Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-30
CHAPTER XII.

ry. II was only the next day, when
he was entering the Palace court for
his lunch, that he experienced a sud-
den and violent emotion. His thoughts
were, at the moment, far from Cher
ry, and he fancied himself in hurry.
But every other feeling but excite
ment was obliterated at the sight OF
slender, girllshly. made woman, In
pongee gown, and a limp brown hat
covered with poppies, waiting In the
lounge.
Peter went toward her, and the col
or rushed into Cherry's face. 1t was
the first time they had accidentally
encountered each other, and 1t had
a. special place of its own in the his
tory Of their lives.
The surprise of 1t kept them laugh
ing, hands clasped, for minute; then
Cherry said:
81 was to lunch here with Mary
Cameron. But she's full twenty min
utes late! You hate her, don't you"
she added, looking up from under the
poppies at Peter.
81 don't like her." he admitted, with
boys grimace.
"Then suppose ws.don't lunch here?"
Cherry suggested, innocently. Peter
laughed joyously, and tucking her lit
tie gloved hand under his arm, led
her away. They went to Solari's, and
had a window table, and nodded, as
they discussed their lunch, at half a
dozen friends who chanced to be
lunching there, too.
She had said that she wanted to tell
him "all about It," and Peter, with
quick knowledge that she meant the
unhappiness Of her marriage, nodded
grave permission.
"I've made a failure of it!" Cher
ry said, sadly. ~ know / ought to
struggle on, but can't. ] have no
individuality, Peter, have no per-
soDality! Assfer my dignity-my priv
acy-"
Her face was scarlet, and for a mo-
ment she stopped speaking.
"Just tell me an alternative" she
snld, after while. at can't be that
there is no other life for me than
going back. Peter, I'm only twenty
fourw ~.
~ know you are" he said, with a
brief nod.
"Why, every one has some alterna-
tive" Cherry pleaded. at can't be
that marriage Is the only-the only
irrevocable thing! If you had part
ner that you couldn't so on with, you
could come to some agreement"
You don't love him." Peter said
II don't hate him." she answered
quickly. Indeed l don't And 1t isn't
just the place and the life, Peter!
could be happy in two rooms-some-
where-anywhere- But Dot--wth
him. Oh, Peter, If hadn't done it"
Her beauty, as she pushed her Plate
aside and leaned toward him, was so
startling that Peter, lighted match
half-raised to fresh cigarette, put
the match down aimlessly ard looked
thoughtfully at the cigarette, and laid
that down, too, without the faintest
consciousness of what he was doing
The day was warm, and there was a
little dampneSs on her white forehead,
where the gold hair clurg to the brim
Of the dropping hat. The soft curve
of her chin, the babylsh shortncSs of
her upper lip, and the crimson sweet
ness of the little earnest mouth bad
never seemed more lovely than they
were today. She was youth incanatc,
palpitating, flushed. unspoiled. a
For moment she looked down at
the table and the color flooded her
face; then she looked him straight in
the eyes and smiled. "Well! Perhaps
it w,ll Ell work out right. Peter" she
said with the childish. questioning look
that, 80 wruug his heart, She imme
d!ateiy gathered her possessions TO-
gether TO go, but when they stepped
into surshiny Geary street it was three
o'clock, and Peter suggested that they
walk down TO the boat.
They met AliX on the boat, but she
did not ask any embarrassing ques-
tions; she sat between them on the
upper deck, blinking contentedly at
the blue satin bay, her eyes following
the wheeling gulls or the passage OF
ships, her mind evidently concerned
only with the idle pleasantness Of the
moment. And always, for Peter, there
was the same joyous sense of some
thing new-something significant
something ecStatic In life.
From that hour he was never quite
at ease in Cherry's company and
avoided being alone with her even for
an instant, although her presence al
ways caused him the new and tingl!nS
delight. He read her honest blue eyes
truly, and knew that although, like
himself, she was conscious of the new
sweetness and brightness Of life, she
had never entertained for an instant
the fitting thought that it was Peters
feeling for her that made it so. She
thought, perhaps, that it would be the
old childish happiness that she had
known in the valley, the freedom and
leisure and irresponsibility Of the old
days. Q