The daily Alaskan., 1908-11-25
sS~SSS0SS>SSSSSe } A Discovery ,
torlginaLl

with a party or young people, my LuI1- mate friends. Among them was Yir. gina NIcGregor, for whom I had long had a fancy. l did not consider my self good enough for Virginia, and there was 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 ot brown mohalr that suited exactly the tint of her Titan hair. She cer- tainly looked entranclng, and couldn't keep my eyes off her, She didn't ap- pear to notice my admiration, and I 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 a gold chain to which hung a tiny brass key. wished to know what the treasure was that 1t locked, but I don't consider curious questions well bred.
 Virginia was good swimmer, q 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 a mermaid straight out beyond the roped iuclosure. l was talking to one of the girls of the party at the time and as soon as l could get away went in after yirginn.
 The wind was blowing up the coast from the south, crossing the waves rolling in from the east, q 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 n shriek. The bathing master heard 1t and plunged In, while two men standing on the beach, seeing her danger, pulled the lIfeboat to the surf, launched 1t and hastened to the rescue.
 Meanwhile l swan for Virginia and by 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 ny fingers got caught in the gold chain about her neck. l grasped 1t and held her up by 1t till a moment before the simultaneous arrival of the llfeboat and the bathing master, when 1t broke. I held on to 1t while we were both being pulled Into the boat.
 Virginia was too exhausted and eG- cited to notice her loss then, and said nothing about 1t. As soon as we were safe ashore she thanked me for my et- fort, but there was no warmth in her gratitude. She then left the beach, and I saw no more of her til the even ing. should have given her the broken chain and the key still attached, but I did not. l 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, remarklng that she seemed to prize them. The only reply I received was a blush.
 l kept the articles, thinking every day that I would return them, but somehow l couldn't make up my mlnd to do SO. The truth is I coveted Yir- glnla, though l scarcely realized 1t. When a fellow covets a girl he Is apt to hold on to anything of hers he can get his hands on. have known a lover to carry shoestring next hls heart. I couldn't give up the chain that had clasped VirglnIa's neck nor the key which I taucled might lock some mans love letters.
 That winter was made much of by the McGregor family, they considering that they owed me Virglnia's life. One evening, being at their house at so- clal gathering, the premises being thrown open, 1 concluded to reconnoi- ter with a view to getting a sight of the mysterious inclosure that contained T was curious to know what. Passing bedroom the door of which was open, saw a curious box of brass and mo- saic on a dresser. I listened, and not hearing any one on the floor stepped In and, taking my key from my vest pocket, put It to the keyhole of the box. It slipped in as though 1t had been made for the lock hesItated, blushed at the dishonorable act I was tempted to perform, remembered that al's fair in love and war and turned the key.-A tiny click and I raised the lid. There was a faded rose falling to pieces. h. deed, 1t was but scattered stem and petals. There was a bit of folded pa per. opened it.
 To say 1 was astonished expresses nothing, First l recognized my own handwriting. Next saw that 1t was a message I had passed to Virginia long before when a lot of us boys and girls were amusing ourselves together with bits of nonsense. The only other thing