The suburban citizen., 1901-08-10

| lie paused ana saw the curtain give
quick, wayerlng, tremulous conyul-
sion to rs folds, which instantly be.
came still again as he continued:
"DO you think it worth Il mans
while to try to exist with half a
hearth
Really" said the lady, "I am not
| a specialist in diseases of the heart"
But" he pleaded you have bro5.
en- so many to heal one that your eX-
perlence must be of value, and your
opinion very well worth hearing--like
that Of general practitioner"
well" answered the young matron,
cautiously, 1t is certainly better to
live with whole heart, or even halr
Of one, than without any at ALL 1t is
more natural to exist with a heart
ana consequently it is more graceful"
81 am doomed to ungainliness, then,
though l will fling the rest after the
first part and live a life Of unnatural,
inartistic nightmarish ugliness. Pity
my fate! If only the sweet thief who
has stolen my heart would give it back
to me-with her own-I think l could
manage to make myself satisfied with
my existence"
He was looking at the curtain. The
curtain became agitated and swayed
to and fro.
"Well," said the sister champion. 81
think you are too greedy. Two hearts
belonging to one person is as unnatlr-
al rs no heart
"What shall l do? Persuade the
thief to exchange the booty and share
it,"
THAT would be best, l think" she
said, laughing. and looking in his eyes.
He flushed and stared at the now
motlonless curtain. Then he looked
back at her questionlngly. The young
dame nodded her fair head slightly,
and picked up a piece Of needlework
lying on a work basket. A light flashed
into his eyes. He put the cup and
saucer he had been holding in his
hands down on the tray and half rose
from his chair The lady motioned
him to sit down.
"Well, hearts are artful things often,
and all the task and discussion Of
them is artless," she said. Let us
be sensible"
"Are we ever sensible?" he said
stupidity.
Il don't know. + wonder If we are
most sensible when we are most
sensGless? They say insane people
always fancy themselves sane and
others insane. How queer if all the
lunatlcs are really sensible and all the
sensible world (as we think ourselves)
insane! Isn't it a gruesome idea? See
what comes Of speaking Of impossible.
tles.
Are you sure we have been talking
Of imposslbllities" he inquired anxi
ously.
"What is an impossibilty-a future
certainty?"
Il hope" said he.
81 am not perfectly sure Who can
be? But think that is a right defn-
ition."
Still he looked at the curtain Cwhose
and slowly shifting over its velvet sur
face) and the sister said quickly:
Dear me! l have forgotten to give
Davis a most important order. Please
pardon me for one moment"
The agitation Of the curtain amount
ed almost to a distinct shuddering
among its folds. Then a stiff stiffness
ensued. The sister chaperone was
gone.
He walked over to the curtain.
"Will you take my love and give me
yours?" he said softly.
The curtain fiuttered and instantly
drew itself tightly in a crouching hu-
man shape.
Forgive me! Love that can laugh
at locks sees through a curtain. 1
love you, darling. Will you take my
love for yours"
The curtain did not move.
do answer, my lovel Ii it is yes
lift the curtain; If it is no. let it drop
as it was before"
A second or two and then three
white fingers lifted a corner of the
velvet
He dragged the curtain aside and
lifted up little kneeling figure with
its hands pressed over its face.
MY beautiful onew he said, clasp
ing her to him. "What made you hide
there?"
Il don't know" said a soft, mudied
voice.
81 saw you at the window, did l
not, loye?"
"Yes."
"Then why"
The hands came down and a pretty,
flushed, childish round face looked up,
defantly shy in its impetuous bold
ness.
why, Annie laughed at me for
blushing when / saw you in the street,
and 1 said l wouldn't see you. l
couldn't get out, and so 1 hid behind
the curtain"
But you love me. Say you love
me-
II never say what l am bldden to
say" And her head went down again.
atf-