The San Francisco call., 1913-12-08
Continued from Saturday

"Well?" asked Kenneth in happy
contentment
Kitty was a student of effects. She
looked up demurely.
Kenneth. wonder what you really
think of me?"
You know" The boy spoke ar
IDENTIFY.
'No-really I don't. You are only
boy. and / guess the girls you've
known are whole lot different from
me-
Ken bent over the chair tenderly.
Not one of them so pretty
Tn serious. Those girls-they
wouldn't one of them come hereto
your srooms-like this"
II may be young. but I'm not so
foolish as not to know that the mar
row little world I lived in wasn't real
life at all. That's why got out of it."
Are you sorry?''
Kitty looked up at him with the
telling effect of wide open, question
ing blue eyes. She had calculated the
brown ones--in the deepening inten-
sity of their gaze, she read that she
was not falling.
"Sorry." quoted Ken. Sorry, I
met you'll You are right when you
say that you are different. You know
the real world! That is why I am
afraid"
"Afraid?" questioned Kitty in genu-
inc wonderment.
.'Of YOU
ONE PROPOSAL
The voice took on a deeper note.
It was the timber of desire-of ten
derness-of longing
"Oh, Kitty, dear, i am nobody. I've
never done anything I'm all my life
never even wanted to-never cared
whether i was worthy and useful and
wfse-untiI 1 met you. I care now
care lot tho. You see--I LOVE
YOU.-
And the Family Skeleton laughed
again-laughed derisively.
Kitty sprang to her feet. Injured
innocence was in her every motion
In every throb of her voice This boy
was coming out into the open here
and now. she decided
You're like all the rest / thought
could trust you!"
There was almost a sob in her tone.
The boy and the woman stood with
her great armchair between them.
Her hand, looking very frail and tiny.
rested on the back of the massive
piece of furniture. Very gently. not
to frighten her-not to brighten"
Kitty Claire-with sudden passion.
Kenneth took that little hand in his.
II want you to marry me-, said
Charles Nelson's son.
she looked at him a moment, then
crossed over to the couch on the other
slue or the room and sat staring far
into space-far away-back over q
month--back over two years before
that month. Suddenly she began to
iausn nervously, with a tension In
her hysterical mirth. Kenneth went
to her, and taking her hand again
stiil more gently-with deep rever-
ence-sat by her side.
what is It, dear?" asked the how.
Never looking at him, still staring
into space and stirring a memory he
could never guess nor half fathom.
the girl spoke:
Irs-it's funny. didn't know it
would be so funny"
lou knew that loved your asked
the boy. his mind insistent on the one
thing he wanted-her love.
yes"
You must have known I would ask
you to marry me-"
TO Ken that was the only way. To
poor little Kitty-to all the poor Kit-
ties, sadly wise and wisely sad-there
Is always the easiest way"
Inc girl spoke with dawning truth.
mol / didn't. I didn't"
at you Will, SAID Ken, with the
masterfuiness of even the boy who
loves.
But you will marry me, Kittyy'
Mary your"
Kitty turned on the couch so that
she faced him. so that she was looking
into the glowing eyes of her young
lover.
@Ixitty May marry Charles Nelson's
son! I'D like to do IT, but 1 can't. /
haven't got the ncrve.-
Why2 love you, dear" Reason
enough. this love of his, for anything.
thought the undisciplined boy.
But discipline and nature, the silent
dispenser thereof, waited.
Reasons enough. One OF them is
we couldn't live. You couldn't earn
$40 week, and your mother wouldn't
stand for me-"
'She wouldn't. She will. when she
knows you, when she finds out all
about you"
When Emily Nelson found out all
about Kitty May! Kitty knew well
what that day would mean, for Emily
Nelson knew bitterly much about
Kitty Claire.
She answered a bit wearily. This
thing was getting unpleasant 1t
was beginning to hurt her. She had
never meant TO hurt herself--on1y to
get Charles Nelson
II guess not, Ken. She wouIdn't