Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-24
SIS TER s
Bu KATHLEEN NORRIS
Author of Josseiyn's Wife'
(Copyrisht, 1919, by Kathleen Norris)

as fresh, as the roses themselves, Sh.
wore scant pink gingham that Mad
peeT a dozen times to the tub. and was
raded and small It might have been !.
f.ss.h fvsn, .hant,e and diadem without any
,urtner enhancing her extraordinary
beauty. Her bright head was hidden by
plue sunbonnet, assumed, she explained
,ater, because the thorns tangled her
with mar r nut as, laughing and smothered
bonnet slipped back. and the lovely
flushed little face with tendriis Of gold
straylng across the white forehead, and
Inlschief 1gleaming In the blue, blue ewes
was framed only in loosened pale gold
Years aftcrward Alix remembered her
SO. as Martin Lloyd helped her to spring
,ree OF the branches, and she stood
aSse1nE aS To gs at bhes their surprise and st cling
the rose tree" had a place Of its own 'i in
alixs memory. as time OF carefree
run ana content, time Of perfume and
ssdindsh,ihnet.-perhaps sind ,hst the last time OF its
KING tnat any one Of them was to know
Cherry looked at Martin darinaiv as
sne Joined the laborers her whole being
was thrilling to the excitement of his
Biance she was hardly. conscious of
her % fathers e vas arsngfor GStng or saying Under
presently was placed with her arms
ciasped tightly about a great sheaf ns
vines, ready for the united tug Martin
ZANE S,a1e, close to her, in the general con.
"How's my little sweetheart this morn
Cherry looked up, her throat con-
tracted, she looked down again. unable
20 speak: She had been waiting for his
seemed 30 far richer and sweeter than
her widest dream '""i'
How can / see you a minute?'' Mar
shut hur'nured' swapping his big knife
II have to walk down for the
mail" stammered Cherry, consoioms
only or Martin and herself.
Both Peter and her father were
watching her with an uneasiness and
suspicion that had sprung into being
full-blown. Both men were asking thanes
selves what they knew of this strange
young man who was suddenly a part
OF their intimate little world.
ne was simply man not unusual In
any apparent way. He was ready with
his words, fairly good looking. clean
and muscular, his evident lack OF poiiah
IN languages and letters atoned for nv
ms quick wit, and by a certain boyish
artlessness and ingenuousness. He rep-
resented himself as about to receive On
exceilent salary at the mine at lei Nido
Two Thousand year, but also admitted
cheerfully that he was always 'brol,e,"
ne had distinguished himself at college,
put had LETT II after only two years. upon
being offered a promising position
There was nothing especially to admire
IN MIN, nothing especially to blame !.
under other circumstances Peter and the
doctor might have pronounced him as
one OF the least interesting of human
specimens. The beauty Of childhood and
adolescence were gone. the ripeness given
py years and suffering was wanting
Martin Lloyd was just as he himself
,aughingly remarked, ''one OF the fell
Peter had secretly criticized him be-
cause he used the words "phone'' and
photo and Frisco" but in Justice he
had to admit to himself that there was
no particular Significance to til, criti-
c!sm. He also. in his secret heart had
vague, dissatisfied feeling that Lloyd
was n man who held women, as n class.
rather In disrespect, and had probably
mad his experiences with them but there
governing his conduct toward Martin
py SO purely speculative a prejudice, The
young man had dined at his house A
iew nights ago, had shown an admira- :
tion' II not an appreciation, for music,
hnd talked with sufficient Intelligence
about political matters, mining. and
what else? Photography, and Pullman
cars, and the latest wreck off Bolinas-
JUST the random conversation that was
APT 10 tran through country dinner.
ne mad told a Chinese Joke well, and
essayed an Irish joke not so successfully.
feter. somewhat appalled,, in the sunny
garden. struggling with the banksia. de-
cided that this was not much to know
OF person who might have the audacity
10 fall In love with an exquisite and in
nocent Cherry. After all. she would not
be little girl forever; some man
would want to take that little corn
colored head and that delicious little
pink-clad person away with him some
day. to be his wife
And suddenly Peter was torn by n
stap or pure pain. and he stood pug
zied and sick. In the garden bed Won-
dering what was happening to him.
Listen--want drink" Alix asked,
coming out with a tin dipper that spilled
q gllttering sheet Of water down on the
thirsty nasturtiums. Rest a few min
utes, Peter Dad wanted q pole, and Mr..
Lloyd has gone up into the woods to
cut one"
And where's Cherry?9 Peter asked,
drinking deep.
no"s she ?s vent yer, aIong-iust up in the woods
swer the telephone. but they're going to
yell II they need help! Well :" and Hlix.
painting, sat down on a log ARE we
going to do it?"
I'VE ought to go up and help Lloyd"
Peter deGreed. Which way did he go?"
Il don't know. darling" Alix answer
ed. leaning back, crossing her ankles, and
yawning. But they'll be back before
you could get there. They've been gone
five minutes"
Only Ave minutes, but they were
enough to take Cherry and her lover out
him put his arm about her. and to have
her raise her lips confidently, and yet
shyly, again to his. They kissed each
other deeply. again and again. The girl
was a little confused and even a little
Of his arm about her. and her upward
look found hie ewes close to her own,