“Jack!” she gasped, as he nearly swung her off her feet.
“Where is mother?” he demanded, holding her at arm’s length.
“Right behind you, stupid,” she managed to say when she had got her breath back. “And allow me to introduce Mr. Percy Vanderpool.”
Mason kissed his mother and turned to acknowledge the introduction. Percy Vanderpool. Then his eyes twinkled and he had to force back a laugh of merriment.
So this was the third party. Percy was a fop, but he came from a very aristocratic family. Mason had known of him through some of the New York clubs which he held membership in. He had nothing against the fellow, only his fondness to ape English ways and wear loud clothes.
Percy was dressed in a loud checkered suit and Mason grinned in his face as he shook hands. His hand had a decided feminine touch and Mason chuckled as he thought of the amusement he would provide for the cowboys. Josephine had held back, but now Mason caught her hand and drew her into the group.
“Mother, I wish to introduce you and sis to a real Western girl, Miss Josephine Walters,” he said.
Ethel put her arms around Josephine and kissed her. “I feel that I have known you for a long time, dear,” she said sweetly. “Jack has written home about you in all his letters and urged me to visit you.”
Josephine’s face was radiant, while she could only stammer a few words as she was introduced to Mason’s mother and Percy Vanderpool. Mason took the situation in hand by rounding up Scotty and introducing him to his folks. The cowboy stood fingering his hat while his face grew red with embarrassment.
He shifted his feet awkwardly as Mason introduced him to Percy Vanderpool and Mason tried hard to keep back a smile when he noticed a blank look spread over the cowboy’s face as he sized Percy up.