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Show C BONNET w MABBIX "" HE waa very pretty there I was no doubt whatever I nbout that; and Harold Vnne. who liked to look """TT"! nt pretty things of all W T kinds, especially women. !ME$K lingered In tho shadow fiT fa WB of tM0 hallway nnd ''M'H watched pretty Maud I Iffiy M Kthlyn as she sat at tho JJ M old-fashioned flroplace, one vsswarectaJ dainty foot resting on the brass nndlrou, nnd her curl-crowned bond bent low as with n tiny gold pencil sho wroto something on n shoot of noto paper which ro-posed, ro-posed, womnn.fnshlon, In her Inp. Presently the writing ceased, and Iho fair writer, thinking herself nlono, proceeded, In n way sho had, to talk to hor own charming self; and Hnrold, tho man who listened, excused himself on tho plen that what sho was saying could bo no secret, or sho would not uttor It aloud, oven though supposing herself to bo alone. And this Is what ho heard: "Yes, Cupid, I havo wrlttou n vnlon-tlno vnlon-tlno to the ono who Is destined by B Made a Little Curtsey. you to bo my fnto; for. according to maidens' belief, only ho. my own true lovor, can find It nnd answer It; hence, should nn answer come, It will bo absolute ab-solute proof to mo that tho vrltor of It Is my future lord and tnastor." And she mndo a llttlo curtsoy bo-foro bo-foro tho long pier glass; nnd, snatching snatch-ing a soft wool shawl from tho sofa, she wound It nbout her head and shoulders and, tho valentine In hor hand, went out on to tho porch and ran down tho garden path, Hurold from the hall window dlscrootly watching watch-ing hor as sho wont lightly down past tho old moss-grown well to tho somewhat some-what bleuk and deserted summer house, where bo saw hor'slip tho Valentino Val-entino under a looso stono at tho sill; and thon, for reasons of his own, not wishing to bo discovered by the fair writer of the Valentino, ho swiftly left tho house by another path, making a circuit which in a faw moments brought him also to the summer houso, where he doftly abstracted tho valon,. tlno, not pausing, however, to rend It until safely within his own bachelor quarters; but, having renched them, ho could no longor brook delay and. with hut and overcoat still on, ho drow from his pocket tho tiny sheet of noto paper and read. In .Maud 'a graceful chirography, tho followlug: Good ualnt. on earth aomowltere, they tell me, la wnltlnK a Valentine, Bruvo and tender and loyal atway. And destined uomo duy to bu mine. Can you not And lilm, and tell him duly Another heart tender and true A u Valentino uomuwhere U waiting (or til in. And to tlnd her let him ask you. Early tho next morning Maud visited visit-ed tho summer houso and, while not really expecting to find her valontmo gone, she did hope that It might bo, so eagorly raised tho stono at tho mill and gnvo a little shriek of girlish do-light do-light at. finding hor hnpo realized. Yes, her valentine was unmistakably unmistak-ably gono. Dut who could havo taken It? And, whoever, It was, It was quite shabby of him not to bavo an- swered IL Could It havo been that teasing boy cousin of hers? If so, sho would novor hear the last of It But no Jim would never havo put the stono back properly. Maud was becoming a good detective detec-tive at least In affairs of lovo. But who coulu It have been? Sho felt certain that no ono had scon hor deposit hor valentine thero under tho stone; honco It bolng gone would argue ar-gue that Fnto hnd Indeed been nt work in her behalf. But who was the man? And Maud dropped down on tho rustic rus-tic sent, albeit not a romantic spot In winter, to meditate and arrive at some conclusion undisturbed. Sho really did hope that It wns not the young clorgyman; for she was not nt all up in theology and was qulto too undignified for n clergyman's wlfo. "And tho young doctor would not do, nico ns he Is," she said, emphatically, emphatic-ally, "for I novor could bo sweet nnd nmlnhlo enough to shnro him with all tho other women In the town." Sho paused a moment nnd thon continued: con-tinued: "Ralph la a bright young lawyer, but so motnphyslcal; nnd, while I can oc-caslonnlly oc-caslonnlly nssumo nn Interest In metaphysics, meta-physics, that mcntnl diet daily would bo vory wearing. But don't you think. .Miss Maud." she continued gnyly to herself, "that you are presunihw; n great deal In taking It for granted thnt nny one of theso gentlemen wishes to bo your valentine? Oh. no! I do not (latter myself. But tho eligible eli-gible young men In town aro so few that I must mention them alt to llnd somebody, so I might as well refer to tho others. Reginald comes noxt, nnd ho does waltz divinely; but waltzing Is not very profitable, and I fenr It Is poor Rogglo's strongest point. Tom is intelloctunl; but ho has such a dreadful temper that I should feel all tho time as though I were living with dynnmlto. Joo Is n tyrant, nnd ho Is so Insanely Jealous. Now, I lovo to havo my own wny, or think I do; and. If n man wero determined to bo Jealous Jeal-ous anyway, I urn nfrnld I might be tempted to tease him a llttlo, so that combination would not do at all. Only two nro loft Jack and Harold; and Jack Is a dear good boy, but not nt all commanding." (Sho had forgotten that sho dlscnrded Joo becauso ho was.) "And last, but not least, thoro Is Harold." But what sho thought of him the llttlo lady did not say. That evening, ns sho again sat at tho old llroplnce, feeling, It must be confessed, somowhnt disappointed nt tho non-nrrlvnl of her valentine, a white missive, evidently tossed In through tho open hnll window, fell nt her feet. But no ono was In sight, and, full of engor expectation. Maud opened tho sealed missive "Oh. how romantic! how delicious I" sho exclaimed, as, with beating heart and dancing eyes, she read: O, sweetheart mine! I have no gift to offer. Ho priceless as thou nrt! I only come, a lover truo and tender. And bring to you my heart. Then, na she turned her bend, tho door behind her opened softly, nnd somebody took her In his arms, and somebody's kisses silenced tho protests pro-tests of her Hps. A llttlo struggle a woman's last protonso of bnttlo before tho surrender surren-der sho Is happy In making and then Mnud, with all tho tender lovo of her heart shining In her glorious eyes, whispered, softly "6 Harold.' I nm so glad It was you!" |