Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-07-24
THE HEART
ON THE SLEEVE.
TOriginal.]

the seashore and grew up 2mphibious.
One July went to the old place for
rest, but met rather an adventure-a
very important adventure to me.
While walking on the beach l met two
ludies, evidently mother and daughter.
The daughter was pretty, but as she
gave me passing glance l noticed a
strange antagonism on her young face.'
noted on her sleeve just above the
cuff a little gold heart studded with
rubies.
The next morning we got north
easter, and the bulletin said danger
GUS" l sauntered down to the beach.
But few We're in the water, though l
noticed one person far out among the
rollers and was not long in determin-
ing that 1t was a woman. had scarce
~ made the discovery when a faint
cry, Help" came in above the wind.
The bathing master ran to the water.
I threw off my coat and shoes. crying
to him, go back and get your boat"
Then plunged in and after struggle
whirled away by 4 sea pousse or whirl
pool. caught her and kept her up till
the bathing master reached us in a
boat. without which she could not
have been saved. When pulling her
into the boat, first noticed that she
was the girl had met on the beach,
and there on the sleeve Of her bathing
dress was the red heart.
soon learned that her name was
Christobel Keith. learned a great
many other things about her, but one
thing l did not learn-her reason for
wearing the little red heart. The quo
tation. Il will wear my heart upon
my sleeve for DAVIS to peck at" was
familiar to me. but whether it had any
thing to do with the trinket in question
l did not know and was not so pre-
sumrtuous as to ask. Miss Keith as
soon rs she had recovered sent for
me and thanked ne for saving her
life. but she seemed to speak the
words under some cOnstraint Of the
nature Of which l was ignorant. Her
mother, on the contrary, plainly felt
every word with which she expressed
her gratitude. She was lovely old
lady. and it was plain that her daugh-
ter was all the world to her. We soon
found that we had visited the same
countries and had mutual friends. In
short became intimate with them.
ChriStobel Keith learned that she
had been so called from the poem Of
that name. and she partook Of its
weirdness-seemed rather to regret
that had saved her life and was
never in my company without that
constraint she had evinced while
thanking me for doing so. Her moth
er, on the contrary. was friendliness
itself. and was not long in detecting
that she was giving me every oppor-
tunity with her daughter Nor was
backward in availing myself of it.
While Christobel Keith attracted me by
her personality. the mystery surround
ing her drew me with all the force Of
the sea pousse from which I had saved
her. For awhile she seemed not to
have made up her mind just how to
treat me, whether to encourage or hold
me off; then suddenly she seemed to
warm to me with her whole soul. This,
in turn, was followed by icy GOODNESS.
BY this time l had got my bearings
and surroundings and laid my course
was an old hand at the game the
lady seemed disposed to play and went
. into the contest with all the GOODNESS
Of one who had been often under fire.
arf,1r tn1v no
came down for few weeks, and for
them I deserted the girl who wore
her heart upon her sleeve. An old
fame of mine was among the number,
and l devoted myself to her. But new
er for a moment were my thoughts
diverted from Christobel Keith.
At first this change was parried by
Miss Keith when we met with that
look Of defiance with which she had
first greeted me. Then it was trou-
bled look. and, lastly, one day when l
passed her noticed that the red heart
was missing. Then learned that
mother and daughter had left the sea-
shore A note was left for me, ad-
dressed In the mothers handwriting.
On opening it l was thunderstruck at
finding within a bit of tissue paper, the
heart. Mrs. Keith bid me a friendly
goodby and added, II leave you, with
out my daughters knowledge, the
trinket she has been accustomed to
wear. Keep it as a token Of our graf
1tude."
Suddenly the meaning Of the gift be-
came plain to me. l had stanch
friend in the mother, who had Informed
me. by the token, that her daughters
heart was mine The rest of the mys-
terry was as much a mystery as ever.
Nevertheless my surrender was not
less complete than that of my loved
enemy.
The same evening l astonished my
friends by disappearing from the sea-
shore. went to the city and the next
afternoon sent in my card to the
Keiths. Christobel came down to meet
me, and as she advanced, biting her lip
to retain her composure, threw open
my coat and showed her jeweled heart
pinned against mine of flesh and blood
She started. boldly threw my arms
about her. and she did not resist.
The mystery Of the little red heart
can only be partly explained except to
one who would know Christobel. for
her wearing it would only be in keep.
ing with her personality. At seventeen
she had loved and been Tilted. She
declared war on all wooers, and the
token was challenge with no mercy
in case of their defeat. My saving her
life for time made me an exception,