Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-12-01
HIS CHOICE
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

| tt9 lSEV, oy Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
you don't think she's pretty?" Kit
~ asked scornfully. why. her eyes
| are bluel' she opened her own brown
ones to their widest and gave William
pavey glance through fringed lashes.
Really, faded blue. think =, Asd
she palnts-my how that girl paints r
Why, thought--"
That's all you know about It. then :"
She answered almost sEapplshly. ard
Marcia's features aren't a Bit regular"
Il went into the library to get a
book | couldn't ind and she showed
me Just where il was in The shelves
smart little thing" he said almost
TO himself.
"0f course, if Marcia wants TO work
its all very we'll bur think a girls
place is at home; al least a girl of our
elass," she said decisively.
Then she looked up at William
Darey and said. Aren't you starved?
| 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
flew about the preparations. soft white
hands with pink oval nails She light
ed the lamp under the chatting dish and
rang for Sarah. When Sarah came in
to the room bearing tray that held
cheese and butter and toast and tall
glasses, Williams eyes were again
fascinated by the skill and rapidly
of those soft hands of Kitty's as they
stirred the bubbling mess in the chatting
dish.
II was delicious rabbit and Kitty
and William laughed and chartered,
but underneath it all William was con-
scious of 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 angrlly on the big
couch
Fool" she cried to the pillows.
He's fool! Why doesn't he pro
pose? l wouldn't even think of tax.
ing him If his father didn't own the
Davey mills-old stupid"
TN soon make William stop living
the simple life. After he marries me
he'll have TO give up that room over
shop on Fairview street and stop
being workman in the mills" She
blew out 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. glove. but
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 q few
nights later. returning the book on
merchants that he had been studying.
He remembered as he handed the book
across the counter to Marcia Haden
that Kitty had said her eyes were fad
ed. Faded? He looked into their
translucent blue depths quite forgetfu
of what he was doing until he saw
Mareia's cheeks begin to deepen their
rose Paint?-no. Kitty was mistaken
there, Marcia didn't paint. Funny how
girls could ge. those things wrong.
Gould you show me?" he stumbled.
where I'd find the second volume of
thisg"
He followed her into one of the long,
dusliy. book-lined abysses while she
pointed out the book sitting snugly on
its shelf. She reached up to II and as
she did William saw her profile. not
regular. but with certain piquancy,
a certain something that drew his eyes
hack to hers.
81 say" he asked. what time do
you get through here?"
AT nine," she smiled and William
wondered why two such simple words
should sound so charming. as there
anything else | can do for your"
'Yes. YOU can let me walk home with
YOU" he said.
She did not answer yes" or no
hut when at nine he stood waiting for
her. she smiled demurely up at him
All the way home he caught glimpses
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
ad never noticed her before
But ii was Marcia herself who star
lied him.
I'm leaving here in month";" she
said, tive been offered a much better
position in Rockport." She held out
bare hand and Then as he took II In
his big one. she said. "Oh, don't please.
don't look AZ II I" 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
IF hands. soft. white. with oval pink
nails; for some reason curious lump
got in the way of his talking.