The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-06-13
MARRIOTT OF CUPID.
Each Supposed the Other to Be
Another Until Properly
vouched For.

vouched For.
BY NELLIE cRAvEY GILMORE.
Maize Shuttleworth was in Z flut
ter OF excitement. She held q long
creamy envelope in one hand and a
sheet of letter-paper in the other
The latter contained the magic con
tents:
Cedar Park, April tenth.
MY dear Girl:
Come and take dinner with me on
Tuesday evening, quite informally.
have asked only one other guest; that
delightful young fellow I have been 50
anxious for you to meet-and to have
meet you.
Let me have your answer by re
turn mail, and be sure that you make
it yes" Devotedly,
Caroline"
There was very little doubt about
what she would make her answer
thought Maize, her heart leaping in
her breast. For Miss Maize Shuttle
worth was not without her own Sc
cret aspirations, and this prospect OF
coming in actual contact-really talk
Ing to-one of the charmed circle OF
the arrived" filled her with a delight
full sense of agitation.
David Brierson had long been the
young girls chosen favorite from
the Gotham literary lights. He was
the man of all others she was anx
i0us to know.
The days that must intervene be-
fore Tuesday were the longest Maize
ever spent. She occupied the time
chiefly in whirl Of speculation over
just how she was going to breach
the subject nearest her heart-and
considering what was the best To
wear. She finally decided upon a
dress of simple white lawn and re-
solved to discard all curls and puts
from her hair.
A young man looked up expectantly
as the postman blew a shrill remind
er in his ear and laid a batch of let.
tiers down on the desk. The first
penned in a faint, spidery hand and
delightfully."- redclent Of sandalwood,
claimed his attention. It was from
his very dear friend and counsellor
Mrs. Ashton Ardent, and ran as fol-
lows:
Cedar Park, April tenth.
Dear Boy:
Cant you snatch a leisure hour
from your eternal business and run
around next Tuesday for informal din
ner? I am asking only one other
I'll leave you to find out later who
and shall never forgive you If you fail
me. Sincerely.
caroline Arden"
OF course he would go! When had
he ever refused-or wanted to refuse
one of Mrs. Arden's charming in
vitations? Accordingly, he drew up
paper, ink and pen and scrubbed a
hasty acceptance, seized his hat from
a peg and hurried down to the mail.
box.
But thinking it over, perhaps an
hour or so afterward, when he was
strfding up the avenue toward his
rooms, he suddenly came to a halt
and uttered a prolonged whistle Mrs
Arden had been threatening for
weeks to introduce him to one Pa
tricia Ainsley, Questioning and ia
nous fictionist. She, had predicted
great results from their meeting. And
this was her method Of taking advan-
tage Of the situation and forcing the
woman on him! Well, it was too late
now and he stalked doggedly up the
steps to his apartment.
The meeting came about in a slight
ly unceremonious manner. Maize
having arrived in good time, had re-
paired to the hammock on the veran-
da and was swinging lazily in the shad-
ow of the clematis when he made his
appearance, innocently bent on
steadyfng his nerves with a big black
cigar before the ordeal
What Maize glimpsed-before he
had chance to see her-was a good
looking, almost swarthily dark, young
man with wide, ight-gray eyes and
a mouth that seemed always to be
ready to smile. He wore a suit of
purplish-tan and broad-brimmed
Panama pulled down over his fore
head.
Il beg your PARDON"
With a little muffled exclamation
and a burning flush, Maize flung her
self upright, her dainty, brown-suede
pumps descending upon the porch
floor with a click.
Excuse me, Miss-er-Miss Aims
ley, I believe? but I was looking for
Mrs. Arden"
Maize regained her poise with ad-
mirable alacrity "0ut in the garden,
think, Mr. Brierson. We scarcely
need an Introduction. You see. l
have heard Caroline speak of you so
often that l feel almost as if we're
old friends"
Il trust we shall be very good
Ones" he replied, las we'll. I, too,
have heard a lot about you from our
mutual friend"
Maize pulled up !, chair for him
and sat down on the bench opposite.
"Only," she took up where she had
left of, my name is Maize Shuttle
worth, you know" She smiled as he
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