The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-04-06
VIRGINlA'S MISTAKE
BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.


Mr.. Grayson stepped briskly out
from between the granite pillars OF
the entrance followed by young man.
When Virginia saw the stranger she
shrank back into the recesses of the
limousine. Another of fathers ell
gibles for me to be nice to-" she
thought.
But after her father had opened the
glass door and stepped back to permit
his companion to enter the latter
changed his mind. I'm sorry. Mr.
Grayson, but it has just occurred to
me that was to do something for my
aunt. 1t almost escaped my memory.
am very sorry indeed to have to re-
fuse your invitation"
You'll not meet my daughter" re-
turned her father in his blunt, brusque
way, that brought the color flying to
her cheeks.
He added, "And she's worth meet
ing!" Virginia could have cried.
Il know Miss Grayson is unusually
charming, and am disappointed more
than can tell you. Perhaps you will
find it in your heart to ask me again"
The men shook hands, bade each
other good evening, and her father got
into the car.
why, Virgie, didn't see you. Say.
that's too bad | wanted you to meet
young Shaw. the chap that's just gone.
Why didn't you yell?"
Il was afraid he was another eli
gible, papa, dear" mischievously
"You know | can't be nice to them
1t does them good to be jolted out Of
their self-conceit once in while"
This one isn't conceited. He's a
sensible, steady, self-made man. They
call him the Copper King He made
most of his own fortune in the West,
whence he has just returned"
Does he dancer" wickedly touching
a match to her fathers gunpowder
temper.
mol" he exploded. Just so mans
got springs in his legs, you don't care
whether he's got a sou in his pocket!"
And just so a mans got a few
bonds in brine, you don't care whether
he's as ugly as an ant eater, as old
as Adam, or as stingy as old Scroogel"
she retorted. Your friend from the
West seems to belong to the last va
riety. Look at his clothes!"
He'll get over that He's only been
here two days and he's been very
busy. Someone has stolen some Jew
els from the aunt with whom he is
living. He has been helping the po-
lice"
"Oh!" was Virginia's only comment
to this, but she couldn't forget that a
mere man from the West had not
seized the opportunity to meet the
much-sought-after Miss Grayson.
That evening she accompanied her
aunt and uncle to the opera. then to
supper at a fashionable restaurant
where there was dancing.
Virginia passed from one eager
partner to another Then she found
herself dancing with a young man
who seemed to have wings on his
feet.
Slender and 1.-THE, he was without
doubt the best partner she had ever
had, and very good looking. Here was
a man who came up to her ideal in
every way. Good looking, we'll dressed
and splendid dancer! What did her
father know of men? Her thoughts
turned to the Westerner with amused
contempt, and even as they did so she
found herself looking into his eyes.
He was sitting alone at a side table
watching her and her partner with
an cdd expression. Virginia colored
furiously. "The man is positively
rude" she thought, "the way he is
staring at us! He never takes his eyes
off us for an Instant"
Later another man joined him--then
another. The three then kept their
eyes on the dancers, and as soon as
the music stopped one of the trio
came over and spoke to her partner.
He excused himself hurriedly and left
with the man. The other two fol-
lowed.
We'll, of all thingsl" exclaimed Vir-
ginia. This is the most mysterious
affair ever experienced in my life"
She went to tea the next day with
her aunt.
There she met the man-not her
Apollo of the night before-but the
man from the West, who had evidently
had time to consider his appearance
to the smallest detail. Nothing could
have been more nearly correct, noted
Virginia's critical eye.
She was introduced to him at once
and the tete-a-tete that followed over
their teacups was interesting-so in
teresting that Virginia was full to
oyerfowing when she got home.
''Father!" she cried to that aston
ished gentleman, 81 met Mr.. Shaw.
the man from the West, today, and
he's grand-just grand And what's
the difference if he doesn't dance?
Say, do you know" coloring guiltily,
'he helped the police to track the
thief that stole his aunt's diamonds.
They found him in a fashionable res
20, Ior srk =