The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-07-08
HIS CHOICE
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

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20. 1920. by Mcclure Newspaper synuicafs.j
you don't think she's pretty?" Kit
ty asked scornfully. "Why. her eyes
are bluel" she opened her own brown
ones to their widest and gave william
Davey a glance through fringed Iashes.
Really. a faded blue. l think !" And
she paints-my. how that girl paints !"
why. ] thought"
That's all you know about 1t, then I"
she answered almost snappishly "And
Marcia's features aren't a bit regular"
Il went into the library to get
book couldn't find and she showed
me just where IL was in the shelves
smart little thing" he said almost
to himself
"Of course. II Marcia wants to work
It's all very well. but think a girls
place is at home; at least a girl of our
class" she said deNsively.
Then she looked up at william
Davey and said. Aren't you starved7
] am" A dimple thimble deep in her
curving cheek caught his eye and he
admitted to himself that Kitty was the
prettiest thing he knew.
He watched Kitty's hands as they
few about the preparations. soft white
hands with pink oval nails. She light
ed the lamp under the chafing dish and
rang for Sarah. When Sarah came in
to the room bearing a tray that held
cheese and butter and toast and tall
glasses Williams eyes were again
fascinated by the skill and rapidity
Of those soft hands Of Kitty's as they
stirred the bubbling mess in the chaf1ng
dish.
1t was a delicious rabbit and Kitty
and william laughed and chartered,
but underneath It all William was con-
scious of a discomfort that he could
not place.
When he had said good night and
the door had banged after him, Kitty
came back into the sitting room and
threw herself down angrily on the big
couch.
Fool I" she cried to the pillows.
Hes q fool Why doesn't he pro-
p0sef I wouldn't even think Of tax
ing him II his father didn't own the
Davey mills-old stupid"
"In soon make William stop living
the simple life. After he marries me
he'll have to give up that room over
being workman In the mills" She
blew ont the candles beside the mir
ror and climbed the stairs undauntedly.
William Davey, walking home
through the darkness. was thinking of
Kitty-and thinking hard. "Jove, but
she was pretty. A bit highty, Of
course. and lots of notions. That about
not working. for instance, when her
father really needed her help"
He thought Of Kitty again suddenly,
VIXEN he went into the library few
nishtr later. returning the book on
merchants that he had been studying.
He remembered a. he handed the book
across the counter to Marcia Haden
that Kitty had said her eyes were fad
ed Fadedf He looked into their
translucent blue depths quite forsetful
Of what he was doing until he saw
Marcia's cheeks begin to deepen their
rsse. Paint?-no. Kitty was mistaken
there. Marcia didn't paint Funny how
girls could get those things wrong.
"Could you show, mer' he stumbled,
"where I'd fnd the second volume Of
thisf"
He followed her into enc Of the long.
dusky. book-lined abysses while she
pointed ont the book sitting snugly on
its shelf. She reached up to It and as
she did william saw her profile. not
regular, but with q certain piQuancy,
a certain something that drew his eyes
back to hers.
II say" he asked, what time do
you get through herer
"Ax nine," she smiled; and william
wondered why two such simple words
should sound so charming. rs there
anything else can do for your"
"Yes. you can let me walk home with
yeu," he said.
She did not answer "yes'' or mo"
but when at nine he stood waiting for
her. she smiled demurely up at him.
AL the way home he caught giimpses
Of her face beneath the lighted street
lamp; and as at last she stood on her
own doorstep. with the yellow light
falling on her, he wondered why he
had never noticed her before.
But It was Marcia herself who star
tied him.
I'm leaving here In a month";" she
said. "I've been offered a much better
position in Kcckport." She held out
a bare hand ana then as he took 1t in
his big one. she said. .>Oh, don't please
don't look at III" and drew back the
roughened little hand.
"You see my hands aren't soft be
cause ! take care Of the Stoves she
said.
William suddenly saw another pair
Of hands, soft, white. with oval pink
nails; for some reason a curious lump