News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-11-30
Peter Saw They Were Lifting Mar.
tins Big, SenseIess Form.

| knees ana passlonately kissing the
| peaceful face. "Oh, Alix, dearest"
The women about broke into tears.
Peter pressed his hand close against
his aching eyeballs, wishing that he
might cry.
"She drove here" he heard mans
voice saying in the silence, land she
must have lost control of her car for
minute Then-do you see?-the
wheel slipped on the bank. Once it
got this far, no power in Gods
earth"
M power in Gods earth! I" another
mans voice said in solemn confirma-
ton.
"Peter" Cherry said, twill you come
to me as soon as you can? I shall
need you"
"As soon as l can" he answered
absently.
The car drove away, and he heard
Martin moan again as it moved.
Joyce" said &an's kind voice
close beside him. He recognized the
voice rather than the distressed face
vi an Oiu lIlcllu anu uclSllDOT. joyce,
my dear fellow" he urged affectionate-
ly, "tell us what we may do and We'll
see to it. Pull yourself together my
dear chap. Now, shall l telephone for
an-an ambulance? You must help us
just little here and then We'll spare
you everything else"
"Thank you, Fred" Peter answered
after moment Thank you VIII
you help me take-my-wife-ho
You wish it that way?" the other
man said anxiously.
Please" Peter answered simply.
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 run
ming down his yellow face, was helping
them. Then they went into the old liv-
ing room, and Alix was lying there,
splendid, sweet, untouched, with her
brave, brown forehead Swallowed soft
ly by her brown hair, and her lashes
resting upon her cheeks, and her fin
gers clasped about the stems of three
great, creamy roses.
There were other flowers all 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 that lent that secret
pride and joy to her mouth and filled
those closed eyes with a triumph they
had never known/fn 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 1t.
$50 that was your way out, Alix2
Peter said in the depth of his soul.
THAT was your solution for us all?
You would go out of life, away from
the sunshine and the trees and the
hillO that you loved, so that Cherry
and | should be saved? / was blind
not to see it. l have been blind from
the very beginning"
Silence. The room was filling with
shadows. On the mantel was a deep
bowl of roses that he remembered
watching her cut-was Il yesterday or
centuries ago?
Il was wrong" he said. But |
think you would be sorry to have me |
face-what l am facing now. You |
were always so forgiving, Alix; you |
would be the first to be sorry"
He put his hand over the tigerish |
pain that was beginning to reach his |
heart. sHis throat felt thick and |
choked, and still he did not cry.
can hour ago." he said, eff it had
been that the least thought of what
this meant to you might have reached
me an hour ago, it 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
a bitter groan, clinching tight, the
hands of the old friend who had crept !