The daily Alaskan., 1918-08-31

 ---------------------- enyied the dancing girl just because she might claim admtttance to the white.curtained cottage. But no girl followed Vernon. and there appeared to be no one left In the cottage. Vernon csunched his way down the white pebbled path to the whIte7palnted fence that hemmed In the exhibit. A young man that stood on the outside of the fence appeared to be friend of Vernon.
 "CcIg.atu,,a p said the man on the ort5. de of the fence. "l knew you would get the first prize for tulips, but you've taken the prize for the best show of any sort in the exhibition. l got it straight from the judges just now"
 The smooth-shaven young Vernon showed supreme satisfaction. You don't sayp he commented. That cer- talnly will make Pop happy. He was SC keen about this cottage effect, and he spent so much importtps those Dutch bulbs this year" ....u
 Its sure q slick show," commented the bringer of good news. Couldn't be better" elv 70 s .rE.
 "Yes,. It could" corrected Vernon, and Hester permitted herself still to overhear the conversation. We were going to get some nice little blonde haired girl to dress In Dutch costume and add local color to the cottage. Pop got the costume straight from Hol- land, and we were going to get one. of the maids to dress up; but the only blonde one got huffed at the last min ute, and the brunette ones wouldn't do. I'm going to start out tomorrow and get one. The trouble Is we don't want the kind of show girl you'd get from a theatrical agency. We want nice, fresh-looking girl. that looks as if she had grown up in a tulip bed"
 Just then the young mans eyes shifted, and for the first time he saw Hester. There was a slight start In his manner, and Hester somehow be- came aware that she had flaxen hair and that she certainly did not look like a show girl. The young heir to the Pope millions lowered his voice and drew the young man he was talk ing to aside. Hester would have fol- lowed them to hear their conversation, but 1t was obviously impossible. How ever, she still stood there by the white fence drinking in the beauty of the color, and waiting to hear what she might when the young man returned to the fence. - -a -..3..-. ....
 It was only few minutes later when young Vernon returned, and, coming very respectfully to her, asked her with considerable embar- raSsment If she would be willing to be the Dutch girl. She was just the type, he said, and If she didn't need the money she could contribute It to the Red Cross. He said that he was very anxious to have some one by the next afternoon-Saturday, because his father was coming in to see the show for the first time. and he had so wanted a Dutch girl in the cottage. Hester thought a minute. Saturday afternoon was a half holiday. She could "give notice" the first thing in the morning. She was only cog in the wheel at her office; another girl would do as well as she on Monday morning. For whole week she could spend her days there In that wonder ful tulip garden. She accepted, and before long she found herself alone In a little dressing room donning the Dutch peasant costume that was ap- parently made just to fit her small, plump figure.
 Of course, the young man fell in love with her, and, of course, when at the end of the week he told her so. Hester, who was a very strict princi- pied little girl, was as troubled as she had ever been in her. life before. She really did like him; she felt that she could not let him go. Still
 "But, what about that beautiful dancing lady you eloped with?" she asked him naively. And the young man laughed and laid his hands on her shoulders tenderly. They were inside the little Dutch cottage few minutes before the afternoon session of the exhibition began. r t r-, ... -a
 You didn't think was Vernon Pope, did you, little girl? Bless, your heart, you thought that, did you2 Why, I'm only the. head gardeners son: But father and I get more out of the Pope millions than the Popes do, for we are lords of the estate that young Vernon is too sophisticated to enjoy. They don't know one tulip from an. other. They just go in for them because every millionaire has to- go, in for something. So you'll maSry me- won't you? Even If I am Tom Daw-= kins, gardener, instead of Vernon Pope, millionaire ]"
 And Hester honestly could not see why any girl would not hundred t,,,,or -o+bar bove rnarriad Tom D0w-