Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-03
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persons and other things He had found
her spirited enthusiastic little person.
extremely articulate and quite unself-
conscious; and she had entertained him
with an excited account Of sex .feud
that was being pushed with some
expressions that rather shocked Peter.
had Joined the group. a girl. with
braids and clean hands. who eiucidated: I:
AK and l don't like our teacher."
She's g sneak and a skunk" Alix
quietly established in her fathers lap,
had smiled with mischievous enjoyment
nobody else, to Peters surprise, had
paid this extraordinary remark the
ne had fancied only the smallest of
these children and had been glad when
they all went out Of the room.
but after that Alix used often to
amuse him, and he always felt more at
home with her than with the other two.
She had only been a gawky and thin
ffteen or sixteen when she began to
assert herself IN his kitchen. dictate to
Kow. and waste good putter and eggs
on experiments. He had secretly rather
admired her quick tongue and her dar-
ing, he liked her to ride his horses, and
was amazed at the speed with which she
grasped the controlling principles Of the
motorcar. He had seen her move plants,
treat sick chickens. sew up the gashed
head of a horse with her own fingers,
while Cherry, lovely, Lround-eyed i'm
maculate In white ruffies. watched her
with fear and admiration.
Looking down at the cabin, the years
slipped past him like flying film, and
II was the present again, and Alix--
Alix was gone.
and they went on their way again. Mud
squelched beneath Peters boots in the
roadway; the dog .sprang lightly from
clump to clump Of dried grass. But when
hANy lAfN NlN..r NttN s,t naert.N
the rise of the hillside the ground was
firmer.. and the two figures moved
swiftly through the dark night. The
early stars came out and showed them,
beloved Tamalpais, the mans erect form
with it's slight limp. the dog following
faithfully, his pIumy tail and feathered
r'tf showing n dull luster in the star
light.
Cherry, with her violet eyes and corn
colored hair. Cherry, witt. her little
hands gathered in his and her heart
beating against his heart, and Alix. his
chum. his companion. his comrade on sc
many night walks under the stars--h.
had lost them both. But II was Ain
who was closest to his thoughts tonight
Alix. the thought os whom was gradually
gripping his heart and soul with a new
Alix was his own Cherry had neve,
been his own. II was for him to comfor
Cherry; 1t had always been his mission
to comfort Cherry since the days Of hel
broken dolls and cut fingers. But Ali,
have been laughing and stumbling ant
chattering beside him here In the dark
wet woods. full of a child's happy. salts
faction in the moment and confidence
"Alix my wife," he said, softly, aloud
II loved Cherry-always. But you wer,
mine--vou were mine. We belonged u
each other-;for better and for worse
a M Lot
He went on and on and on. The.
were plunging downhill now, under tn
trees. He would see light after a Will
and sleep. for. few hours and have ;
And he knew that for weeks-for month
perhaps for years-he would wandr
so through the great mountains, will
their snow and their forests, over tn
| seas. In strange cities ana stranger sOr
tudes. Always alone. always moving
always remembering. That would be hi
! life And some day-some day perhap
he would como back to the valley sh
But even now he recoiled in distast
from that hour. To see the familia
faces, to come up to the cabin again, L
touch the music and the books
Worse. to find Cherry little older
not needing him. not very much want
Ing the reminder Of the old tragi,
An owl CrleQ IN the woods tn
mournful sound fioated and drifted away
into utter silence. Some. small animal
meeting the death its brief l.fe har
evaded a hundred times. screamed
stnrilly-and was silent. Great branches
stirred by the night wind moved higi
above his head; and when there wa
utter silence, Peter could hear tn,
steady. soft rush Of the ocean, dullet
here to the sound of gigantic. quie
breathing.
Suddenly she seemed again to be be
slds him; He seemed to see the, dark
wrapped in his big. rough coat. H
seemed to hear her vibrating voice. wit
that new. tender note In It tina, he ha,
noticed when she last spoke 10 him
I'll go home ahead Of you. Peter, an
Tears suddenly flooded his eyes. an
he put his hand over them and prcsse
1t. there. standing still. while rhe wav
OF tender and poignant and cxluisi:
n'e,n Ties broke over him.
"Wel 20 on, Buck" he whisp ere,
looking up through the trees at 4 a.ri
OF dark sky spangled with cold star.
Well go on. Shes-she's waiting fc
us somewhere, old fellow"