The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-05-20
THE SILVER
YATAGHAN
BY LILY WANDEL

library. She was Off In corner with
her typewriter and letters. but she
was not thinking of work. Toner ow
was holiday and in the evening
there was to be fancy dress ball.
Phil. her brother. In rare burst of
brotherly interest had promised to
take her to the festlvity. You're get
ting to be regular little mouse and
I'm going to take you out among peo-
Pile" he had said patronizingly. Now.
don't worry and be bashful; I'll scare
ul' a 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 costCme
something that suits you; be a
Quakeress or schoolmarm."
She had nodded and thanked him.
but inwardly resolved to throw OH
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 gill II
I'd have half a chance. And I'm go
ing to have It, too. A masquerade ball
is just the thing" And then and
there she decided to 60 as a Turkish
vampl
At home In locked bureau drawer
lay the costume quite handy-yellow
silk trousers, crimson bolero jacket
and white batlste chemise. red turban
and floating. flmy veil, even turned
up Turkish slippers and wonderful
black and red sash. II was n perfect
outfit; she really would look like u
Turkish woman. but she wanted to
be a vamp! Something was needed, a
little touch-she did not know what.
So she continued to bite the unofrend-
ing pencil and stare with wrinkled
forehead at the high bookcases.
antique shields and swords that dec
Grated the somber walls. Right above
her little typewriter table hung n
queer looking thing. a dagger or knife.
thought Alcina idly. Very black and
tarnished, an odd handle, too, the
usual crossbar missing and the blade
more than a foot long, fiexed In a
graceful double curve. On the handle
something was engraved, curious char
acters-she rose TO see II better-why
that must be Turkish inscription.
Oh. now she knew, the dagger was a
Turkish yataghani Suppose 1t were
polished and cleaning. stuck In her
sash; then she would look like a
vamp-a real Turkish vampl
lA
tune needed. The only trouble was /:
Would Mrs. Mawson lend 1t to her for
the ball? she doubted II. for the old
lady had recently refused to lend her
book from the well-stocked library.
| There was another way. Mrs. MGw-
son never entered the gloomy room.
| Alcina always went 20 her employers
parlor or dressing room for dictatlon
! or instructions. If she took the yata-
/ CHAN home with her tonight and re-
turned II the day after tomorrow no
ne would know the difference
When five o'clock came, Alcina. a
bit conscience stricken, took down
the dagger, and wrapping 1t quickly
I'm a piece OF newspaper stuck II in
her nun, and without looking right
or left hurried from the house.
At home. In the privacy OF her room,
she rubbed and polished IT. and be-
hold. the black melted away and
beautiful. cleaning silver came TO
view! Her eyes sparkled with delight
as she saw herself In her pretty Turk
fish suit with a silver yataghan STUCK
In her sash. II was bound to attract
the attention OF everybody.
When they left the dance a 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 her 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.
1
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 n glorious time. BY
and by she realized that she had
danced three times in succession with
certain fascinating toreador. and
decided II was time 10 change, hut he
persuaded her 10 sit out dance.
Laughing they found a little nook for
a tete-a-tete.
"That silver yataghan. II attracted
ME at once when you entered the
room; where on earth did you find
anything SD wonderfully" he asked.
Alcina flushed under her veil at
loss for an answer. when rather
merry Pilgrim strutted up and pulled
her Off for a fox trot, She gave N