The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-06
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SESESEsS22aoSaa&Es42SSS2sa2SSsa20 wasn't enough. ought to have sa1d 1
 I ought to explain-that I had told
 her, only a few days previously, that had always loved somebody else'
 "oh-h-!' Cherry was enelightened
 She visualized an affair in the last years of the old century for Peter.
 "Oh, and-she didn't love you?'
 Cherry asked.
 .eThe lady? She was unfortunately married before I had a chance to ask her." said Peter.
 pressed, and you'll never get over it ?" she asked timidly. Peter, I never knew thati" she added as he was silent. ''Does-does Dad know ?"
 Nobody knows but AIx. and she
 only knows the bare facts" he as- sured her.
 "ohl" Cherry could think of noth- ing to add to the sympathetic little
 monosyl1able.
 Finished with the shower!" | shrieked Alx from the warm dark ness inside the doorway. Hurry up, Peter, something smells utterly grandI'
 That's the chicken thing!" Peter shouted back, springing up to disap- | pear in the direction of the bath room. Cherry sat on, silent, wrapped l still in the new spell of the pleasant
 voice. the strangely appealing and yet | masterful personality.
 | The dinner struggled as all Peters | dinners did; Alix mixed a salad dress 1 ing; Peter himself flashed in and out of the tiny, hot kitchen a hundred l times. Row, in immaculate linen, tablesetting. Suddenly everything
 was ready; the crisp, smoking hot
 French loaf. the big, brown jar of | bubbling and odorous chicken, the let l ip 1nnp-npCk- | ed bottles in their straw cases, and | cheeses and crackers and olives and 1 figs and tiny fish in oil and marrons | in fluted paper that were part of | all Peters dinners.
 After dinner they watched the moon rise, until Alix drifted in to the | piano and Peter followed her, and the others came in, too, to sit beside the fire. As usual it was midnight
 before any one thought of ending one of Peters evenings
 An6 all through the pleasant, quiet
 hours. and when he bundled them up in his own big loose coats to drive 1 them home, Cherry was thinking of
 him in this new light; Peter loving a woman, and denied. The kowledge seemed to fling a strange glamor about him; she saw new charm in him, or perhaps, as she told herself. she saw
 for the first time how charming he
 really was. His speech seemed
 actually the pIeasanter for the stam-
 mer at which they had all laughed
 years ago; the slight limp left its own
 touch of individuality, and the mans
 blunt criticisms of books and music, politics and people, were softened by bis humor, his genuine humility, and
 his eager hospitality.
 Next day sine took occasion to men | ton Peter and his affairs to AliX.
 Alix turned fiery red, but laughed hardly
 'eIf he considers that an offer. he
 can consider it a refusal. I guess, | ,l,I h ,e-c-r.I like him-Tm crazy about him. But I don't want any party in ringlets and crinolines to come floating from the , dead past over my child's innocent . cradle-''
 l ''Alix. you're awful!' Cherry laugh 5 ed. You couldn't talk that way if
 you loved him!"
 r Alix laughed. 'T suppose I ough'
 I like kids, and I don't like husbands 5 "You don't know anything about s husbands!" Cherry laughed. l "I know lots of men I'd like to gc off with for aahv months" AIX pur. <, sued. 'But then I'd like to come g home again; I don't see why thai = Well. it's not!' Cherry declared e almost grossly. That isn't marriage
 You belong where your husband is = and you-you are always glad to be , But suppose you get tire of him r like a job or a boarding house. or l any of your other friends" Alix per e sisted idly.
 o Well, you aren't supposed to" 2 Cherry said. feebly. A1ix let her have e the last word; it was only due to heI
 superior experience. she though e grossly. But half an hour later, ly.
 ing wakeful. and thinking that she '. would miss dear old Cherry touor
 row, she fancied she heard something e like a sob from Cherry's bed. anC
 l bO1
 pathy for her sister.
 a y They came downstairs together th' e next day in midafternoon. both hattes e and wrapped for the trip, for Pete q was to take Cherry as far as Sausa $ iito in the car, and Martin by z e there at the ferryboat for San Fran V cisco. Mill Valley was not more thal n an hours ride from the ferry. Ali e was to drive down and return witt = Peter. Cherry said good-by to he d father on the porch; she seemed nor of a puzzled child than ever. I've had a wonderful visit, Dad h she she began orsxely; .,s suddenly aE ttn tn
 against her fathers shabby old offic O coat and his arms went about heI g. Alix laughed awkwardly. and Pete st shut his teeth. Anne, who had yer e properly come over to say good-b
 to her cousin. got in the back sea e of the car and AliX took the seat be e side her.
 k Cherry saw in Peters expressio e something that she did not forget fo Ie many, many months-never quiue for
 got. His eyese were fixed upon he d with something so Yearning. so lovins g SO troubled in their gaze that a thri It went through Cherry from head |
 foot. He instantly averted his 1ool y. turned to the car, fumbled with tn n gears; they were off.
 :? Cherry. tied trimly into hat tha " was all big daisies, was silent for d while. But when Alix and Anne com ;? menced an interested conversation i of the back seat, she suddenly said re le gretfully:
 "Oh, I hate to go away this time. d mind it more even than the frs
 time!"
 i- Peter, edging smoothly about a wid c. blue puddle, nodded sympath eticall, f. but did no answer.
 att (Contfnued Tomorrow.)