Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-09-14

was tinted bilious green-a color that
Westcott abhorred.
How he must haze me, thought
Katherine, eating another chocolate.
when he'd rather look at a wall than
at me, wonder what / ought to dor
II we were utter strangers, cast away
on a desert isle, and he had one biscuit
and three drops of wat1r, should
think him horrid If he didn't offer me
half 1 suppose l ought to offer him
some of these chocolates, even IL we're
not on speaking terms"
Katherine, sitting very erect, and
gazing straight ahead, pushed the box
along the seat Westcott paid no at
tention.
"Wlll you have a chocolate?" asked
Katherine, somewhat unsteadily.
westcott was so sure that he was
dreaming that he did not make any
answer.
1.-THE lady spoke to you" prompted
the elevator boy.
Westcott looked lnquiringly at Kath-
crime.
"Will you-will you have a choco-
later"
mo, thank you" replied westcott,
returning to the contemplation of the
green wall.
There was another long pause. The
neglected box remained half way be
tween the suspended passengers.
II think you're very ungentlemanly,
said Katherine at length.
$50 you said last night" responded
Westcott, coldly.
You're more so to-day"
"How?"
"You-you know I'm too polite to eat
these chocolates and let you go hungry
and I'm fairly starving"
Westcott, with an air OF exaggerated
politeness, took a chocolate and ate 1t
with his eyes fixed unsociably upon the
green wall. He dared not trust him
self to look at Katherine Katherine
nibbled bonbon, waited in silence fol
ten minutes, and again offered the boz
to Westcott, who gravely helped him
self. This operation was repeated unit
only one remained in the box. Tht
remaining one was heart-shaped.
TITS a hearth exclaimed the ele
vator boy, who had read too many
"dime shockers" not to recognize al
interesting situation when face to fac,
with one, and who was unable to con
tain himself longer. You'll have t.
toss for it. It's a heart, isn't it?"
''Why, so it is" replied Katherine
"Will you have it, Bob-pardon me
Mr.. Westcott?"
Westcott shot a quick glance a
katherine, who had gradually movet
two feet away from the. end of tn
leather-overed bench, and was conse
quently that much closer to the mai
she had Tilted the previous evening.
do l understand that you are offer
ing me a heart" asked Westcott.
ITS your turn" said Katherine
flushing a beautiful crimson.
Westcott took from his pocket some
thing that glittered, laid it In the DO,
beside the chocolate heart, and pushes
the box toward Katherine.
do we play fair?" he asked, wit
his eyes on Katherine's.
The elevator boy, agog with excite
ment, retired discreetly, but with re
luctance, to the pages Of his paper, bu
not before he had recognized in tn
glitterlng object a ring.
And when heTlooked again the bo
contained two hands, although only on
was visible; the man was no longe
gazing at the wall.
The hand of the indicator above tn
boys head was leaping from numbe
to number in curious fashion, sound
Of ringing bells and impatient voice
drifted from the elevator shaft; bJ
the man and the maid paid no heed.
/ Then the boy moved the lever slowl
: even reluctantly, and the elevate
dropped quietly to the ground floor.
, "Ohw exclaimed Katherine, drawn
her hand gently from Westcott's an
! giving long sigh. Were actual
, down"
YES" beamed the boy, land yo
might have been down fifteen minute
ago just as we'll as not; but seen no
things was going, and 1 thought I
help them along some"
! You shall come to the weddin
, Cupid" said Westcott, slipping heav
! coin into the cherubic boys hand. An
he added, as they stepped out of IL
elevator on to the solid ground: IF
ever own an elevator you shall run it
Carroll Watson Rankin, in Pearson
NIaUazina