The Heart Line: A Drama of San FranciscoBurgess, Gelett
General
The Heart Line: A Drama of San Francisco
Burgess, Gelett
Bohemianism -- Fiction; Fortune-tellers -- Fiction; San Francisco (Calif.) -- Fiction
From Gay: "Where?—who do you mean?"
"Over there in the corner—don’t stare so, _please_!—See those two
fellows and two girls? The girl in the white waist is tied up in a
heart-to-heart talk with that bald-headed chap, but she’s dead in love
with the other fellow, see? Yes, that fellow with the mustache. My! but
she’s jealous of the other girl."
"How can you tell? Oh, that’s all a pipe-dream, Fancy!"
"Why, any fool would know it—any woman would, I mean. She had a few
words with him—the fellow she’s stuck on, just now! He must have said
something pretty raw. Look at her eyes! You can tell from here there
are tears in them. Look! See? I thought so. She’s going to try and
make him jealous! What do you think of that?"
"Why, she’s changed places with him; what’s that for?" To Gay, the
drama was as mysterious as a Chinese play.
"Just to get him crazy, of course! That other fellow thinks she’s
really after him, too. The other girl sees through the whole game, of
course. My, but men are easy! Those two fellows are certainly being
worked good and plenty. Just look at the way she’s freezing up to that
bald-headed chap now. Well, I never! If that other girl isn’t trying
to get you on the string. Smile at her, Gay, and see what she’ll do."
"Never mind about her!" said Gay, secretly pleased at the tribute. "You
girls can always see a whole lot more than what really happens. She’s
just changed places on account of the draught, probably. She is lamping
me, though, isn’t she? Say, she’s a peach, all right!"
"Yes, she’s sure pretty. Say, Gay—"
"What?" His eye returned fondly to her.
"Do you think I’m as pretty as she is?"
"Oh, you make me tired, Fancy. Gee! You’ve got her sewed up in a sack
for looks!"
So Fancy played her game cleverly, keeping Gay, but keeping him off at
arm’s length. But as time went on, his ardor grew and she was often at
her wits’ end to handle him. Though free from any conventional
restraints, she did not yet consider her lips Mr. Summer’s property,
though she permitted him a cool and lifeless hand upon occasion. In
time, the excitable youth began to understand her reserve; but instead
of dampening his enthusiasm, it aroused his zest for the chase. She was
not so easy game as he had thought. He waxed sentimental, therefore, and
plied her with equivocal monologues, hinting, in the attempt to make
sure of his way. At this, her sense of humor broke forth, effervescing
in lively ridicule. This brought Mr. Summer, at last, to the point of
an out-and-out proposal. Fancy, experienced in such situations, warned
in time by his preludes, did not take it too seriously.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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