Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-12
DAILY SHORT STORY
Her Choice of Reds
copyright, 1902, by McClure's' Newspaper
"a

by the pantry window. The new min
listers reception was thar evening, and
the cake was part of the Cassell dona-
ton toward the refreshments.
Out in the kitchen Mrs. Cassell with
her sleeves rolled to her ample elbows,
was resting from her labors of prepar-
ing a huge dish of chicken salad and
chatting with neighbor who had run
In. Her maiden sister sat by the win
dow working buttonholes in a white
lawn dress. uY
us that Mary's?" asked the caller.
nodding toward the white waist. rs
she going to wear it tonightY'
YES" said the mother, looking In
terestedly at it. Awful plain, too, but
she would have it that way. Kind of
bridey, 1 tell her." And she laughed
significantly.
did the minister go to college in the
same town Mary's college was?" asked
the caller, her voice lowering to
sepulchral whisper which more easily
reached the pantry.
An angry flush rose to Mary's cheek.
and she stepped to the door and sharp
ly shut it before her mothers reply.
Two patches of color began to grow
in the landscape outside the pantry
window. Mary saw them Simultane-
ously. One was vivid and scarlet and
grew out of the field across the pas
ture lot. Presently it came and crossed
the fence and became distinctly the
new minister's handsome golfing at
tire. 1t was fine. knit and ribbed and
had curiously feminine sleeves of scar
let taffeta silk.
The minister carried his bundle of
golf sticks. He came and stood under
Mary's pantry window and besought
her to play. Strange insight that
should make him sure twas Mary!
The other spot of color was red. too,
deep, dull red. But, though it was not
vivid like the other, 1T caught and held
Mary's attention, and an answering
glow of color famed upon her cheek
like the sunset in the autumn west.
The minister saw it and thought he
had brought it there.
The girls eyes lifted toward the dis
tant color coming nearer. while she
gravely told the minister she could not
play golf that morning.
1t was David Halstead's old red fan
mel shirt that glimmered through the
trees. She had known it from the first.
1t was open at the throat q little,
showing where the white skin met the
sunburn of his neck. As he looked to-
ward the two at the window he grave
~ lifted the large straw farm hat from
a forehead fine in outline where the
damp hair clustered in dark rings.
He thought the color in Mary's cheek
10 q
red jacket, and she saw he thought so
and blushed the more.
You'll be out tonight of course. Mr..
HalStead?" the minister called joyous
". He was young, ami he was glad to
be here and looking forward eagerly
to the reception in his new, first
church.
81 am not sure" answered David,
the shadow of trouble fitting over his
face MY mother is not Well" Then
he turned away. bowling homage to the
girl at the window.
The icing on the cake hardened per
fectly and did Mrs. CasselPs reputa-
ton as a cakemaker high honor. Two
women of the congregation sat eating
it by the window of the Sunday school
that looked diagonally across to the
infant class windows. Their talk float
ed through the sweet night air:
Eyes. this is Mis- Cassell's cake. 1
was up there today. She's just fixin'
fer their Mary to carry off the minister
with a high hand, and all because
she's the only girl in town has been
to college. AS if she was any better
fer that to keep house and be president
of the woman'S missionary societies
and sew on his buttons. There's other
girls in Fernwood as good lOokin' and
capable as she is"
The girl across in the other window,
patiently cutting cake. turned white
with anger. and, throwing down her
knife, she rushed out of the open door
and down the path between the grave
stones of the churchyard.
She ran on down the road after she
had passed the churchyard gate. her
white dress cleaning in the moonlight.
'Maryw called a voice behind her,
and she heard footsteps. She but ran
the faster.
MARY" came a voice more clearly
now, and she suddenly stopped. No;
that was not the minister.
David Is that your" she asked,
and there was the choke in her voice
he remembered that time they went
wading in the brook years ago and she
got thorn in her foot.
81 was going down to see how your
mother is" she faltered in her col
lege voice.
MARY, there are tears on your face.
Who are you running away from"
"From Mrs. Banks and Mrs. Nettle-
ton and-and-the Minister
81 thought you cared for him." said
David when he could master the great
joy in his voice, land 1 would not let
old VOWS stand in your way if you
loved some one else. Mary, he is more
your equal. He is educated and has
a career before him. You know that
it is too late for me ever to make Of
my life what I dreamed in my boy
hood days. Mary. are you sure?'
"Sure, David-sure beyond q doubt!