Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-04-30
The Choice

Ofei lne Dlue waters OF the racine,
Less than a mile away the smoke
curled upwards rom the fishing town
Of Kakiak, and far away to the east.
ward. across the shimmering stretches
Of the strait, rose In dim grandeur
the glaciers and snow-clad mountains
Of the mainland.
Close at hand the wide fields were
green with hish meadow grasses,
where the cattle grazel in blissful
peace. unheeding the golden beauty
Of the daisies, the sapphire grace Of
the blue bells, and the dainty bushes
Of the wild roses, making a rich riot
Of color and perfume. For this Is the
warm garcen Of that chill north cOun-
try-a BIT OF the gracious southland
that nature has transpla=ted to these
Islands OF the sea, and carefully nur.
lures ma blesses with warm ocean
currents. sunny skies and soft breszea.
Strang frownsd impatiently at his
thoughts, and turned on the threshold.
He stepped to the low carved mAntel
and took In his hands the photograph
Of a fair-faced girl Her eyes smiled
straight into his sombre ones, but
still unsmiling he laid the picture
down and tramped restlessly back and
forth, the frown- on his forehead
growing ever deeper.
He needed no visible reminder Of
the face ihto which he had looked
that afternoon when Lolita, the daugh-
ter of the white superintendent Of the
csnneries by his Aleut wife. had walk
ed beside him on the shore
There had been a short, perilous
moment when he had caught her in
his arms to save Ler from the unsus-
pectcd quicksand that had sucked
her feet downward. But In that brief
instant her arms had held him tightly
and he had seen in her dark eyes a
strange light that told its tale Of
warning.
The girl was young and utterly
unlearned. Her slim, supple girlhood
appealed to him, and she had become
a part of the free, open-air life he
had led for two years. But Brenton
Strang was a true man at heart, and
he faced his problem with unfiinching
candor.
Should WOO and wed the girl
half Indian and almost wholly pagan
with her passionate love of nature
In the wild northern land: should he
bring her into his home which he had
builded with the thought of another
woman always in his heart, and so
settle down to the vast farming life
that opened before him?
Or should he go back to civilization
and to the girl whose face watched
him from the simple gold frame? She
belonged to the life behind him, her
dainty. almost fragile beauty found
its rightful setting In the luxury TO
which she had been born. And yet!
There had been a time-two short
weeks OF camp life-when they had
lived very near to the heart of the
world, and the lays had glided by in
the deep and true channels Of life.
He looked around his empty home,
picturing her there, as he had so often
done. Not until this hour had he
realized how closely he had wrought
Three months before he had writ
ten her Of his decision to remain per-
manently at Kadisk. save for an oc-
casional winter in the South. The
old life whiGb they had known togeth-
er had lost its grip upon him, and the
new. broader. saner life held him fast
He needed her and SO he had told her,
at the same time leaving her free to
choose.
Weeks had passed and no word had
come. and his heart and lone were
very lonely. Lolita's youth charmed
and tempted him, but the love of the
other woman still filed his soul.
Again he took u the picture and
studied its silent beauty.
Virginia" he whispered. why have
you deserted me, when love you so?"
The face Of the Indian girl had van
lshed from his heart, and the fair
Southern woman reigned supreme
once more. With grave tenderness he
kissed the sweet lips and spoke to her
again.
1T shall be the best or nothing,
dear" he told her. and placed the lit.
tie frame on the shelf
Then he went to the open door, and
his eyes dwelt sadly and calmly on
the glory Of the scene before him.
Suddenly he saw a womAn's figure
coming swiftly along the road from
Kadiak.
His breath came fast, his pulses
bounded, then his heart stood still
with a great Joy. He brushed his hand
across his eyes, as if to sweep away
the dream.
But the reality OF his hope was
drawing near. for he beheld Virginia
coming toward him. half-running. her
cheeks glowing above her dark furs,
her lips parted eagerly. and her gray
eyes allght.
! He dashed toward her with out.
stretched arms.
Virginia. Virginia." he repeated
over and over again and even she
wondered at the solemn tenderness OF
his voice
Il came to you. Brent" she said.
shyly as soon as she could speak 81
had to since you wouldn't come back
to me"
She smiled tremulously, but Brenton
Strang drew Aer closer in his arms
and answered reveFe-Lly:
Thank GCd. you came, Virginia"