Hearts and Masks

And there we sat, calmly munching the apples, for all the world as if

the iron hand of the law wasn't within a thousand miles of us. It was

all very amusing.

"Are--are you the man they are hunting for?" she asked abruptly.

"I never stole anything more terrible than green apples--and ripe

ones"--with a nod toward the apple-bin.

"Pardon me! I feel very guilty in asking you such a question. You

haven't told me your name."

"Haven't I? My name is Richard Comstalk. My friends call me Dickey."

"Dickey," she murmured. "It's a nice name."

"Won't you have another apple?" I asked impulsively.

"My appetite is appeased, thank you."

An idea came to me. "Hamilton said there were three tens of hearts.

That meant that only one was out of order. Where did you get your

card?"

"That I shall tell you--later."

"But are you really an impostor?"

"I should not be in this cellar else."

"You are very mystifying."

"For the present I prefer to remain so."

We tossed aside the apple-cores, rose, and went on. It was the longest

cellar I ever saw. There seemed absolutely no end to it. The

wine-cellar was walled apart from the main cellar, and had the

semblance of a huge cistern with a door opening into it. As we passed

it, the vague perfume of the grape drifted out to us.

"Let's have a bottle," I began.

"Mr. Comstalk!"

"By absent-treatment!" I hastened to add.

"You will make a capital comrade--if we ever get out of this cellar."

"Trust me for that!" I replied gaily. "Be careful; there's a pile of

empty bottles, yearning to be filled with tomato-catsup. Give me your

hand."

But the moment the little digits closed over mine, a thrill seized me,

and I quickly bent my head and kissed the hand. It was wrong, but I

could not help it. She neither spoke nor withdrew her hand; and my

fear that she might really be offended vanished.

"We are nearly out of it," I said exultantly. "I see the cellar-stairs

on ahead. If only those doors are open!"

"Heaven is merciful to the fool, and we are a pair," she replied,

sighing gratefully. "It seems strange that nobody should be in the

cellar on a night like this. Hark! They are playing again up stairs

in the ball-room."