Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-29

| from half a dozen hands on all sides
ne carried Alix UP to the road and laid
ner upon q motor robe that some kindly
spectator had spread In. the deep dust;
Al ABOUT he heard the quick, horrifled
breathing and mutterlng of the shocked
and sympathetic. neighbors who had
gathered, but to him there was n brassy
| lght In the world and a hideous taste
ot inky bitterness In the very air he
preathed, and he recognized nobody.
| PRESENTLY he was conscious that q
small, slight woman with disorderly fair
nalr and with her face streaked with
DUST and tears was standing beside him
ana ,,, COOKING down at her. he saw that 1t
Yes. cherryT he said, moistening his
Peter" she said, they say Martins
| lvlng.,he was screaming--" She
over her. but she mastered it.. "He was
| caught by that tree" he said. And he
Y living. VIII you tell them--tell one Of
| these men--that II he will help me. we
tSn. tsn drive him home. II you'll tell him
tnat then I'll get a doctor"
Yes. ] WILL" Peter said, not stirring.
HIS eyes had the look of a sleep-walker
ne nodded slowly and gravely at her,
IKE a very old man. "You-----" he said
20 man who had stopped his car near
| ally close. viii you--?"
f you'll sit In the back seat, dear,
| and Just rest his poor head" woman
SAID 70 Cherry. Peter saw that they
~ ~ tender hands and carrying II through
.ne lttie group. There was a shudder
aS Martin moancd deeply. Peter went
@ al9 sat on the low bank by AliN again,
Ely, ssnH iifted one of her limp hands. and
held IT, Ah if In Gods mercy and good.
ness she might moan. he thought, that
one ne slight ray Of hope would food all
@ ne word with light for him again But
she did not stir.
,Gone?' said Cherry's heartrending
voice mere whisper, beside him.
He turned upon her lfeless eyes
lone: he echoed.
On; ,Alix-my darling Ny own big
SS,s.er Sn. Cherry sobbed. falling TO he,
nnees nnee, and passionately kissing the
The women about broke into tears.
re.er pressed his hand close against his
cru'hs cr,, eveoalls, wishing that he might
,o,sS She drove here" he heard mans
must must have lost cohtrp. of her car for a
| minute. Then-do you see the wheel
| snppeo on the bank. Once it got this
iar, no power IN Gods earth"
40 power IN Gods earth!" another
| mans voice said In solemn confirmation
| feter, Cherry said. will you come
ton! TO me as soon as you can? I shall need
SAs so4 as can" he answered. alb.
=, The car drove away. and he heard
Martin moan again as It moved
| Joyce: said mans kind voice close
beside him. He recognized the voice
nad raaiher than the distressed face of an
| oid friend and neighbor. Joyce, my
dear FELLOW" he urged. affectonately
tell US what we may do. and we'll see
| to IT, Pull yourself together. my dear
old chap; Now, shall telephone for an
-an ambulance? You must help us Just
a little here. and then wen spare YOU
everything else
THANK you. Fred" Peter answered
after a moment, during which he looked
seriously and studiousy at his friend
as ascertanlng through unseen M lists
.Thank YOU" he said, viii you help
You wish Il that way?" the other
man said, anxiously.
And instantly there was moving and
clearing In the crowd, a murmuring OF
whispered directions.
| After a while they were at the noun
tain cabin. and Kow. with tears running
down his yellow face, was helping them
| Then Peter and his friend were walking
UP over the familiar trails. he hardly
knew where. In the late twilight, and
then they went into the old living room
and Alix was lying there, splendid
| q,
| forehead Swallowed softly by her. brown
| hair, and her lashes resting upon her
cheeks. and her fingers clasped about
| the stems OF three great. creamy roses.
| There were other flowers ali about,
| and there were women in the room.
| White draperies fell with sweeping lines
| from the merciful yelling of the crushed
| figure. and AliX might have been only
asleep. and dreaming some heroic dream
teat emt that ano sGrrsf SsG pride and Joy
In life.
Peter stood and looked down at her.
and the men and women drew back
But although the muscles of his mouth
twitched. he did not weep. He looked
long at her, while an utter silence filled
the room. and while twilight deepened
into dark over the cabin and over the
mountain above II.
Something cold touched his hand. and
he heard the dog whimper Without
turning his head or moving his eyes from
AliN's face. he pressed his fingers on the
silky head; his breast rose on one
agonized breath. but he controlled II.
In unfailing dog-fashion, that something
was wrong.
80 that was your way out, Aiix?"
Peter said In the depth of his soul.
would go out Of life, away from the
sunshine and the trees and the hills that
you loved. so that Cherry and l should
be saved? ! was blino not to see It,
have been blind from the very begin
ming"
Silence. The room was filling with
| shadows, On the mantel was deep
bowl of roses that he remembered watch
ing. her cut-was It yesterday or CEN
turtles ago?
IT was wrong" he sail But think
you would be sorry TO have me face
what I am facing now. You were al
ways 30 forgiving, AliX; you would be
the first to be sorry"
that was beginning ,o reach his heart:
His throat felt thick and choked, and
still he did not cry,
'"An hour ago." he said. "if it had
been that the least thought of what
this meant to you might have reached
me an hour ago, II would not have been
too late. Alix, one look into your eyes
an hour ago might have saved us all
Fred" Peter said aloud. with bitter
groan, clinching tight the hands of the
side him. Fred, she was here, In all
her health and JOY and strength only
today. And now
IT know--old man" the other man
Peters terrible face, IN the silence the
dog whimpered faintry. But when Peter:
after an endless five minutes. turned
away, 1t was to speak TO his friend In
an almost normal voice o,,,
1T must go down and see Cherry.
Fred. She took her husband to the old
house they were living there"
Helen will stay here" the man as
sured him, quickly. 'I'll drive you down
and come back here. We thought per-
haps a few OF us could come. here to,
morrow afternoon, Peter" he added
timidly, with his redeemed eyes hiiing
again "and talk of her little, and
pray for her little. and then take her
Toto rest beside the old doctor-
,Y a.It .hauoht about that" Peter