The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-10-03
A Discovery

1aAte friends, Amcrs ihem vas q
sihh MccfesF. Tor wheus;l a issskS 4
had a fahcy did. sSs q y I
SER good esnush eds EIsssslls, IA |
there wns Rdlf6w NbSaf Ter hll s6a
while Win knss sha sepSasa 6spe
cially pleasea A e1st whenever I
saw then tuSe.fe@f she looked at hicn
win her big eyes IN a way she never
looked at anyfother man, certainly not
st me-
One moTniflg at the bathing house
sre an went Nown te me, beach for q
bath. Virginia had on "a pretty shade
OF brown mohalr that snited exactly
the tint Of her Titan hair. She Ger
safnly looked entraneins. and couldn't
Eeep my eyes Of her. She didn't ap-
pear to notice ms admiration. and !
fanelec 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
tiaeted my especial attention. About
her neck was gold chain 10 which
hung q tiny brass key. ! wished to
snow. what the treasure was that 1t
locked, but Is don't coneideE curious
questions welAbred. 18a
Virginia waN 3 good sw'lmmerr I a
fair one She stepped lightly into the
surf. jumped cSef the first two waves
and took nfader under the third.
When SHE cane ~ she swan like a
iqennad straight out beyoud the roped
inclosure. ! &fs talking TO one Of the
girls OF tho narty at the time and as
soon as could gei away went iii after
Virginia.
The wind was blowing up the coast
from Tie south crossing The waves
rolling in frotr the east a condition
productive OF sea ponsse. From the
top Of wave saw that Virginia had
l,ceu caught III one of these whirl-
rools and was being carried ont At
the same time she gave . shriek. The
bathipg master heard it aud plunged
in. whiio two men standing on the
beach. seeing her danger pulled the
lifehoat to Tie surf. launched IL and
hastened to the rescue.
Meanwhile swan for Virginia aud
by avigarous EFFORT succeeded IN reach
fng her She mud hseome paralyged By
fright ard could DO nothing whatever
Tor hefeeif. While trying TO get my
hand on something by which to sup
porf her my fingers 50. caught 10 tue
gold chain about her neck. srasped
IL and held her up by II til iqomenr
before the simultaneous arrival OF the
lifehoat and the bathing master. when
Il broke. held ON 10 II while We were
both heing pulled Into the boat.
Virginia was too exhausted and ex.
cited 10 notice her loss then, and said
nothing about It. As soon as we were
safe ashore she thanked me for my ef-
fort, but there WAS no warmth 10 her
gratitude. She then left the beach,
and saw no more OF her tn 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
ana finally asked her Il she had them
on. She said regretfuiig that she had
lost them ia the ocean. / sympathi2ed
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 l coveted vir
ginia. though ! scarcely realized It
When a fellow covets a girl he is ap
10 hold on TO anything Of heFs he car
get bis hands on. / have known {
lover TO carry q shoestring next hi
heart ! couldn't give up the chair
that had cIAsped yirginia's neck MOI
the key which fancied might lacs
some mans leye letters
That winter was made much OF b,
ile MeCreaot falnily tiiey consiqerini
THAT they owed me Sirginias lire, on
evening. hcing at their house at a 50
cial gathering. the premises helni
thrown OPEN ] concluded 10 reconnoi
Ter With 3 view TO getting a sight o
tho mysterlo4s lnclosure that containe'
--l WAS cnlioSis 10 know what Fassini
bedroom tle door OF which WAS opcT
saw cnTibus hox OF brass and inc
sale on drtssar J listened. and no
hearing any Que on the noor steppe
in aud. taking my key from my yes
pocket, pat TITO the keyhole OF the bos
II Slipped in rs though 1t had nee
made for the lock / hesliaied, blushe
at the dlshonornble act | was temple
ia perform. remembered that all's fai
in love and war aud turned lbe key
tiny click aud ! raised the lid Ther
Was faded rose falling TO pieces. u
deed Il was but scattered stem an
petals. There waE q bit Of folded pi
per. 1 opened g.
TO say was astonished expressg
MothIng First I recoghizeg my oN
handwriting Next saw that Il was
message I had passed 10 Virginia Ion
before when q lot of as boys and CIR
we're amusing ourselves together wit
bste oe nouee@Ae. The only other thin
10 tie box WIS q Pheibgraph face dew
] tuFOed Il, anSks asshoitl. II was NY nv
honest eace when ! Tas nnle doe
ye2ss younger. n had JUST time to q
tls articles baSk 10 the box. lock It Cd
get out when q heard yirEinis's volt