The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-30
The Eueni,,g Story

(By Ella Randall Pearce.)

A Na&ive Typo.
(By Ella Randall Pearce.)
Winifred, rising from the depths OF
the capacious trunk she was unpack-
ing, shook out q dainty blue bathing
suit.
How does this strike you. Aunt Pris-
cilla?. she asked. holding the garment
against her slim figure. and looking
across the room with prim lips but eyes
dancing with mischief.
The elderly woman in a rocking chair
by the window stared critically
some pieces were sewed on top and
bottom. it'd look tolerably like q dress"
she commented.
"Why, there's more to it than to most
of the bathing suits worn ON the beach
this summer" laughed Winifred.
do you mean to tell me you've been
wearing that thing. every day, right
afore all those folks? Winifred Bow
ers. I'm ashamed OF your
again today, where there's nobody to
see? I'll even sneak out by way of the
back door, Aunt Priscilla, 30 as not to
shock you-aan Napoleon" She pointed
to the large, dignified cat on the win
dow sill and smoothed the silky folds of
the garment she held. II must have
one more dip before return to town.
The water is warm yet, and the air is
splendid today"
Half an hour later Winifred was
making her way across the fields that
separated her aunt's garden from the
sea. This was quite different from her
usual manner of taking q briny bath.
At Narragansett Pier she had dressed
herself in her room at the hotel and en-
folded in a long cape, had stepped
from the plank walk into the water.
Now she must travel a quarter Of
| mile to reach the little old bathing
house which was one OF q few that dot
ted the lonely shore.
Stepping from the doorway after hav-
ing attired herself for her swim. Wini-
fred paused to look over the autumnal
scene. There were no hotels or cot
tages in sight. NO crowded boardwalk,
| no fashionable onlookers: but, as she
paused. the girl was conscious of a rare
exhilaration.
The heaving sea rolled in ON the
sparkling sands in wild yet sportive
freedoqf; ybeyond the tcrubby trees on
the other fside 0f the beach! stretched
green marshes: in tho distance. q pic
| turesQue lighthouse crowned q rocky
cliff. Winifred outflung her arms and
isn't it good to be really alone!
After the way I've been besieged all
sunmer-oh. could shout for Joy at
| the very bigness Of 1t ALL
But Wfnifred was not alone even
| there. Coming down the winding
path that led from the lighthouse, q
| man stopped as he caught sight Of
the solitary figure on the beach be-
| yond. There's ono Of the natives IN
bathing" he reflected. shifting the
small camera he was carrying. 81
wonder IL I could get her for q type.
ask her. Probably she'd run away IL
she saw me-"
He hesitated; then made his way
cautiously behind the scrubby growth
until he reached a point of vantage.
| The girl on the sends was biissfully
| unconscious. She took a few lively
steps; then shook back her loosened
hair uplifted her face, and stretched
| out her 1.-THE arms. One moment she
held the charming pose: then turned
and plunged into the inviting waves
that formed above the daring. blue
When winifred reappeared after
her swim, there was no ono else on
the beach, and the girl went toward
her aunt's cottage singing gayly as
she went.
Rested and rejuvenated by her brief
sojourn in the little old fashioned VII
lage, Winifred Bowers appeared
among her town friends. Wondering
comments and compliments greeted
her from all sides.
"How did you manage it-after
such a strenuous season." asked one
of her intimate friends You're
as fresh as the proverbial daisy, while
the rest Of us are positively jaded and
will have to rest up before the winter
festivities begin"
II feel equal to anything" laughed
| winifred. ''And. by the way. here are
friend of Jack'sa Mr.. Card from
Philadelphia, is the star artist. You
know Jacks a camera 1end. and he's
| also a member Of the society; SO I'll
have to take this in.'
"You mean at the Institute gallery?
Why, everybory's going. Let's drop
| in this afternoon"
The two young women appeared at
the Photographic exhibit together.
| From the first, Wfnffred was uneasily
| conscious of something strange in the
attitude Of her friends. They would
greet her; look at her with varying
degrees of suspicion or amusement.
and then express themselves in mys-
! tifying terms.
| "Never thought Of you as q rustic
type" remarked one
| why In Dustan Card the only ia
vored one? 2" inquired . youth, smiling
reproving1y
! sWhat does he mean?" demanded
Winifred. with displeased bewilder-
ment written on her piquant face. IT
don't even know Dustan Card"
| They passed into the alcove where
there was a neatly arranged collec-
ton Of snapshot pictures. A group
| of acquaintance were halted before
the gem Of the collection and each one
eyed Winifred curiously a. she ap-
preached That young woman fol-
lowed the trail Of their shifting
| glances, and, as her eyes fell upon a
| picture that was stamped with . dis
/ turbing familiarity, the hot bushes
1 dyed her cheeks There was . young
| girl with outstretched arms and hair
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