And yet--and yet--She, too, had found the Agony Column entertaining
and--quite nice. There was a twinkle in her eyes that bespoke a
fondness for romance. She was human, fun-loving--and, above all,
the joy of youth was in her heart.
Nonsense! West went inside and walked the floor. The idea was
preposterous. Still--he smiled--it was filled with amusing
possibilities. Too bad he must put it forever away and settle down
to this stupid work!
Forever away? Well--
On the next morning, which was Saturday, West did not breakfast at
the Carlton. The girl, however, did. As she and her father sat
down the old man said: "I see you've got your Daily Mail."
"Of course!" she answered. "I couldn't do without it. Grapefruit
--yes."
She began to read. Presently her cheeks flushed and she put the
paper down.
"What is it?" asked the Texas statesman.
"To-day," she answered sternly, "you do the British Museum. You've
put it off long enough."
The old man sighed. Fortunately he did not ask to see the Mail.
If he had, a quarter way down the column of personal notices he
would have been enraged--or perhaps only puzzled--to read:
CARLTON RESTAURANT: Nine A.M. Friday morning. Will the young woman
who preferred grapefruit to strawberries permit the young man who
had two plates of the latter to say he will not rest until he
discovers some mutual friend, that they may meet and laugh over
this column together?
Lucky for the young man who liked strawberries that his nerve had
failed him and he was not present at the Carlton that morning! He
would have been quite overcome to see the stern uncompromising look
on the beautiful face of a lady at her grapefruit.
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