The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-09-16
VlRGlHlRs MISTAKE
BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.
Copyright. 1915. BY the Mcclure Newsp'


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 ELI
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.
l 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. .a..
He added, And she's worth meet
ingl" Virginia could have cried.
Il know Miss Grayson 10 unusually
charming, and am disappointed more
than can tell you, Perhaps you will
find 1t In your heart to ask me again"
The men shook hands, babe 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 yell7"
II was afraid he was another ell
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 a while"
This one isn't conceited. He's q
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 danee" wiekedly touching
match to her fathers gunpowder
temper ... ~
mol" he exploded. Just so q mans
got springs in his legs. you don't care
whether he's got sou In his pocket!"
"And just so a mans got q 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 ScroogeI"
she retorted. Your friend from the
West seems to belong to the last va
riety. Look at his clothes!" .
Hell 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
undergraduates 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 q 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, well dressed
and a 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 odd expression. Virginia colored
furiously. The man is positively
rude" she thought, 'the way he is
staring at US! He never takes his eyes
of US for an Instant" -. ... Oh.
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. @.....
well, of all things!" exclaimed Vir-
ginia. This is the most mysterious
affair ever experienced In my life"
She went to tea the next day with
her aunt. 4.
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 tetea-tete that followed over
their teacups was interesting In
teresting that Virginia was full to
overlooking when she got home. y
Father" she cried to that aston
ished gentleman, Il met Mr.. Shaw,
the man from the West, today, and
he's grand--iust grandl And what's
the difference II he doesn't dance?
Say, do you know" coloring guiltiIy,
The helped the police to track the
thief that stole his aunt's diamonds.
They found him In fashionable res
taurant last night. They say he is