Hearts and Masks

witty, and the witty become correspondingly daring. For all I knew, the Blue Domino at my side might be Jones' wife, or Brown'

es at fashionable hunt clubs; but somehow they seem to worry along without these equivocal honors, and prosper

I was drawn into the tangle by the very fascination of the scheme. I was an interloper, but nobody knew it. The ten of hearts in my pocket did not match the backs of those cards regularly issued. But what of that? Every one was ignorant of the fact. I was safe inside; and all that was romantic in my system

Mouquin's. I forgot the sardonic-lipped stranger I had met in Friard's. I forgot everything save the little t

at my side. Just simply d

en you in your box at the opera; I have seen you whirl up Fifth Avenue in you

the opera!" the girl mimicked. "

e universe. Thou art even as a turquoise, a patc

y archaic," s

seconds!" I cried dism

laug

e not a box at the opera, you ought at least to make believe you have.

ks, Sir

like it. By my halid

ere was a second ripple of laughter f

all in lov

g is impossible, let us believe in the absurd. I mi

the th

h it,

d enthusiastically. "You can ma

and nobody is the

e gett

nd in folly. What are you doing in a mon

asions as this, fools dress as wise men, and wis

bout to pick out th

ng with

e is als

tria! What arms! I'll lay odds that her great-grandmother took in washing. There's Romeo, now, with a pair of legs like an old apple tree. The freedom of criticism is mine to-night! Did you ev

omino laug

ou had no friends

d and which is the man

our tailor

w starts in to pay up his bills, that the tailo

s outside my u

have dres

pay dres

long to the most

I make my

upposing some one s

ongue. And yet, you sho

all those interrogation point

he represen

symbolized by the i

ndal coming to a full stop

undred years ago you would have been

ame de

you are

e ceased to

account for the bitterness of your tone

me and I observed for the first time the miniature compasses wo

ttracted me. Whither will y

my seas, over tropic waters, 'i

g Tennyson, it's all up

see that at any

pla

the married woman who enjoys the mask with thoroughness. She know

pher. Certainly yo

ecome philosophic

e you m

not sa

you lik

ty. But I wonder,"-ruminating, "why

live masquerades day by day, and the

ell with your robe. Indeed, what better

ut of joint," said I, rising. "And besides,

eeve was as white as milk, and the filbert-shaped horn of the finger-tips was the tint of rose leaves. Was she connected with the ticket in my pocket? I tried to look into her eyes, but in vain; nothing could I see but that wisp of golden h

silly!" sh

an I h

you were a foo

hat you should turn on her with

rticular attention to me;

Honorable Julius again. He stret

en of hearts!

her body. For a moment she lost step. I was filled with wonder. In what manner could the ten of hearts disturb

usic

benedictions," said the

e you again

t, like a bird about to take flight. "Positive,

g alone: What the deuc

unt Club would go to a costumer's for an outfit. (I had gone to a costumer's, but my case was altogether different. I wa

t the ten of hearts?"

all things ar

r all I care. What do you kn

. From under his toga he

looseness about my collar. The fellow knew

ood time, grave monk; doubtless you are willing that the fiddlers shall be paid." And wrapping his t

cov

e arrested than laughed at. I stood irresolute. What was to be done? How much did he know? Did he know who I was? And what was his object in letting me run my course? I was all at s

gods for having given me the idea of attending this masquerade, when i

all of us, trying savagely to smoke a cigar or cigarette through the flabby aperture des

t some banal idiocy, for which, during office hours, he would have been haled to the nearest insane asylum a

had come to Blankshire with me! I knew now. He had been there buying a costume like myself. He had seen me on the train, and had guessed the sec

ades of other noble Romans; in vain I searched high and low for him.

Hamilton?" I asked,

with a penet

n to miss valuable jewels. Anne of Austria has lost her necklace and Queen El

I looked at

mething of this sort happening to spoil the fun. But

you goin

all lock all the doors and make every man and woman p

red me again; the first attack was trifling compared

or me?" inquired a s

. The Blue Domino

ng for you everywher

ck one. Never mind; th

ellars. This door I had been bearing in mind for some time. It is well to know your topography. Th

her over to a seclude

eard the ne

iscovered making love to

ia and Queen Elizabeth have

ef amo

Dick. I'm a thief mys

drew away f

me is Procr

t steal time; we merely waste it

The jewels were worth somethi

ful he

ared on the scene. (How was I to manage my escape? It is true I might hie me to the

esa

iss Haw

leaned toward me, her hands te

say?"-a strained

eboard. "See! it says that one blue domino was rente

e by that ticket

mask there, and this ticket was w

cidence,"-her voice n

s while, mind you, I was wondering if that cellar-door was unlocke

ther, it does not

the cellars,"-absentl

I meant that this is not the hour for unmas

the ten of hearts' you turned and shudde

horrid mas

asn't hands

lars?"-suddenly becoming

g what I should do in

not the

. Can you keep a se

n't a ter

rthly business here

impo

t was upon me, I produced the fatal card and showed the back to her. "You will find that yours is of a different color. But I am not the Galloping Dick; it was only

and finally returned it. There

imposition from th

ha

en that once before to-night. No," she mused, "you will not

er mask, and I beheld the

ou

f your shuffling those cards? Oh,

you Miss

, sir; I shall answer n

st romance in the

my domino? But that would be useless. Such a prestidigitator as

, it is no la

rom a diffe

nd yet a guest at th

d us. Presently we saw Teddy Hamilton

ies and gentlem

ll upon the motley g

ee ten-spots of hearts have been tallied on the comparing lists. We have been imposed upon. The police are on the way. Very so

which soon became a fuzz

no suddenly c

take me away at once!

of

d, there was nothing I regretted so much as

d resource. In the inelegant phras

ere's only one chance in a hund

her? W

make a try. For, if there's a thief around, and we are c

you," she repl

the cellars was not locked. I opened it, pa

tened!" she

reassure her. "You are no

o-

cried. Then

h? It is horrible

at it the way I do. It's a huge joke, and years from now

could see so far ahead-What

ic

locked the do