The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-09-28

tins joining them Tor CHRISTMAS. but
he did not come; he was extremely
busy al the new mine and comfortable
in a village boarding house
Ite was in early March that Alix
spoke to her father about it; spoke
in her casual and vague fashion. but
gave him food for serious thought
nevertheless.
Dad said AIix suddenly at the
lunch rable one day when Cherry hap
pened to be shopping in the city.
were you and mother ever separated
when you were marriedT'
ssNo-" the doctor. remembering
shook his head Your mother never
was happy away from her home :"
Not even to visit her own familyT"
persisted AIix.
ssNot ever" he answered. I'VE al
ways planned long visit In the East
but she never would go without me.
She went to your Uncle Vincent's
house in Palo Alto once but she came
home the next day-didn't feel COM
Portable away from homer"
How long do you suppose Martin
Her father looked quickly at her
and troubled expression crossed his
face.
1.-THE circumstances seem to make 1t
wise TO keep her here until he is sure
that this new position is the right
one!" he said.
IF know anything about Martin"
Alix said, mo position is ever going
TO be the right one for him. l. mean"
she added as her father gave her an.
alarmed look 81 simply mean that he
is that sort of a man. And it seems
TO me-odd the way he and Cherry
take their marriagei She doesn't
seem like other married women. And
the thing is, will she ever want to go
back, if she isn't-rather coerced?
Martin is odd. you know; he has a
kind of stolid. stupid pride. He wrote
her weeks ago and asked her TO come
and she wrote back that If he would
find her a cottage, she would; she
couldn't go to his boarding house, she
hated boarding! Martin answered
that he would. some day, and she said
to me. oh, now he's CROSSE Now
mind YOU" Alix broke off vehemently.
I'D change the entire institution of
marriage If 1t was me! I'd end all
this"
"Well, we won't go into that!'' her
father interrupted her, hastily, for
Alix had aired these views before and
he was not in sympathy with Them
And ! guess you're right: the child
is woman now, with a woman's re-
sponsibilitieS," he added. "And her
place is with her husband. They'll
have to solve life together. to learn to-
gether I'll speak to Cherry!''
Alix. watching him walk away.
thought that she had never seen Dad
look old before She saw the shadow
on his kind face all the rest of that
day.
1t was only the next morning when
he opened the question with Cherry.
1t was a brilliant morning, with
spring already in the air. Cherry, on
the porch steps, was reading letter
from Martin. Her father sat down be-
side her. She had on one of her old
gowns and, bathed in soft sunlight
looked eighteen again. The air was
sweet and pungent and damp and
fresh, the sky high and blue, and
across the granite face of Tamalpais
last scarf of mist was floating.
swell, what has Martin to say?"
asked the doctor.
"0h, he doesn't like it much - Cher
ry said, making little face. HE de
scribes the village as perfectly hope
less. He's moved into the little house
in E street, and gotten two stoves
up"
And when does he want his girl2'
her father pursued.
HE doesn't say" Cherry answered,
innoeently. 81 think he is really hap
pier to have me here, where he knows
am well off u she said. 81 know
am" she ended after moments
thought.
Her father was conscious of pang;
he had not even formed the thought
in his own mind that Cherry was un-
happy. The child, he told himself, had
a good husband, home and health,
and undeveloped resources within
herself. 1t was puzzling and painful
to him to realize that there was need
ed something more-and that that
something was lacking. He felt a sud-
den anger at Martin; why wasn't Mar
tin managing this AFFAIR."
Mart doesn't mention any time ~
he unused.
| Thanks to youi" Cherry said,
dimpling mischievously. HE wrote
quite firmly, just before Christmas, .
she added, but / told him that Dad
had been such an angel and liked so
much to have me here" And Cher
RVS smile was full of childish triumph
MY dear" her father said, spurred
to sudden courage by a realization
| that the matter might easily become
serious. you mustn't abuse his gen
erosity. Suppose you write that
| you'll join him-this is March-sup-
pose you say the first of April?"
Cherry flushed and looked down
/