The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-10-27

back, and the understanding is tina
we are to meet them at the st. Fran
els for dinner, at six, and go to tn
Orpheum."
as 1t almost temp" Cherry salt
sleepily, gazing in surprise at thu
clock that was visible through tn
open door. I'm terribly ashamed
And when did you get up. and silently
make your bed. and hang up YOU
thingsg"
"Oh, earlyr' Alix answered, non
committally. 81 had a bath, and this
is my second breakfast"
Cherry, who was reading a letter
made some inarticulate sound that
made Alix look at her in quick con-
Germ.
CHERRY. what is it?" she exclaimed.
For answer Cherry tossed her the
letter, written on a thick sheet of Law
ender paper, which diffused a strong
odor of scent.
"Read that !" she said, briefly.
F~earfully, Alix picked up the per-
fumed sheet, and read, in a coarse and
sprawling, yet Enthusiastically feminine
handwriting, the following words:
Dear Mrs. Lloyd: Perhaps you
would not feel so pleased with your
self if you knew the real reason why
your husband left Red Creek? 1t was
because of a quarrel he had with Hat
ty Woods.
"If you don't believe it you had bet
ter ask him about some of the parties
he had with Joe Kings crowd, and
where they were on the night of Aug.
%, and if he knows anybody named
Hatty Woods, and see what he says.
ASK him if he ever heard of Bopps'
hotel and when he was in Sacramento
him this letter"
There was no signature.
Alix, who had read it first with a
bewildered and suspicious look, read
it again, and flushed deeply at the
sordid shame of it. She laid it down
and looked in stunned conviction at
her sister.
Cherry, who was breathing hard.
raised her head, rested her chin on
her hands. elbows on the table, and
stared at Alix %defiantly.
There p she said, almost with tri-
umph. There Now, is that so easy?
Now, am I to just smile and agree to
say Certainly, Martini of course,
Martin, dearp Now you see-now you
see! Now, am l to bear that" she
rushed on, her words suddenly violent.
And go on with him-as his wife
when a common woman like that"
Cherry, dearI Alix said, distress
edly.
"Ah, well, you can't realize it; no.
body but the woman to whom it hap
pens cant" Cherry interrupted her,
covering her face with her hands.
But let him say what he pleases
now" she added, ~passionately, 'let
him do what he pleases-Ill follow my
own course from today ont
Alix, watching her fearfully, was
amazed at the change in her. Cher
rvs eyes were blazing, her cheeks
pale. Her voice was dry and feverish,
and there was a sort Of frenzy in her
manner that Alix had never seen be-
fore. To bring sunny little Cherry to
this-to change the radiant, innocent
child that had been Cherry into this
bitter and disillusiOned woman-Alix
felt as if the whole world were going
mad, and as If life would never be
sane and serene again for any one Of
them.
N(fhnrry do ra hnIfnun {f9y dhn
asked.
Cherry. reused from a moment Of
%broOding silence, shrugged her shout
ders impatiently.
"Of course believe It'll" she an
swered.
But. darling. we don't even know
who wrote it. We have only this wom-
ans word for it"
"Oh. look at it-look at 1t, Alix !"
Cherry burst forth. do decent men
nave letters like that sent to their
Is it probable that a good man
would do anything to rouse some
.busybody woman to write such a let
ter about him?"
We'll, but who is she, and what do
yOu uppOS SHE WTOle III lot AK
wondered.
"Oh, | don't know. She got mad at
him, perhaps. Or perhaps she is a
champion of this Woods woman. They
lad some quarrel-how do | know?
you can see that she is mad, and
his is the way she gets ever !"
Cherry. at least do Martin the
Justice to ask him about it" Alix
Her sister seemed not to hear her.
The misery in her beautiful eyes made
Alix's heart sink.
And that" Cherry said in a whis-
sis my husbandl !" I
h paused, staring down at the
able, one hand supporting her fore
lead, the other wandering idly among
he breakfast things. Her look was
omber and far away. AIix, standing,
watched her distressedly, through a q
0ng minute of silence.
wei !" Cherry said lifelessly, look h
n n mn nf hn,. .rirtnr x.fth LI,IIxI AvAr