The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-12-22
CHAPTER XIV.


Peter. II can't stand it. I love you.
/ love you so dearly, Cherry. l can't
think of anything else any more. It's
like fever-it's like sickness. I'm
never happy, any more, unless my
arms are about you. Will you let me
take you somewhere, where we can be
happy tOgether?"
Cherry turned her confident, child
ish face toward him; her lashes gilt
tered, but she smiled.
II love you, Peter!" she said. And
the words, sounding softly through the
silence Of the garden, died away on
the warm night air like music.
In the two weeks since the day at
the old house they had not CHANGED to
be often alone, and tonight, for the
first time, Cherry admitted that she
could fight no longer. They talked as
lovers, his arm about the soft little
clinging figure her small, firm fingers
tight in his own. He had squared
about on the great log that was their
seat So that his ardent eyes were
closer to her; the world held nothing
but themselves. It was eight o'clock.
$50 this is the thing that was wait
ing for us all these years, Cherry, ever
since the time you and Alix used to-
dam my brook and climb my oak
treesw
II never dreamed of itw Cherry
said, with wonder in her tone.
IF we had dreamed of it" Peter
began, and stopped.
"Ah, II we had, 1t would all be DIFF
ferent," Cherry said, with look Of
pain. 'That's the one thing I can't
bear to think Of l cannot 60 back to
Martin. can't leave you'll can't leave
you"
"Shall we 60 away" Peter asked,
simply.
"Go where?" she asked.
"Go anywhere he answered. 1--WE
have money enough; we can. leave
Alix rich-she will still have her cabin
and her dogs and the life she loves.
But there are other tiny places, Cher
ry; there are little cabins in Hawaii,
there are Canadian villages-Cherry,
there are thousands of places in the
south Of France where we might live
for years and never be questioned, and
never be annoyed"
"France!" she whispered, and the
downcast face he was watching so
eagerly was thoughtful. "How could
we CO." she breathed. "You first, and
then I? To meet somewhere"
"We would have to 60 together" "
he decided swiftly. "Every one must
know, dear; you realize that?"
Wide-eyed she was staring at him
as If spell-bound by some new hope
now she shrugged her shoulders in
careless disdain.
"That isn't Of any consequence I"
"Y0u don't feel 1t sol" He sat down
beside Der, and again they locked
hands.
mot that part" she answered, sim
ply. ri mind-Alix,"- she added,
thoughtfully.
"Yes, I mind Alix |" he admitted.
"But the injury is done to Alix now
Cherry said, slowly. "Now it Is too late
to 60 back You and l couldn't--we
couldn't deceive Alix here, Peter
Cherry added, and as she turned to
him he saw her thin white blouse move
suddenly with the quick rising of her
heart. "That-that would be too hor.
-rible! But i could take this love OF
ours away, leave everything else be.
hind, simply-simply recognize" STAN.
mered Cherry, her lips beginning to
tremble, "that 1t is bigger than our.
selves, that we can't help it, Peter
I'd fight 1t If could" she added, pite-
Ously, I'D 60 away IL didn't know
that no power on earth could keep me
from coming back!'
She buried her head on his shoulder
and he put his arm about her, and
there was utter silence over the great
brOOding mountain, and in the valley
brimming with soft moonshine, and in
the garden.
| Il believe that even Alix will under
stand" Peter said after awhile. "She
\ loves you and me better than any one
else In the world; she Is not only ev.
erything that Is generous, but she isn't
selfish, she is the busiest and the most
sensible person ever knew. | know
--of course know it's rotten" he broke
off In sudden despair "but what Tn
trying to say is that Alix, of all peo
= pie ! know, Is the one that will make
the least fuss about it."
Cherry was staring raptly before
her; now she grasped his hand and
said breathlessly:
4 "Oh, Peter, are we talking about I'll
Are we talking about our going away
and belonging to each otherT
" hat else?a he said, said quick tears
IN his eyes.
1Oh, but I've been SO unhappy, I've
been 80 starved n she whispered. y
thought y wanted peoplecities I
sS. "A & sss IN