The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-02-09
A LECTURE ON CHINA
By LOUISE OLIVER.
touches to the din

l
Finally when the cream was
whipped, the salad arranged and the
butter pats made she decided to get an
other basket of wood for the hall fire.
ITS getting chilly, and after dinner
II will be nice to sit out there and hear
I all about China. If didn't hate clubs
so ! could have gone today with moth
er and the girls to hear the lecture.
But I'll hear 1t all anyway" So down
cellar she went.
One by one she drew out pieces Of
fragrant apple wood, an ultra tribute
to the expected guest, but suddenly the
pile loosened and the wood came tuIn-
bling down. Helen would have
screamed had not her surprise silenced
her, for she found herself looking d.
rectly into the eyes of Chinaman-
at least q man in a wonderfully em-
broidered Manchufian robe and with a
perfectly good cap and pigtail. But
evel IN her dismay Helen noticed that
the cap and pigtail were crooked and Il
wisp Of auburn hair was sticking from
underneath. Moreover, the eyebrows
painted to an oriental slant had run
and were Joining in sinister glee over
the bridge of his nose
Disnay gave place to perplexity and
perplex'ty to mirth. Helen sat down
on an ulturned basket and laughed If
If you could only see yourself You
-look--so--funny."
The Chlnaman gave an audible sigh
Of relief and then a smile overspread
his own features. He removed the cap
and pigtall and wiped off the eyebrows
"Tll bet do" he agreed. 'But for
goodness sake tell me why you are
hiding In this cellar. Are the police
after your"
'Worse than that. The entire Lit
erary club is after me-"
'Mercyl You must ue the professor
we're expecting to dinner"
mo, I'm not the professor. That's
the trouble. I'm an impostor, and they
found me out"
you're too frank to be very much OF
counterfeit" said Helen. Won't you
come upstairs and tell me all about it?'
"You see," said the young man when
they were seated on a divan before the
blazing applewood fire, professor Tai
lsman, who has been in China for
twenty years. was to lecture about the
Manchus before the congress of clubs
to the tune of $100. Wen, about a
month ago the poor fellow broke his
leg, and 1t seemed shame to have to
cancel all his engagements. You see,
he's got three sons he's putting through
college and an invalid wife; so every
dollar counts. I'd heard his lecture
so many times knew it Off by heart,
so I've been filing his engagements for
him."
"Well? isn't that all right?'
1T seems not. forgot the thing to-
day right in the middle"
Helen looked her sympathy.
"And l started to lmprovise"
"Yes?"
(which was fatal. / said something
about Takahira and Kuropatkln. Said
! knew them well in Peking."
"WellT
"And then some woman got sus-
picious, they wera Japanese instead Of
Chinese" i think her name was Bel
lington.n
THAT was motherp
Holy cats She'll be home soon,
then; ! must be going"
mo, you're going to stay right here.
I've got your dinner just about ready"
"Then yen don't care If I'm not the
real thing?"
mo. One might have other things
to recommend him besides twenty
years in China"
But don't believe / have any spe-
cialty"
Perhaps it's human kindness. You
were doing something for a friend in
trouble"
1T seems to be your specially, too.
But, say really must be going. Your
mother was furious. Oh, there really
was an awful row and heard them
phoning for the police"
Another reason why you should stay
here" insisted Helen. "You might put
on some clothes OF dads and they'll
never know the difference"
"Iv got my own Clothes on under
this junk"
"Well, why didn't you say so? Hurry
up and Wen slip the duds under the
sofa. You're a detective after the i'm
postor, and when invite you to dinner
you're to stay"
"Why can't be just myself? may
want to come back some time" with
look Of admiration at the flushed, earn
est face and the eager light in the gray
eyes Helen was very very pretty.
"Well-who are your"
"Im Henry Stanhope."
Helen caught her breath and retreat
ed step, her eyes widening with
amazement as she gazed at the gov
ernor.
"Then why didn't you tell themgs
"They were too mad and they
wouldn't have believed me anyway"
Helen was silent an instant. 81
shouldn't have insisted upon your stay-
ING. but, YOU see l didn't know III