Marble Hill press., 1921-11-24

ing his paper. do you remember
when had always uGd 60 sculd us
Tor being rude to Peterf'
We'll, Ia rather 40 TO Peters for
dinner than anywhere else ever gu o.
| ALA remarked, drramily. seriously.
mean IT, She repeated rs Cherry
sl"ohcd al her IN amused surprise IN
. The first place | love bis bungalow
/ I'm! aS /, j., {, has the whole q, li,
! tlr vauynN 90 Itself. and the prrttlr,'
/ view Ia the valley. think. And then
| love The messy sitting room. with
all the books and music. and love
. The way Peter cntrriHius. p wish" q"
she added, s'mply that liked Peter
/ ha.C as vel, as 30 his house,"
Peters dear Cherry cuntendrd.
"Oh. know be- is, AliN said.
quickly Peters always been dear.
~ course, But ! mean in u special
sense" finished All1 with an Ell.
trrly uuemharra>,ed grin.
'Nerr,, through glliiering cloud
~ hair. looked az her steadily. sud
D "a.
"pp you know never thought 81
Peter ike ,hats" she said.
AK nodded With caution, look a.
her father, who was out of hearing.
40 nor | We've always taken
h.m rather fur granted" she admit
ted only I've been rather vl>h.ns
la'e.y tha' Potter wasn't such au uu
fla',erus nix 0-hr1'herish. every .Iay
rcighhur sort % person"
Cherry regarded her steadily, Nl,h
an awakening hook Ia her eyes.
"Nhy .a'r.yr' she asked
"NaHu-. said AK. hriskIy aul
uurrmau'.auy Il think Peter would
Ike me To vel. 70 stop taking him
for granted imagine he's awfuUy
lonely And then ! imagine /; would
pleas" Dad"
Dad has always been r!dlculuu>iy
font of him." Cherry said. thought.
fully petrr-poss.bly in love vlth
AK She had never even suspectc!
u. Well, there was something rather
pleasant lu the thought. after all. II
Ally didn't mind his usllness anl
th.uucss. Cherry thought about It slI
day. She had no thought of money
year or two ago. but she was mo0r
experienced nov. And Peter was rich.
Ordinarily she would have said tNai
She was not going 10 change FOR
Peters dinner but this afternoon.
without mentioning the fact. she
quietly got into one ~ her pretticst
dresses dress that Lad been made
!n the lung-agp excitement Of trous.
S"au days Peter as rather auto
cratic and critical neighbor was one
hing as possible brother-lu.law be
wns another
She came downstairs 10 fnd her
father waiting, and they walked away
through the woods together. Alix
had already gone up % Peters house
10 play tennis They walked slowly
through the lovely alsles of the trees.
crossing a road or two climbing
steadily upward under great redwOods
IHerry's skirt brushed the gold dust
from masses and masses OF buttercups
Tho tennis was over but just over
Peter and Alix we're sitting. still pant.
ing 90 the rHll of the vide, open |
porch. and shouted as the Others |
came up.
You missed doubles go called Alix. .
The grandest We ever did Doubles !
with the Thompsons and three sets |
straight to us-siX.two. slK-two. and |
six-two again They've gone. oh, |
heavens. never had such tennis oh. |
Peter when you stood there at the net !
and just curved your hand like cup" !
--Allx gave an enthusiastic imitation |
and. over she went. and game and |
set :"
Cherry. sinking white and frilly into
a chair. smiled indulgently. The walk |
had given her wild.rose color, and |
even Alix was struck with her extraor-
dinary beauty. Alix had wheeled
about on the rail to face the porch,
and Peter had gotten to his feet and
was Hospitality pushing basket chairs
about. Now he gave Xix q critical
look.
You're dIsgracefully dirty" he
said, fraternally.
'T know It." she answered, calmly
Have time 10 tubr'
"All the time In the world |" he an
swered.
Allx departed.
TITS very pleasant TO me to have
Aiix % much at home here" Cherry
said. when Alix was gone, and the
doctor wandering happily about the
garden. "I don't know what we'd
DO II any one ever usurped our places
herei"
She had said II deliberately: the
Of her recent discovery
was too strong TO resist. The man
flushed suddenly. For a full minute
he did not speak. and Cherry was sur.
prised to find herself Q little thrilled
and even frightened by his silence.
what put that into your headr'
he asked. presently. smoking with his
eyes fixed upon the valley far below.
Perhaps It's because there are so
many changes. Peter; my marriage,