The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-06-10
THE SILVER
YATAGHAN
By LILY WANDEL

|
Of her pencil in Mrs. Mawsons great
library. She was off in a corner with
her typewriter and letters, but she
was not thinking of work. Tomorrow
was a holiday and in the evening
there was to be a fancy dress ball.
Phil, her brother, in a rare burst of
brotherly interest had promised to
take her to the festlvity. You're get
ting to be a regular little mouse and
I'm going to take you out among peo-
pie" he had said patronizingly. Now,
don't worry and be bashful; I'll scare
N, few fellows to dance with you,
but of course you can't expect to be
the belle of the evening and all that
sort Of thing. Get yourself costume
something that suits you; be a
| QuakereSs or a schoolmarm."
She had nodded and thanked him,
but inwardly resolved to throw OIL
her little mouse cloak and be some
body else just for one evening. I'm
sick and tired of being the sedate
/ private secretary; I'm just as fun
loving and jolly as any other giIl IL
I'd have half a chance. And I'm 60
ing to have it, too. A masquerade ball
Is just the thingw And then and
there she decided to go as a Turkish
vampl
At home in a locked bureau drawer
lay the costume quite handy-yellow
silk trousers, crimson bolero Jacket
and white batiste chemise, red turban
and floating, filmy veil, even turned
up Turkish slippers and a wonderful
black and red sash. 1t was a perfect
outfit; she really would look like a
/ Turkish woman, but she wanted to
be a vamp Something was needed, a
I little touch-She did not know what
SO she continued TO bite the unOfrend-
/ ing pencil and stare with wrinkled
I forehead nj the high bookcases,
/ antique shields and swords that dec
GRATED the Somber walls Right above
her little typewriter table hung a
queer looking thing, a dagger or knife,
! thought Alcina idly. Very black and
furnished. an odd handle, too. the
usual crossbar missing and the blade
more than foot long fleXed in a
/ graceful double curve. On the handle
something was engraved curious char
{ Rcters-she rose to see IL beiter-why
that must be Turkish inscription.
Oh. now she knew, the dagger was a
! Turkish yataghan! Suppose II We're
polished and cleaning, stuck in her
sash; then she would look Ike a
vamp-a real Turkish vamp,
That was the touch that her cos
tune needed The only trouble was !:
Would Mrs. MawSon lend 1t 10 her for
the bali? She doubted Il. for the old
lady had recently refused 10 lend her
book from the well-stocked library.
I There was another way. Mrs. Nav
son never entered the gloomy room.
Alcina always went 70 her employers
parlor or dressing room for dlctation
or Instructions. II she took the yata-
CHAN home with her tonight and re-
turned II the day after tomorrow no
one would know the difference
when five o'clock came, Alclna, a
bit conscience stricken. took down
the dagger, and wrapping It quickly
In a piece of newspaper. stuck II in
her mum. and without looking right
or left hurried from the house
At home. in the privacy OF her room,
she rubbed aud polished II, and be-
hold, the black melted away and
beautiful, cleaning silver came 20
view, Her eyes sparkled with delight
as she saw herself In her pretty Turk
Ish suit with a silver yataghan stuck
In her sash. II was bound 10 attract
the attention OF everybody.
When they left the dance long
cloak covered her up completely
so that not even Phil had an inkling
OF her costume. He was not even
curious, for he thought he would
know he. In any kind of dress.
She fingered In the dressing room.
and then conscious that she looked
very pretty and attractive. took the
plunge into the ballroom Just In time
to see Phil benevolently tuck the
hand OF a demure little shepherdess
under his arm and patter of with her
under the impression he was doing
his duty to Alcina.
Alcina was surrounded at once.
Everybody was sure they knew her.
Knights and clowns, sailors and
Roman soldiers. all were highly in
terested IN the Turkish vamp with
the gllttering silver yataghan. AL
Gina had not known that any one
could have such glorious time. BY
and by she realized that she had
danced three times In succession with
certain fascinating toreador. and
decided II was time to change, but he
persuaded her to sit out a dance
Laughing they found a little nook for
a tete-a-tete.
THAT silver yataghan, 1t attracted
me at once when you entered the
room; where on earth did you find
anything so wonderfully" he asked.
Alcina flushed under her veil at
loss for an answer. when a rather
merry Pilgrim strutted up and pulled
her off for a fox trot. She gave a
little sigh of relief; the toreador was
lovely, but the questioning about the
yataghan was embarrassing. She no.
ticed with delight that 1t was near