The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-10-06
A Discovery


nau Iancy. 1 ala not consider N.Y.
self good enough for Virginia, and
there was a fellow about her all the
while with whom she seemed espe-
cially pleased. At least whenever I
saw them together she looked at him
with her big eyes In a way she never
looked at any other man. certainly not
at me.
One morning at the bathing house
we all went, down to the beach for a
bath. Virginia had on a pretty shade
Of brown mohair that suited exactly
the tint Of her Titan hair. She Ger.
tainly looked enhancing aud couldn't
keep my eyes or her. She didn't APP
pear to notice my admiration. and
fancled that. being absorbed in thought
with the other fellow. she was not
likely to notice any admiration but his
There was one thing about her that at
tracted my especial attention. About
her neck was gold chain TO which
hung q tiny brass key. / wished to
know what the treasure was that ii
locked, but l don't consider curious
questions well bred.
Virginia was good swimmer, a
fair one. She stepped lightly into the
surf, jumped over the first two waves
and took a header under the third.
When she came up she swan like
mermaid straight out beyond the roped
Enclosure. ! was talking to one OF the
girls of the party at the time and as
soon as could get away went In after
Virginia.
The wind was blowing up the coast
from the south, crossing the waves
rolling in from the east, condition
productive of sea pousse. From the
top of a wave l saw that Virginia had
been caught in one OF these whirl-
pools and was being carried out. At
the same time she gave shrek. The
bathing master heard II and plunged
In. while two men standing on the
beach. seeing her danger, pulled the
lifeboat to the surf. launched 1t and
FASTENED to the rescue.
Meanwhile | swan for Virginia and
by a vigorous effort succeeded in reach
Ing her. She had become paralyzed by
fright and could do nothing whatever
for herself. While trying to get my |
hand on something by which to sup |
port her my fingers got caught in the
gold chain about her neck. grasped I
ii and held her up by it till moment
before the simultaneous arrival of the |
lifeboat and the bathing master, when
1t broke. held on to 1t while we were
both being pulled into the boat
Virginia was too exhausted and ex-
cited to notice her loss then, and | said
nothing about It, AS soon as we were
safe ashore she thanked me for my eff
fort, but there was no warmth in her
gratitude. She then left the beach.
and saw no more OF her till the even
ing. should have given her the
broken chain and the key still attached.
but did not thought would wait
awhile. She did not mention them,
and finally asked her If she had them
on. She said regretfully that she had
lost them in the ocean. sympathized
with her In her loss. remarking that
she seemed TO prize them. The only
reply / received was blush.
| kept the articles, thinking every
day that / would return them, but
somehow / couldn't make up my mind
to do so. The truth Is / coveted Vir-
glnia. though | scarcely realized it.
When a fellow covets girl he is apt
to hold on to anything of hers he can
get his hands on. / have known q
lover to carry shoestring next his
heart, | couldn't give up the chain
that had clasped yirginias neck nor
the key which fancied might lock
some mans love letters.
That winter / was made much of by
he McGregor family, they considering :
hat they owed me virg!nia's life. One
evening, being at their house at SO.
,ial gathering, the premises being
brown open, l concluded to reconnoi-
er with view to getting a sight of
he mysterious Enclosure that contained
I was curious to know what Passing !
/ bedroom the door Of which was open,
saw curious box OF brass and mo- j
aic on a dresser. | listened. and not
rearing any one on the floor stepped
n and, taking my key from my vest
,ocket put 1t to the keyhole Of the box.
t slipped In as though 1t had been
made for the lock- hesitated, blushed
It the dishonorable act was tempted J
o perform, remembered that all's fair =
n love and war and turned the key. A :
my click and raised the lid. There
vas faded rose falling to pieces. In
eed, 1t was but scattered stem and
etals. There was a bit of folded pa
er. opened it.
To say was astonished expresses
othing. First recognized my own
andwriting. Next saw that it was a
1essage | had passed to Virginia long
efore when a lot Of us boys and girls
Tere amusing ourselves together with
its of nonsense. The only other thing 4
j the box was photograph face down.
turned it and. behold, 1t was my own c
onest face when was half dozen =
ears younger. l had Just time to put .
ne articles back in the box, lock 1t and z
ct out when I heard virginia's voice .
the foot of the stairway. | met her 8
alfway down.
didn't propose to Virginia right 3
e. oh. no. / played with her as a .
1t would tease a mouse. why should 4
he girls have all the fun2 l made love Z
her confidently, knowing her secret, Z
pressing her To tell mo D