The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-02-05
THE RUBY HEART

"Still after that wretched ruby!'
she sad. How you waste your time?"
"Why? Don't you think I shall
find it?"
II don't know" she said, looking
at me with her eyes wide open; ''but
I don't think you will find it there,
because Bertram has been through
that three times already. Did you
ever eat Strawberries before breakfast
and gather them yourself?'
So we went into the kitchen garden
and ate strawberries till the gong rang
for breakfast. Bertram and William
were getting quite sulky and savage
from the non-success of their search,
and the little time I had devoted to it
annoyed them.
II believe" said Bertram, with an
air of gayety, a little overdone, "that
Wilfrid thinks he knows where the
heart is, and that he can put his hand
on it at any moment.
II wish I could" I said.
$50 do l." said Edith, almost in the
same breath.
"You wish Wilfrid to find the
hearth said William. "Why?"
sob, no. I don't mean Wilfrid; ]
meant-at least Well, we shall all
be glad when it's settled one way OF
the other, shan't we?"
I had never told Edith I loved her,
because I didn't know how my aunt
intended to leave her money, and il
Edith were to be tho heiress of the
whole-but any one will understand
my reasons.
It was q week after aunt's funeral
that l went into the rose garden,
where Edith was shipping roses into 8
basket.
''I've been looking for the heart
again" I said, "but T haven't found
it,"
"No," she answered, "and I don't
suppose you will. Would Gloire de
Dion be any compensation"
She began to stick one in my coat as
she spoke. Her. slender waist, in its
back gown, was very near my left arm
where she stood.
II will take the bud,"I said, cont
not as compensation for the heart"
Don't you think" she asked mo,
chat it might be possible to live hap.
PLY without a charm to help you?"
"No," I said, "not without charm
to help you. But ruby hearts are not
the only charms in the world"
My arm fell on her waist.
"Let them find their ruby heart!
Let them chop it in pieces and divide
it between them and sell the bits, "
said I.
"And you are content with what you
have?" she asked
Il am content with what I have" /
answered, land my other arm went
round her.
They never found that ruby heart,
though the poor old house was tapped
and tested from top to bottom. At
last, wearied out, they took the por.
ton Of goods that fell unto them and
went, fortunately for us, into far
country. And Edith and were mar.
ried.
We didn't go on q wedding tour, but
came straight back to the dear old
house.
On the evening of our wedding day
we walked in the moonlight through
the rose garden to listen to the night.
ingales. stopped to holdher in my
arms on the very spot where I had
first kissed her, and the light shawl
she wore round her.. head and shoulders
fell back.
whats that you have round your
neck?" I said, for something dark.
ened amid the white laces on her
breast.
She did not answer. put up my
hand, touched with thrill the white.
ness of her neck, and found in my fin.
gers the ruby heart!
"Then she gave it to you," I said;
cit is yours?"
"she gave it into my keeping" ans.
wered Edith, dropping her chin till
her lips rested on my hand; "but she
left it to the man who should find it. :"
and have found it-here"-E.
Nesbit, in the Argosy.
TuoI, EoVYo.u.