The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-17
The King of Hearts.

|
ing in at the window, hecking with gold
hte hair of a young girl who stood
gazing at photograph in heart
shaped silver frame, which held the place
| OF honor on the nantel-piece. Her
thoughts were evidently far away from
her surroundings, as she failed TO hear
footsteps approaching, and was only re-
called 70 herself by the maid announc-
ing capt. Stewart" A flush OF burning
color swept over EIsie's face, and quick
as thought she snatched the heart-shapei
| frame from it's place, and holding it In
| her left hand, advanced TO meet a tall.
fair man, whose pale face showed signs
! of recent Illness, and who carried his
right arm in sling.
why, jack" she said, 81 had no idea
you were in London; did the doctors give
you permission to travel?'
Her pretty face was still flushed, and
| after answering her questions as to his
health, Jack Stewart felt difficulty In
returning to their old friendly footing;
/ there was subtle difference dn her man
ner 10 him that made him vaguely I'M
easy.
| So it was more by way of conversation
| than desire for information that Jack
| asked laughingly:
And who is the King of Hearts now?
Roberts, Kitchener, or Buller?'' Then as
the mantel-piece, he started and said
more seriously:
- The King of Hearts not in his &C
customed place. What is the meaning
of this, slsie?''
Once more a blush swept from brow
to chin, and Elsie, averting her eyes,
| remained silent. Then it was Jack
caught sight of the frame in her left
hand.
astonishment. May ! not see your new
hero?" Then, Elsie remaining silent he
with his free hand gently took the frame
from her unresisting clasp, and without
looking at it, laid it face downward on
table near, and resuming his seat by
her side, looked at her with troubled
eyes.
But three short months had passed
since he sat in that room and had
learned from her lips that though she
did not love him, she loved on one else;
and he had started off to South Africa
with hopes of ultimately gaining her
love. A month ago he had been invalided
home, and as soon as his doctors had
pronounced it safe for him to travel, he
had come straight TO Elsie, only 10 find
she had a secret from him that babe
fair to lessen his hopes. From childhood
Elsie had been hero-worshiper of the
most ardent kind, and had a collection Of
her heroes photographs that would fill
a goodsized album. On her fifteenth
birthday Jack had given her a heart
shaped photo frame, which was des-
tined to contain her hero Of the mo-
ment, who was laughingly dubbed by
Jack the king of Hearts" Many and
various were the faces he had seen in
that frame, but now he feared that the
real king had come, who would not only
retain undisputed possession of the
photoframe, but would also reign In
Elsie's heart
With a visible effort Jack Stewart
reused himself from his painful
thoughts, and turning to Elsie, said:
LAS I may not see your new hero, per-
haps you will tell me about him."
Anything you ask me, except his
name" she replied, meeting his gaze for
the first time
HE is a soldier, Of course?'
Eyes" she answered, quietly.
Good looking"
Very good looking" she said earnest
ly, but with averted face.
Jack, feeling his fears confirmed by
her tone, went on hurriedly.
well we have got this far, at any
rate; he is physically perfect
81 did not say quite that she said,
'fNO doubt you meant sthat. What
about his character. Do you know him
very well?''
81 have known him long while" she
answered demurely.
And 1 have not even heard of him."
he exclaimed in establishment.
But it is only lately that he-that
Il
THAT you have started a mutual ad-
miration society,"" he interrupted, rather
bitterly.
Not quite that, Jack" she rejoined,
giving him a queer little smile. "But
what else would you like to know about
him?" Her former embarrassment had
left her, and she was quietly attentive
to his words
as ne renowned for his brains, or for
bravery only?"
His intellectual faculties are quite
above the average" she returned, flash
ing a merry look at him.
He was puzzled by her manner, and
continued rather lamely:
1t is his bravery. then. that has gain
ed him your favor?"
He is the truest. bravest, and best
man in the world she answered. with
earnest. shining eyes.
"Elsie!' It was almost a cry. He rose !
from his seat and turned away from her /
what IS it, JACKIE" she asked and
going over to him, she made him look
at her. Something in his face fright
ened her. and she said again: what /.
is it?"
ooh nothing" he answered: only 7 (
this to be your way OF telling
me that all IS over between US"
That depends on you, Jack she sad, /
softly
II wish It did" he answered sadly, but
''But It does Jack. Look 81 that pho
tograph"'
It was almost a command, so he. with
evident reluctance, took up the frame
and looked at the face within Il.
'1lsiei" and that one word contained
a mingling Of relief wonder and, above
all JOY.
For it was his own face that lookei
I'D at him out OF the hea-t-shaped frame.
The Penny Pictorial Magazine.
Chinese Proverbs
Wine is a discoyerzr OF secrets.