Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-22
SIS TER S
BuKATHLEEN NORRIS
Author of "Josseign's Wife"
tCopyriaht, 1919. by Kathleen Norris)

too gravely--yet. 1t was onlv tba,
wanted to be open and aboveboard with
you, unole,. from the beginning. That's
the only honest way"
That's wise and right :" her uncle
answered, IN the kindly, absent tone he
had used to them as children tone he
was apt to use TO Anne when she was
IN her highest mood. and one she rather
Cherry, now" he asked. detain-
Ing her for a moment
petsr tneMyGu sdSnIr. don't think that perhaps
s,oad peter t Anne echoed amazedly, and
., Peter was more than thirty years old
,In. ,hIn. scholarly, something Of solItarv
ume @ sweet' creamy affectionate nFiehbor
mn9 ysn nad shared the girls lives for the
since her TeSss babvSSannedT SSnedTry had bullied Peter
with sticky. fingers, trampIed hi his p,smo pnse'
peas. coa&ed him into pslinp bnr % tSe.
10 let her sit up for dinner For sonos
nnn nsoI sne could not. or would not. de-
nne. anne liked the Idea of Cherrv and
Peter falling In love """
o somehow one doesn't think of Peter
az marrying any one" she sald sIovIv
SUI SUI @ .rylng % To- grasp the thought. "He's
Uncle?" N "'"'u" IKE 'hat'
Peter Is a dear fellow" the doctor
uIusseo. ~ But Cherry--why, she's barely
began b srs,n 1e-I1 .I The old man hesitated
son why Peter shouldn't kiss her, in a
doubtfully. ""' ITO euoitiitteu
"pid he kiss herr" Anne exclaimed.
=. dont know that he did" Cherry's
tather said hastily.
,,o But what made you think he did?"
lust a fancy" he assured her Just
UP too FAST"
Because we all, and you especially,
sPoil her, Anne reminded him. smiling
,Peter, she added thoughtfully, has
kissed US all. now and them" She
stopped for dutiful goodnight kiss
and swiftly across the hall. up the stair
way with her shoulders erect. and
methodically and prettily moved about
f hSr brushing and folding and disroblng,
saw herself veiled and mystical in white,
on her uncle's arm. heard the old neigh
bors and friends saying that little Anne
strickland had gone 10 her own home,
and had won the love of fine man;
ing. and his face was grave. He was
thinking of little Cherry's goodnight
kiss, half an hour ago. She had rested
against his arm, and he had held her
there, but what had been the thoughts
beh ind the blue eyes so near his OWN
Perhaps Anne was right--perhaps Anne
was right. But he realized with a great
rush of fear that some man had kissed
tobacco-scented coat. and that the girl
was a woman, and an awakened woman
at that. Cherry--kissed a man. Her
fathers heart WINGED away from the
thought
Young Lloyd and Peter had walked
home with her. But II Anne was right
in her maideniy suspicious of Lloyd's in
tentions, then It must have been Peter
who surprised little Cherry with sud
den embrace. Lloyd had been hurry
ing for a train, too : the case looked clear
for Peter. ,,
And as he came 10 his conclusions a
certain relief crept into the old mans S
heart. Peter was an odd Fellow ne Vas Vas
ten years too old for the child. But
Peter was a lover of books and gardens
and woods and music, after all, and
Peters father and this old man muslng
by the fire had been Lee ana PauL
TO each other since boyhood. Peter might
givc Cherry n kiss as nnocently, as a
brother: in any case. Peter would wait
for her. would be all consideration ana
tenderness when he did win her
But ! think perhaps she might 60
down to the San Jose school FOR ,, mall
months there did wonders for Alix. No
use precipitating things-thc. next few
wears are pretty important FOR all the
girls. We mustn't let her fancy mat the
hrst man who turns her head with com,
plimerts Is the right partner for IRE
AliX, now---Somehow shc WasH i'he
Cherry, at eighteen"
He smiled at a sudden memory OF
AliX, who was chcken-farming az that
age, and generally unpleasantlY re-
dolent OF incubators, chopped feed ana
mlre. He seemed to remember AliN
shouting that If Peter Joyce was gong
TO live in their house. she would move
somewhere else Cherry was different,
Cherry, he reflected fearfully. was as
pretty as her mother had been at e'gntI
cen, with the same rounded chm ana
apricot cheeks and the same shadowed
innocent blue eyes with a MIN or corn
colored hair blown across them. Sne
had the strange. the indehnable quality
that without words; almost "ltnout
glances, draws youth toward youth
draws admiration and passion, draws
life and all it's pain. Her father for the
first time tonight formulated in MS
heart tho thought that she might be
happily married. q.
she know OF life, OF submission and cour'
age and sacrifice? AT the first strain, nj
| the first roal test. she would want &c
run home TO her daddy again. TO "stoT
playing! It would be years, n'anH
| ye ars, before the snowy frills and the
| pale gold head, and the firm. brown
| little hand would be ready for that
Not many hours after he went slowly
up to bed morning began to creep into
| the little valley. The redwoods turnec
gray, and then dark green, the fog stir
red, and first shaft of bright sunlIgh
struck across n shoulder of tho hills, ant
pierced tho shadows about the brow
| bungalow. ,AliX. at her early bath
heard quail calling, and looked out I,
see the last of the fog vanishing at
o'clock and to get a wet rush %
fragrance from the Persian lilac, bloom
Ing this year for the first time. At 5 :3'
she came out into the garden, 10 find he
father somewhat ruefully studying III
tumbled ruins of the yellow banksii
rose. The garden was still wet, hu
warming fast she picked a plume o
dark and perfumed heliotrope, and hegal
to faster 1t in his coat lapel while sh
kissed him.
y CONTINUED TOMORROW