The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-05

~ ny SdiAhbs 0pOhc ilAhhiy VI my
love for her companion, and begged that
my hearer would aid me to remove OBJ
stacles which stood in the way Of a
closer intercourse No doubt, with a
lovers cunning. ! made myself most
agreeable to the ancient old gentle
woman. Permission was graclously
accorded me to visit the house-as a
friend.
wanted no more. rose 10 take my
leave. longing for tomorrow to come,
as did not like to ventum two visits
on the first day. Just then the door
opened, and Viola appeared.
A look OF surprise flashed into her
face-surprise, but not lispleasule. A
faint blush crossed her check, and these
signs told me | should win her
Now that my foot was inside the cita-
del, went to work fiefceiy impetuous-
ly, to gain my desire. The days that
followed are to me too sacred to be
described; but not many passed before
knew that Violo's love was MY own.
We went to the kindly spinster, who
was responsible for Violas safety, and
told her the glad news The old lady
dropped her knitting-needles, and look
cd bewildsred
mo, no, NOT she cried. in Mortified
tones; You can not mean it,
Viola's blush and my words showed
her we were In solemn earnest.
"Oh. dearl Oh, dear" sighed Miss
Rosslter. What shall do? You have
only known each other a veekri
"A day would have been long enough
on my partr' cried. looking rapturous-
" at Viola
1T is SO sudden continued Miss
Rossiter Il never dreamed Of such a
Ting In old days matters were man
aged much more decorously. thought,
Mr. Vane. you would be at least three
months in making her acquaintance.
On, dearl am too much to blame"
The old soul seemed so distressed
that Viola ran over and kissed her.
"Ohl what will Eustace say? He viii
blame me terribly. He is SO master
full you know. Viola"
who Is Eustaceg' asked thought
that Violas face grew thoughtful as
she heard the name.
"Mr Grant. my guardian and good
friend" she said
Then must see him. Where can /
ind him."
"He is away said Miss Rossiter,
plaintiyely "Oh. | am SO much 10
blame ought to have made all sorts
d inquiries about YOU Mr.. vane7
Your friend can make them on his
return. When VIII that be?"
mo one knows. Tomorrow, per-
haps, next month, next year. One never
can say. Oh. deasi Oh. dear"
laughed and drew Viola away We
we're so happy that We forgot all about
Miss RossiteTs pla.ntiye s!ghs, and |
troubled nothing about viola's guardi-
an. did not even ask what manner OF
a man he was.
But two days afterwari knew In
the evening / called as usaa, at Miss
Rosslter's. Viola heard my knock and
met me in the hail
Eustace came back to-day. Ha Is
here. she said, joyfuily
kissed her and followed her into
the room to make the acquaintance Of
her guardian. Although she called
him BY hts Christian name. / fnily ex-
pected to find him a sober. aiddle-aged
man; but in the easy chair. lounging as
ii the place belonged to him. and talk
ing volubly to Miss Rositer, | saw a
strongly built. sun-burned man who
could be but few years my senior. He
rose as l entered. and Viola shyly intro
duced us.
He was tail-taller than ! was. His
shoulders we're broad; mis- limbs strong
and muscular. A man who. if not
handsome. would certainly be noticed
anywhere The thought which sue
ceeded my establishment at mis- unex-
pected appearance was, "By what right
is this man the guardian Of the woman
l lover
He gave me his hand; but not, ]
fanc,ed. cordially. He looked me full
in the face. and knew he was trying
to gather from my looks some
Knowledge Of myself, Then suddenly
saw a surprised expression on his
face saw the corners Of his mouth
droop as IN half-suppressed scorn; and
from chat moment my feelings toward
him were those OF dialrust aud dis
like.
He stayed so late that was the one
to make the first move For once was
not sorry TO leave Viola. The appear
ance Of this man among us. the close
terms Of intimacy upon which it was
clear he stood with Miss Rossiter and
Viola, cast kind OF glnom upon me.
chafed at the thought that my happi-
ness was in any way dependent upon
his favor. l grew moody and silent,
and for me the evening was a duh one.
But not for my friends. This Grant
was evidently a brilliant and clever
talker. He narrated, IN an amusing
way, his experiences N some out-oi-the-
way Alpine village, in which. for some
reason which did not transpire, he
had been staying. Yet at times fancied