The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-20
CONTINUED From Yesterday
4 Perey's peeIarat;on.

They had come to n place where a
winding Path led down the low. sandy
cliff to the beach. and both instinc-
tively turned. heir steps toward It.
Conversation was not possible while
Percy was Helping Molly down the
steep path The soft. powdery sand al
the cliffs foot looked 80 inviting that
they sat down on II to rest for while
Molly's fingers played n"cha ally
with a tuft Of rustling thrift and she
stared out at the blue but slightly misty
horizon with troubled eyes. Percy
sitting Beside her, was acutely con-
sciouS OF her nearness and OF the slen-
der curve Of her throat and chin and
her soft. dropping mouth. He plunged
his hands deep Into the sand on either
side of him and stared at her with his
heart in his look.
mot quite happy" Molly admitted
There are things I don't understand
Life seems to be becoming little diff
ferent from anything Icexpected. some.
how. And.I don't like. it. Oh. Percy
why can't things always 60 on being
nice ?" - ~ = !" ,H
They're never nice At all for som'
Of u.s. said Percy a: little unstcadiiy
There hrc fellows who never get any
thing. AMI after all. Brent is engaged
to yon, isn't he ~. You've never told
me ~. - but I couldn't help guess
ing. Can't you trust me; Molly?"
Molly turned her eyes ON him, and
through the thick covering OF her Ere
occupation with her own feelings she
was vaguely ava re that he. too. seemed
troubled. 8 It was certainly very nice of
dear old Percy TO mind about her hap
piness so much. 1t would be Idle t6
pretend that Molly did mot know that
Percy's affection for her was not of
the same quality rs hers for him. or
that the knowledge did not give her
certain half shamed pleasure. Pas
sion was such an unknown auantit.
to her that she hardly understood eve'
that il existed. aud though Percy him.
self would have been slightly shocked
at the. connection of passion with Mol,
~. yet In the nature of things his love
for her was not without 1t.
Percy's fingers clutchcd in to tbs
sand. then gave up the struggle and
emerging, took hold o. Molly's.
Molly" he began. II can't bea,
YOU not to be happy. Don't be angr!
with me for saying It. but I'm sure
you won't be happy with Brent. Yor
can't be. He's an awfully attractive
chap aud. all that. but he's not the sort
of fellow to make a woman happy, and
oh. Molly, do care about YOU, mos,
frightfuDly. on my word i do: l always
have. Won't YOU give me chance:
Just let me try and see II can't make
You happy:",
The quick blood flew into Molly's
cheeks and she pulled her hand away
This. then. was what her doubts and
lerplexities led her into She was be-
ing disloyal to Chris and making Per-
cy unhappy. 1t. only showed how un-
safe It was to get thinking about
things. She felt a quick reaction to
her old allegiance. She saw Chris as
misunderstood by all save her. He was
too fine a nature for the rest Of the
world to appreciate. The ingenious
simplicity of Percy seemed clumsi-
ness In comparison.
"Oh. Percy, how can you: You
mustn't" she stammercd. I'm awful,
sorry. I never thought mean Tn,
awfully fond Of you, of course, but not
in that way" Molly was saying al
the conventional things--lnd becam.
dimly aware of it. and aware. too. tina
the genuine quality of Percy's feelin,
deserved something better. She pu
out her hand again and this time tool
his. she could think Of nothing t.
say. but Percy's miserable young fact