The Crittenden press., 1920-07-23
HIS CHOICE
ey JESSIE DOUGLAS.

are blue" she opened her own brown
ones to their widest and gave william
Davey q glance through fringed lsshea
"Really. q faded blue. I thinkr And
she paints-my. how that girl psintsF
"Why. l thought"
That's all you know about II. thenT
she answered almost snappishly. And
Marcia's features aren't bit regular"
II went into the library to get Q
book l couldn't nnd and she showed
me just where II was In the shelves
smart little thing" he said almost
to himself.
"Of course, II Marcia wants to worS
it's all very well, but l think q girls
place Is at home; at least girl Of our
class" she said declsively.
Then she looked up at William
Davey and said, Aren't you starvedf
! am" A dlmple 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 rapidlty
Of those soft hands Of kitty's ~ they
stirred the bubbling mess In the chaiinS
dish.
II 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.
"Fo0l!" she cried to the pill0wA
Hes a fooll Why doesn't he pro-
pose? | wouldn't even think Of TAX
ing him II his father didn't own the
Davey mills--old stupid"
I'm soon make william stop living
the simple life. After he marries me
he'll have to give up that room over
a shop on Fairview street and stop
being q workman In the mills" She
blew out the candles beside the mir
ror and climbed the stairs undauntedly.
william Dsvey. 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,
when he went into the library few
nights later, returning the book on
merchants that he had been studying
He remembered as he handed the bool
across the counter to Marcia Hsdet
that Kitty had said her eyes were fad
ed. Faded? He looked int theil
translucent blue depths quite forgetfu
Of what he was doing until he saw
Marcias cheeks begin to deepen theil
rose. Paint?-no. Kitty was mistakes
there, Marcia didn't paint. Funny how
girls could &c. those things wrong.
"COuld you show met" he stumbled
"where I'd ind the second volume o
thisr'
He followed her into one OF the lonl
dusky, boOk-lined abysses while sh
pointed ont the book sitting snugly o
its shelf. She reached up to II aud .
she did william saw her profile, no
regular, but with q certain plquaney
q certain something that drew his eye
back to hers.
II say" he asked. what time d
you get through hereY'
AT nine." she smiled; and williai
wondered why two such simple word
should sound so charming. rs ther
anything else I can do for your
"Yes, you can LEI me walk home wit
you" he said.
She did not answer "yes" or mo
but when at nine he stood waiting II
her, she smiled demurefy up at hin
All the way home he caught glimpse
Of her face beneath the lighted stree
lamp; and as at last she stood on he
own doorstep. with the yellow iigi
falling on her, he wondered why !
had never noticed her before.
But II was Marcia herself who sta
tied him.
"rm leaving here 10 q month" 81
said, "Pve been offered q much bett
position In Rockport." She held o.
q bare hand and then as he took II
his big one, she said. "Oh, don't pleas
don't look at Itl" and drew back Il
roughensd little hand.
"You see my hands aren't soft 3
cause I take care Of the stoves" a
said.
William suddenly saw another ps
Of hands, soft. white. with oval piI
nails; for some reason curious lun
got in the way Of his talking.
"Good night" he said at last.
Why was II that that small roul
hand should come before him aga
and again on his way homer Al
those expressive eyes, and q mou
neither small nor bowshaped but e.
tie 10 Its curvesf He let himself In
his own quaint chamber at last al
before he struck a match he spo
aloud to himself In the darkness
"If II hadn't been for Kitty, I wou
never have known that the other 9
e1istedi I wonder II I've got chance
he pondered.
While over on High street Q &
lifting q shovelful Of coal into I
Ore with a small roughened hand "
smjlIng radIantly. as she looked IN