The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1904-07-16

down by the WINDOW with MS Dack 10
the door. But she who was ushered
into the hermitage by the grinning
Brady was Il person other than the ex-
rected Mary from Buffalo.
BELIEF exclaimed Mac. You?
Where did you come from?'
/ Nov. that is what l call real
brotherly greeting" Belle is one Of
those young women whose lips pout
from habit, and just then they We're
particularly aggressive. Where do
you suppose l came from, Mac? l
didn't drop from the clouds. l climbed
, about a mile of stairs to be kept wait
ing outside your door until you were
pleased to let me in. And now you act
as though l We're some kind Of II Curl
osity instead of your own dear little
sister that you haven't seen for months.
Aren't you going to kiss me? Oh, l
didn't notice.
"Never mind him." said Mac hastily.
That's only Sir Arthur, as we call
| him. Haven't l written you about him
deaf and dumb-talented poet-sad
| case?"
Now as a matter of fact, Mac had
written and forgotten not about a
deaf and dumb Sir Arthur. of course,
but Of one "who can sing ON the Road
to Mandalay' so that it makes you
homcsck for India, even if you hardly
know where it is on the map
"Oh, indeed. Deaf and dumb. did
you say? And since when. please:'
INT fn
Bellies queries which should have
warned Mac, but did not.
He's been the way he is now ever
! since I've known him. said Mac in
genuously. but hold on, Belle. I'll
get my coat on, and We'll go for
walk. Tits so stuffy in here
"Of all the inhospitable creatures.
Mac! I've come to take luncheon with
you. l want to see how you liye-and
Pm half starved" Whereat Belle
calmly proceeded to pull off her gloves.
/ But, Belle began Mac. with a sig
lificant glance at Sir Arthur.
, "Oh, | shall not mind Sir Dummy in
the least. You can write us an intro
| auction, or do you talk to him on your
| fingers? | should love to see you do it,
a deaf and dun b poet. What relief.
l shan't have to say things l don't
mean, and if he can't talk | shall not
| know how silly he is. What curly
| hair. Does he do it up on kids over
night"
Sir Arthur might have been seen to
| squirm.
Belle, Belle. l say. now, you
| mustn't
But where's the harm, Mac? You
| say he's deaf and dumb"
"Yee-es, but | don't know just how
deaf he really is, and if he should hear
you know
"He would only hear the truth. 1t
might do him good. I'm sure he's con-
ceited, even if he is a dummy. Why,
whatever are you doing:'
Just what Mac was doing was this:
He was trying to wave warning to
the incautious Kid, who in the fullness
of his joy And prompted by an unfeel-
ing desire to catch Il glimpse of Sir
Arthur's face had parted the wardrobe
curtains.
Belle eyed him shrewdly for an I'M
comfortable moment. Then, after re-
Election, she asked: "And where's your
other chum, the one you call the Kid?
Is he deaf and dumb or blind?'
Its too bad" said Mac. with an eff
fort at sincerity, but you'll not meet
the Kid this time. He-he goes about
h.,
know"
"Docs he? Well, l did hope to see
him. He is the one, you wrote, who
raved over my picture. Isn't that
photograph of him stuck up there on
the wall?"
There was no denying this, for it had
been plainly labeled THE Kid"
Hes little fellow with brown eyes,
isn't he? And didn't you say he was
bashful" asked Belle, studying the
picture. Did he draw all these sketch
es? How clever! Especially that one
of n row of red packing boxes"
Packing boxes, Belle. That is an
imprcssionistic study of lower Broad
way at sunset"
ideally: We'll, | never should have
guessed. But that smoking lamp rest
ing on Il blue table cover is effective"
Smoking tlddlesticks. Belle, you
know nothing at all about art. Any
one can see that's Il night scene in the
harbor. IA not have you poking fun
ut my friends behind their backs"
'Why. Mac, | wouldn't do that for
the world. But look. What is the mat
ter with Sir Dummy? He's shaking all
over. Perhaps he's having a chill or a
fit"
The heaving shoulders of Sir Arthur
were suddenly stilled. There! He's
over it," continued Belle. "How Curl
Gus. Why doesn't he turn his head? l
should like to see what he looks like.
I'm going to peek
Il say, Belle, behave, can't you"
pleaded Mac
But Belle had her own ideas about
behavior, and, as usual, she followed
them. These ideas led her to tiptoe
into the corner. There, standing be-
fore the blue denim draperies, she
peered curiously at the young man in
the chair.
"If | could see his eyes she be-
gan.
Then Sir Arthur rebelled. Dropping
frnp x.iv,In Gil hn