The Photo-Play Journal (Jan-Jun 1919)

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February, 1919 PHOTO-PLAY JOURNAL 49 You Little Matchmaker (Continued from page 43) CHAPTER IX "Oh, Crys., isn't it great to be like other boys !" cried Sylvan joyously, walking briskly up and down the new living-room of "The Lilacs." "Do you know, I believe my mocking-bird, after all, has brought us this bully good luck? He always kept on singing to buoy our spirits up and keep us happy ! An', think, we're rich an' I am well now ! Isn't it great?" Crystal turned from the grand piano, a brand new one, and fastened her eyes lovingly upon her brother, noting his bright, happy countenance. "Yes. Dr. Widdener is wonderful!" she responded, a break of deep emotion in her voice. "You bet, Doc's splendid!" exclaimed Sylvan. "An' he was so good to me, an' you, too, Crys ! Why, he did everything to make us happy ! An' so did Miss El, and dear Dr. Penn. Say, Crys, I do hope they'll marry, don't you? They're so sweet an' bully ! I shall say a thing or two to them when they come to dinner tonight." "No, no, you must not, Sylvan," reprimanded Crystal. "Oh, they don't mind me!" laughed the boy. "I helped them to make love all last summer ! One day I made 'em kiss in the rose garden ! I told Dr. Penn if he didn't kiss Miss El, I'd make him kiss Polo! So he did it!" "Did what? Kiss Polo?" "No, of course, not! He kissed Miss El, an' he did it right on her mouth, too ! Oh, it was a jolly fine summer, wasn't it, in the rooms over the new garage? But I'm glad we're here now in the new house. It was great, though," continued Sylvan earnestly, "even if I did have to stay in bed for a long time, then had to be wheeled about in a rolling chair an' afterwards go about on crutches ! Now I don't need 'em, an' just think, Crys," he went on wistfully, his lips quivering, as he came and stood beside his sister, leaning against her knee. "I won't be a cripple any more ! I ran a race with Polo today, an' I nearly beat him ! Oh, I do wish the Tramp could see me now ! Just think, Crys," he ended pensively. "He hasn't been back to see us since he went away, oh, way last summer, an' now it's October! I wonder why he doesn't come?" For answer, Crystal folded her arms about him and kissed him passionately. Then she rose hurriedly and went to one of the windows, which stood open to the soft October night, moon-lit and fragrant, the scent of roses stealing in from the rose garden. The new living-room was charming, extending across the entire front of the house, tinted in bluegray and old ivory and furnished in old mahogany. Crystal's furniture done over anew and upholstered to harmonize with the blue-gray walls. Back of the living-room were the library and dining-room, and back of the dining-room was a little Dutch breakfast-room. Out in the rose garden was a little summerhouse, picturesque and hidden away among honeysuckle. The grounds were beautiful and artistic. Wistaria tangled about a new pergola and the Indian lilac hedges were neatly trimmed, while handsomely wrought bronze electroliers lighted, at night, the newly paved walks and driveway. Having been remodelled to suit the most exacting taste, "The Lilacs" now was the most attractive country place on Magnolia Road, and the delight of Sylvan and Crystal, who had bought it back from Dr. Widdener shortly after its completion, their Uncle Sylvan, their father's only brother, an old bachelor, having died in the West and left to them more than two million. This newly acquired wealth brought them many pleasures and many friends, old and new, but it brought not the Tramp ! Sylvan and Crystal had taken him in when he was tired, hungry and forsaken, but since that night when he sang Grieg's love-song in the rose garden he had not been back even once to inquire about Sylvan, who was confined to his bed for weeks when his hip was straightened. The boy often spoke of him when he was being wheeled about in his rolling-chair, and later, able to go about without crutches, he would laugh and say : "I will yet run a race with the Tramp!" Crystal would smile at this and indulge her brother in his whims. When she told him the Tramp would never come back, he laughed at her and kissed her in a brotherly fashion. Dr. Widdener was kind, so patient with Sylvan and did his best to win the boy's affections away from the Tramp, bringing him candy and gifts and taking him, when able to go, in his automobile for joyous spins out in the open country, but no one could ever supplant the Tramp's place in Sylvan's heart. And, too, he was attentive to Crystal, solicitous of her every wish, hoping, striving to win her, but she continued to refuse him, telling him she could never bring herself to marry a man she did not love. Now since she had wealth, she really had no desire to marry. If she suffered because of the Tramp, she struggled to keep the pain out of her eyes. She had grown thinner and lost some of the color that once had added bloom to her cheeks. "Are you ill?" inquired Dr. Widdener one day, when he called to see Sylvan. "No, I — I am quite well, thank you," she stammered, and she smiled faintly. She rarely tried her voice, and when she did, she never sang Grieg's lovesong. It always brought back the pain of that night when she and the Tramp sat on the steps amid the honeysuckle vines splashed in moonlight. One evening Elza Davenport asked her to sing the love song, and she refused. When Dr. Widdener and Pendleton Furniss insisted, she turned white and her fingers shook as she toyed with sheet-music on the rack. She was glad she sat with her back to her friends, so that they could not observe her agitation. Finally Dr. Widdener approached, and, standing back of her, bent down above her, pleading for the song. "Won't you sing it for me?" he implored in a low voice. "No, I — I — can't sing it. I — I — have forgotten it!" she faltered, meeting his eyes. "One forgets that which one does not wish to remember!" "Then you have forgotten the Tramp?" he said huskily. "Will you marry me now, Crystal ?" She did not answer him at once, feeling her voice catch in her throat. His earnestness stirred her strangely, reminding her forcibly of the man she had tried to forget. "No, no, please don't ask me again ! I — I shall never for — forget him!" she managed to say' in scarcely audible tones. A moment later, she smiled radiantly and no one would have suspected she had experienced the slightest emotion. Somehow, she had a way of seeming undisturbed. This evening, Dr. Widdener, Pendleton Furniss and Elza Davenport motored out to dine with Crystal and after dinner bridge was played in the living-room, Sylvan nearly going to sleep, keeping score. Of course, the Tramp was discussed. "Do you mean to tell me he has never been back once to see you?" Elza remarked to Crystal, when the last rubber was over. "No, he has never been back," responded Crystal, quietly. "And you took him in, too, and were so good to him! How very ungrateful!" "I _ wonder where he is?" commented Pendleton Furniss, musingly. "Oh, he's on his job, believe me!" cut in Sylvan. "If he wasn't, he'd come right back here!" They all laughed. "He's all right, too !" the boy added, loyally. "You still believe in the Tramp?" inquired Dr. Widdener. "Sure, I do ! You're great, Doc, but he's the greatest man in the world !" "You're a trump, Sylvan ! I'd like to have you on my side!" "Oh, I'm on your side, all right. Doc ! I'd do anything for you!" "Did you ever hear the story about the girl and the hobo ?" queried Elza, toying with the bridge score, as she sat at the table. "No. Tell us about it!" cried Sylvan, interested. "Well, after the girl took him in, she fell in love with him and married him!" "And did they live happily ever after?" asked Sylvan, eagerly. "Yes, I suppose so. The hobo turned out to be a very rich man !" Sylvan's eyes widened in astonishment, then he shrugged his shoulders. "Hum ! I wouldn't let Crys marry a real hobo," he announced bluntly, and he straightened up in a most dignified manner. "I am going to let her marry " "Whom?" questioned Dr. Widdener, regarding him intently. "Yon!" shot out Sylvan with emphasis. "That is, if you will have her !" Dr. Widdener felt the blood mount to the roots of his hair and Crystal blushed furiously. Both were so surprised that they sat silent, unable to speak. "An' I am going to give her away," Sylvan went on rapidly, without interruption, "an' you, Dr. Penn," he added, addressing Dr. Furniss, "are going to be best man !" "Sure, I'll be best man !" exclaimed Dr. Furniss genially. "And what am I to be?" inquired Elza. "Oh, you — why, you," responded Sylvan, a little frown puckering between his eyebrows, "are to be the — the — lady of honor!" There was another burst of laughter. "Now it's up to you, Widdener, to propose!" observed Pendleton Furniss soberly. "Of course, I shall propose !" laughed Dr. Widdener, relieving the embarrassed situation. "But I sha'n't do it this very moment and before you three ! I think," he ended seriously, "you had better get the boy to fix you up, too !" "Hooray ! That's what I am going to do !" ejaculated Sylvan, and he went around the table, and, after kissing each one, took Dr. Furniss' hand and placed it over Elza's. "Love one another!" he said solmenly. "That's what we are going to do," announced Dr. Furniss happily. "You little match-maker !" cried Elza Davenport, laughing, catching and kissing him on the forehead. After that she rose from the table and departed with .Dr. Furniss and Dr. Widdener. "Now, Crys, you don't have to worry any more about being an old maid ! You can marry Dr. Widdener, if you want to !" said Sylvan, when the three friends had gone and he had watched the automobile speed along the driveway and disappear down Magnolia Road. "Oh, Sylvan, you are simply incorrigible!" exclaimed Crystal, going over to the piano. Seating herself, she tried Grieg's love song, but her voice broke and it didn't go. Rising hurriedly, she moved away and stood at one of the open windows, thinking of the Tramp, wondering why he had never been back even to see Sylvan. He had been away so long, more than four months, and she wished, with all her heart, he would come back once, just once, to look into his eyes and to hear his voice ! If only he would come back tonight! Somehow she felt he might come ! It was not late and she did not want to go to bed. Sylvan had already curled up on the davenport with a book. Directly he would be asleep. She would sit up and wait. The soft October night enticed her ; the moon shone brilliantly ; roses smelled intoxicatingly fragrant, while a mocking-bird twittered caressingly, making love in a magnolia tree. Suddenly, a man's full baritone broke the stillness of the night. Crystal caught her breath and listened. Someone was singing. It was the Tramp ! And he was singing Grieg's love song ! Crystal glanced at Sylvan. The boy was asleep and his book had fallen to the floor. For the veriest second she watched him, then she dropped to her knees beside the window and laid her arms on the sill, letting her head rest across them The song brought back heart-aches of four months ago. Why was the Tramp singing the song? Was he singing it to her? Had he come back? Or was he singing to her once more, never to return ? His voice floated in out of the night, full of exquisiteness and unfathomable pathos. Crystal closed her eyes, as she listened, scarcely breathing and quivering in every limb. Even after the aria was ended, she knelt there, a sob breaking now and then in her throat. Finally, when she lifted her head and looked, she discovered the Tramp standing in the room not far from her, regarding her intently, deep earnestness, almost pain, in his eyes. He was pale, his hair slightly ruffled, and his clothes, the same dark suit of mingled gray, were worn and needed pressing. Involuntarily, as she looked at him, Crystal grew very white and clutched her hands against her breast. She did not rise, but instead, knelt there, unable to speak because of the sob that nearly choked her. "Oh, Tramp! You — you — have — have come back?" she managed to whisper, after a time, still scrutinizing him. "Yes," he answered, hoarsely. "I've lost my job! Will you take me back?" Not waiting another moment. Crystal rose and went to him. "Yes, Sylvan and I will share everything with you !" she replied, unsteadily, holding out both hands to him. He took them and stood gazing down at her. "But I am a poor, miserable wretch," he protested, "and — and you are — are, well, you have all the money you want." "I — I don't care how poor and miserable you are!" she objected. "I — I — we want you back!" Swept beyond himself by her faith and love, the man drew her into his arms and held her close, smothering his lips on hers. "I love you," he said under his breath. "That is why I went away. I did not want to stand between you and happiness. I wanted you to marry Dr. Widdener. He could give you everything, I could give you nothing ! But since you won't marry Dr. Widdener, I have come back because I couldn't stay away from you any longer. I love you and I want you ! I am a tramp again ! Can you still care for me?" Crystal let her arms steal up and tighten about his neck. "I shall love you always!" she murmured, coloring vividly under the rapt look in his eyes. With his arms about her, they walked to the farther end of the room, so that they could practically be alone. "If I am to stay here," he said, in discussing their plans, "we must be married at once. People are too eager to talk and start a " "Of course we will be married at once," interrupted Crystal hastily, and she laughed happily. When they returned to Sylvan, he was awake and rubbing his eyes. After a minute, he sat up and stared. "Oh, Tramp, Tramp, you've come back !" he cried, joyously, jumping up and running to him. The man caught the boy in his arms and gave him a great hug. "Yes, and are you glad to have me back?" "Sure, I am !" responded Sylvan, squeezing him around the neck. "You've come to stay?" "If you and Crystal will let me!" "Now. Tramp, don't talk like that! You know we'll let you stay an' I'll let you marry Crys, too !" (Continued on page 36)