entire afternoon Lands
stayed on deck. The smokeroom had
| lost its appeal.
Much to his establishment he
watched the girl with the red hair
| talking to a constant stream of very
/ evident admirers. The sturdy, beau
tiful boy she carried was splendid
lure. Every one on board felt per
fectly free to break the ice of re-
serve through him.
| AS the afternoon wore away it
seemed as if Lands alone had failed
to admire Jack Gardeners baby.
| Since the passenger list was large he
: felt conspicuous by his neglect. He
/ shut his teeth grimly and wondered
whether or not Gardener was to be
| orvied.
mentally. II would take her across
| the ocean in a private yacht. l do
not care for that string of cavaliers"
| Lands smiled whimsically and knew
/ that he even envied the wonderful
child whose sunny head rested
! a gainst the plush coat.
They were three days out to sea
| before the uneH pected happened. 1t
had seemed as if the girl looked more
often toward Lands, but he had
turned resolutely aside.
| she is a, bit of a flirt,'' he quoted
| from Gardener.
| But the day of the big storm Lands
was unable to avoid her. The decks
were cleared of all unseaworthy adj
mirers and she alone seemed able to
be about and on deck. One or two
splendid sailors were clinging to the
ropes and gazing at the ocean in one
of her mad moods. Lands watched
the girl in the plush coat and won
dered if the mockery ever left her
eyes.
He was standing at the forward
deck railing when the girl was flung
suddenly into his arms. Whether it
was a maneuver of her own or mere
ly one belonging to the wonderful
elements Lands never knew. He
only knew that she was clinging to
him and that her face was radiant
with the soft spray, and that her hair
was sweeping in maddening tendrils
close to his shoulder
II am SO sorry" she said, and Lam
dis knew from the sparkle of her
eyes that she was not one whit sorry.
That is not So he told her with
unexoected boldness. "I believe you
are glad" He reluctantly set her on
her feet and commanded her to hold
fast to the ropes. you should have
been Matched down, anyway"
Il would not miss a sight like this
for anything" she put in quickly.
rs that a plush coat?" questioned
Lands irrelevantly.
The girl laughed
ITO the masculine eye-yes. To
the feminine-sealskin." She an
swered promptly, but with question
ing eyes.
And are you the most beautiful
woman in the world?" Lands pur-
sued doggedly and revelled in the
blush that followed.
NO" she returned swiftly.
And you are Jack Gardeners
wife?" accused Lands
I The girl smiled mockingly and de-
liberately let another whim of the
elements blow her against Lands.
When he had given her her balance
she raised heavy lashes and remained
silent.
Are you going to answer me?" de-
manded Lands.
Il think it is not in the least bit
necessary the girl said