Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-03-31
Chapter 81
FIRM GROUND

Ft0M onOONO
Miss Lee had not noticed Kitty's
agitation.
She was enjoying herself immense
ly; to talk with even a p%retense OF
intimacy of such people as Margery
Crosby and the Idyllers had for her
as pleasant a taste as the Chefs
salad. 81 don't care much for am
ateur things. but I'm going to the
first show. l like to see who's in
the audience. and it'll be a smart one.
That's the way l fix these people in
my nina YOU see. This Somersets
coaching them. He may be a good
actor, but can't say | like his looks,
do your"
Kitty looked at Paul Somerset. He
was lean, dark-skinned. h~eavy-brow-
ed, with black hair, which he wore
plastered sleekly back from a prom
.inent forehead. He was leisurely
finishing his meal. apparently undis-
turbed by Carols desertion.
mo. l don't like his looks" And
Kitty "a thinking of Carol. of Car
OILS face as il had looked when she
left the table. Carol had said she
had nothing she wanted Did she
want Paul Somerset? Ana if she did
there was Marge to reckon with. Gar
had laughed Owe the way Marge was
giving this fellow a rush.
The old alien feeling swept over
Kitty, for Marge and Carol. all of
them, and then almost at once il left
her. Why, now she had escaped
them-she'd found firm ground for
her feet TO tread.
II think I'll let you take charge of
the displays after this, Miss Lee was
saying.
The next Sunday, Kitty, leaving the
house for breakfast, paused on the
top step to draw in a long breath of
the sun-warmed air.
Usually on Sunday she met David
at the corner restaurant to eat break
fast with him; to daily over the meal
talking to him. to drink a second ana
often a third cup of coffee stood off
the emptiness of the long day. Now
she found him waiting at the table
which they called theirs by right of
usage.
He rose quickly to greet her. The
concern with which he always met
her took note of her lighter step. a
little glow on her face, a softening
of the too-set line about her mouth.
Did you ever know such a day."
she asked gayly as she easeG herself
IN the chair he drew out for her. Il
wish | had wings-Td fly to a hill
top / know back home," Her whole
heart was, childishly, in her voice.
David smiled at her as if she were
q child. can go, without wings. |
Not to your particular hilltop. but to
one that's particularly mine, if it'll
do
David. You mean to your little
yes. There's a bus that goes
within a half mile. win you nina
walking?''
"oh, I'll love it. What a darling
you are to think of it, to know how
much I'm longing to see real country
again. Can we take a picnic lunch:
Can we start at once?"
And you say you're grown up?"
Il feel young today. It's-but I'm
not going to tell you, now. I'm going
to save 1t. Oh. Dayid-Tm happy /
again. Did you guess when you saw
me?' He nodded. He'd seen that
she was happy; perhaps she'd heard
from Gar. Blu he didn't want to
know, just now.
You'd better eat some breakfast.
Then Wen go around to your room
and get an extra wrap. 1t may turn
cold before night; this warmth is
only one of the weatherfnan's jokes"
: Might not DorcaS like to go2' she
asked after a moment. out with such
lack Of enthusiasm that she had TO
explain, laughing: I'm selfish this !
morning. | want this fun just for the
two Of us, If Dorcas went | couldn't
tell you things
She was so wholly intent on having
David to herself that she did not see
the sudden swift kindling / N his ewes
She went on, smiling fondly at him.
DaVld you can't half guess what il
means to me to have you. You're so
so listening! You're even better than
a brother. l think my heart would
have broken with everything shut up
in it." She put out her hand impul-
sively and closed it over David's,
Wnere ms lay on the table, thumb
tight over his fingers.
David. you're dear!f
lie moved his hand out from hers.
Don give me too much of the
brother role I've never learned that
part, | might fall down on the lines,
Kitty. Have o finished? We won't
bother with a lunch-we'l find some
thing out there. And we won't take !
Dorcas along" He had gotten up
and was standing behind her chair.
her coat in his hands. He smiled
dow at the top of her head. This
will be our day, if you want it So"
They boarded an interurban bus at
the end of Ketchum Street. 1t took
them thru the city, on past the sub
urban bungalows hanging like a
heavy fringe to the city-limits, on to
open fields and farm houses and
Kitty's excitement was like
a ehild's.
Look, David! Those willows.
Couldn't you think It was spring?-
David, see those ridiculous geese!-
cry Sunday?" . r.
They left the bus at a cross-road !
followed 1t where 1t wound thru
orchards up over a hill. Kitty
matched her stride to David's freer !
swing. She took off her hat and car
ried II, and the softly stirring air
rougnened her hair ond brot a high !
er color to her cheeks. Her chin was
lifted, her eyes were going hungrily
ahead to the edge of the hin top.
They paused before they started
down into the further valley. David
pointed to housetops, a white church
spire, visible among the tree-tops in
the distance. '
That's Whites Corners. It's a
mile beyond my place. It's named {
fer my mothers people. Most of
them are buried there. At one time
my great-grandfather owned a good {
part of he valley. There's a mill
the other side of those woods-it's
gone to pieces now" A new quail !
ity in his voice brought Kitty's eyes s
to his face. 1t was alight with a
pride. ]
They walked down the hill and at J
Its bottom turned into a narrow road I
ran off at a sharp angle. And !
almost at once David said: Here J
are"
II was a low-built gray ap-board- !
ed house. old, but with no dreari- /
ness or neglect in its age. 1t had S
look of desertion, rather one of
waiting. Kitty remembered what Da- !
Vid had said of it a place that put
arms around you. s
David unlocked the door and stood
for her To enter. an odd smile