JUST
SWEETHEARTS
JUST
SWEETHEARTS
A Christmas Love Story
By
HARRY STILLWELL EDWARDS
AUTHOR OF
“TWO RUNAWAYS,” “HIS DEFENSE,”
“ENEAS AFRICANUS,” ETC.
PUBLISHED BY
THE J. W. BURKE COMPANY
MACON, GEORGIA
Copyright, 1920
The J. W. Burke Company
Just Sweethearts
Chapter I
BATHED in the sunshine of one ofthose perfect days which so often comewith Christmas in the South, he stoodat the street corner, a light cane across hisshoulders supporting his gloved hands, hiseyes shifting with ever-changing interest, anda half smile on his swarthy face. It waswritten all over him that he had no appointmentsto meet, no duties to discharge; that hewas by chance, only, in the moving picture andnot of the cast, and that the whole thing, sofar as he was concerned, was but a transientshow to be enjoyed for its brilliancy of colorsand its endless succession of fine Southernfaces.
But here was idleness without inertia.Clearly he was one of those rare beings whocan radiate energy standing still and conveythe impression of impetuous force withoutmotion, a trick of the eyes, a refusal to sag.
Name? Ladies and gentlemen, meet KingDubignon.
King saw her first as she started acrossCherry Street from the far corner, a slenderfigure moving with grace and assurancethrough the dangerous procession of motorcars, still handled in the South as new toys,and once or twice his lips parted for a warningcry, but she gained the opposite cornerwith ease and turned straight toward himacross Third. Now, of all the throng hisalert eyes clung to this approaching figure andbegan to take note of details—white spats,plain tailor suit, loose blousy waist and flathat with its little veil of black lace. Soon shewas directly in front but her demure gaze wasnot for him. She was mentally preoccupied.She had thoughts of her own and not havingseen the Dubignon eyes and smile she failedto look back after she passed.
The young man released a suspendedbreath like unto the fervid sigh of a cow settlingdown to rest, lowered his cane and stoodgazing after the receding figure. And not heonly, as he noticed with quick jealousy. Everyman and woman who met her turned for asecond glance. The gentian eyes, radiant face,curved lips parted in a half smile, belonged inan artist’s dream; the slender, supple figureborne along on dainty feet, the