The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-08


There will be no coming back, Cher
~"
"Oh, I know that"
There can't ever be-there mustn't
be-you've thought of that?" he said,
uncertainty. In the curious, unreal
light that flooded the world, he saw
her turn, and caught the CLEAN of her
surprised eyes.
"You mean children-a child?' she
said, supposedly. why not, Peter?"
she added, Tightening her fingers,
what could be more wonderful than
that we should have a child? Can
you imagine a happier environment
for a child than that little sunshiny,
wOodsy beach cottage; can't you see
the little figure two or three little
figures i-scampering ahead of US
through the country roads, or around
the fire? Oh. / can," said Cherry, her
extraordinary voice rich and sweet
with longing, 81 cant That would be
motherhood, Peter. that wouldn't be
like having baby whose father one
didn't-one couldn't love, marriage or
no marriagel"
And as he watched, amazed at the
change that love had brought to quiet,
little inarticulste Cherry, she added,
earnestly:
"Alix will forgive US; you'll see she
will! Alix-J know erI-will only
be sorry for me. She'll only think ne
mad to disgrace the good name of
Strickland; she'll think we're both
crazy. Perhaps she'll plunge into the
orphanage work, or perhaps she'll go
on here, gardening, playing with Buck,
raising ducks-she says herself that
she has never known what love means
says it really meaning it, yet as if
the whole subject was joke-a weak
ness"
81 believe she will forgive US, for
she is the most generous woman in
the world" Peter said, slowly. ANY
wayne can't stop now! We can't
stop nowl There is the steamer line
that goes to Los Angeles" he unused.
"Yes-I believe that is the solution"
he added, with Frightening face. mo
leaves daily at eleven, and gets into
Los Angeles the following morning
From there we can get a drawing
room to New Orleans; that's only a
Cay and a half more; and we can
keep to ourselves if by any unlucky
chance there should be any one we
know on the train"
tgVUh;ob
(which isn't likely! Then at New
Orleans we go either to the Zone, or
to South America, or to any one of
the thousand places-New York, If
we like. by water. By that time we
will be lost as completely as if we had
dropped into the sea. I'll see about
reservations-the thing is, you're too
pretty to go quite unnoticedl' he add
ed ruefully.
He saw a smile flicker on her face
in the moonlight, but when she spoke,
it was with almost fearful gravity:
you arrange it, Peter, and some
how I'll go. I'll write Alix-Tn tell
her that where she's sane, Pm mad,
and where she's strong, I'm weak !!
And Wen weather it, dear, and Wen
find ourselves somewhere, alone, with
all the golden, beautiful future before
ne. But, Peter, until this part of it's
over we mustn't be alone again-you
mustn't kiss me again viii you prom
Use me3'
AS stirred as she was, he gathered
her little fingers together, and kissed
them.
"I'I promise anything Only trust
me for a few days more, and we will
be away from it all And now you
put it all out of your mind, and run
IN and go to bed. You're exhausted,
and if Alix gets the eight o'clock train
she will be here in q few minutes"
Good night" she breathed, and he
saw the white gown flicker against
the soft light on the lawn, and saw
the black shadow creeping by il, be-
fore she mounted the porch steps,
and was gone.