Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-15

see you both od-rriRht, beloveds. I'm |
dead. Don't sit out here incoming with |
Pete all night, Cerise I"
Peter said to himself that now Cherry |
would go, too, but as the screen door |
banged lightly after Alix, and the dull |
glimmer Of Cherry's striped gown did
not move In the soft shadow, sudden |
reluctance and distaste seized him. He |
had been subconsciously aware Of her all |
afternoon he had known a delicious
warmth and stir at his heart that he |
had not analysed, II indeed It coulc be |
want the beauty and bloom and charm
of that feeling touched. His heart be- |
gan to beat heavily again, anG he knew
that he must stop the unavailing game
But he had not reckoned on Cherry.
She, twisted in her chair, and he heard
oh, SO am ! tired. tool" she breathed,
Hs sssn Almost asss ssts to Leave tSut
You can have all the moonlight there
Is, Peter" Her white figure fluttered
toward the door. Good might I" she
said, drooping her little head to choke
a 5aS yawn: "A moment later he heard her
You fool--you fool--you fool -
Peter said to himself, and he felt an
emotion like shame, a little real COM
punction that he could 30 utterly mis-
read her innocence. He felt Il not only
wrong in him. but somehow stsihlng and
hurtful to her.
>. Again Peter reckoned without Cherry.
IL was only the next day. when he was
ebhsertns tbse I'M the Palace court for his lunch,
emotion. His thoughts were, at the
moment, far from Cherry. and he had
fancied himself In a hurry. But every
other feeling but excitement was obliter-
a.ea at the sight of a slender, girllshly
mace mace woman, In a pongee gown, and q
limp brown hat covered with poppies.
waiting In the lounge
reter went toward her, and the color
rusnea ,,a, INTO Cherry's face. Half dozen
and 'em nna naa 20 peen furtively studying her,
,,nt. les sne really extraordinarily
pretty. But Cherry and Peter saw and
neard them not. It was the first time
oy onsy haa accidentally encountered each
own In the history of their lives.
III me Surprlse or 1t kept them laughing,
said: e''e' S"e'iS
Il was to lunch here with Mary
late!' '"e"'y minutes
promptly.
She'll probably be along" Cherry
hate ber basue1y' Sayt looking g at clock. You
up from under the poppies at Peter.
cont like her." he admitted, with
.D0ys grimace.
Then suppose we don't lunch here?"
| merry suggested innocentIv
Peter laughed joyousiy' and tucr,ng
hef d little sloved hand under his arm
| leu ner away. They went 10 SoIari'
ana mad a window table, and nodded
dey de oney discussed their lunch, at half a
dozen friends who CHANGED to be lunch
ing there too. But it was a thrilling
adventure. none the less, and after the
0tner tables were empty, and when the
long room was still, they talked on,
uliilng g with cheese and crackers, Peter
mead bent over her plate
she nad said that she wanted to tell
MIN all about it," and Peter. with quick
knowledge that she meant the unhappi.
ness OF her marriage, nodded a grave
I've made q failure Of IT." Cherry
said sadly. II know ought to struggle
on, but i can't. Just a few days OF n
Just a few weeks Of 1t make me-make
me dinerent woman! I get nervous
no individuality, Peter. I have no per.
sonality!,, AS for my dIgnity-my prl.
Her face was scarlet, and for a mo.
ment she stopped speaking.
Just tell me an alternativew she
said. after while 1T can't be that
there is no other life for me than going
back. Peter, I'm only twenty-four!"
Il know you are" he said. with brief
why, every one has some alternative u
Cherry pleaded 1T can't be that mar.
riage Is the only-the only irrevocable
thing! II you had partner that you
couldn't could duS.nn go on WITH you could come to
sacrifice. but somehow you could end the
association Peter" she said. earnestly
when l think of marketing again-siX
chops and soup meat and butter and
baking powder feel sick! When
washed and busted for Ave years--the
glass berry howl that somebody gave U.S.
and the eleven silver teaspoons--I can't
bear II -
You don't love him !" Peter said.
quickly. Indeed I don't. And It isn't
Just the place, and the life, Peter I
where - -: anywhere - But not-wlth
hm haG GH dons Rsssr H Ana aaaR eRerrS S0Rs tied
her fingers together. and her voice thick
ened and stopped.
Her beauty, as she pushed her plate
aside and leaned toward him. was so
half raised to fresh cigarette, put the
match down aimlessly, and looked
thoughtfully at the cigarette. and laid
that down, too. without the faintest con-
sciousness of what he was doing. The
dampness on her white forehead, where
the gold hair clung to the brim Of the
dropping hat. Her marvellous blue eyes
were rlngod with soft violet shadows, al
II sooty finger had set them under the
dark brown arch of the brows. The soft
curve of her chin, the babyish shortness
of her upper lip. and the crimson sweet
ness Of the little earnest mouth hac
never seemed more lovely than they were
today. She was youth incarnate, palpi
| TOE ina n nd nngnniIaA
J For a moment she looked down at the
table, and the color flooded her face
then she looked him straight in the eye'
and smiled. "Well! Perhaps 1t will al
work out right, Peter" she said, witt
the childish, questioning look that 50
wrung his heart
She Immediately gathered her posses
slons together to go, but when they step
ped into sunshny Geary street II wa
O'Clock and Peter suggested that they
walk down to the boat.
To them the hour was memorable. an,
the street and park and the tops OF tai
buildings. flooded with the sunlight OF
summer afternoon, were Paradise
Cherry only knew that she felt strangely
thrilled and yet at peace Peters near
of this romantic city with It's flower
market blazing in the SUM- ana with tne
ferry clock tower standing high apoVs
the vista of Market street He seemed
floating, rather than walking, and when
at crossings, he could help Cherry foI
a few steps, felicity sweled In his soul
almost like pain
They met Alix on the boat but she
did not ask any embarrassing questions
she sat between them on the upper deck
bay her eyes following the wheeling
gulls or the passage of ships, her mino
evidently concerned only with the idle
pleasantness of the moment. And al