Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-22
CHAPTER VII.

rvs visit broke clear and blue, ana
with it spring seemed to- have come
on a rush of perfume and en5beau-
ty. Days had been soft and J warm
before; this day was hot, and flushed
with color and splendor.
Alix and Cherry washed each 9TH
er's hair in the old fashion, and came
trailing down with towels and combs
TO the garden. The doctor Joined them
in the midst of their. tossing and
spreading and sat smoking peacefully
on the porch steps.
"Oh, heavens, how love this sort
of weather. Alix exclaimed, tiinging
her brown name backward, her tall
figure slender in a. faded kimono.
"DadSand Peter" she went on, sud-
denly sitting erect, twill get all this
nice clean hair full of cigar smoke
tonight, so what's the use, anyway
."Tonight's the night we go to Pc
tersT Cherry stated rather than
asked. do you remember" she
glanced at her father, who was read
ing his paper, "do you remember
when Dad always used to scold us
for being rude to Peter"
"Well, I'd rather go to Peters for
dinner than anywhere else l ever go!"
Alix remarked, dreamily. Seriously,
l mean it," she repeated as Cherry
looked at her in amused surprise. in
the first place, / love his bungalow
Inv, ts ho hn ,,.hn ~ N III.
tie canyon to itself, and the prettiest
view in the valley, think. And then
love the messy sitting room, with
all the books and music, and love
the way Peter entertains. l wish,"
she added, simply, that | liked Peter
half as we'll as 1 do his house"
Peters a dear!" Cherry contended.
"Oh, know he is" Alix said,
quickly. Peters always been dear,
of course. But l mean in a special
sense" finished Alix with an en-
tirely. unembarrassed. grin. a.
, Cherry, through q glittering cloud
of hair, looked at her steadily. Sud-
denly she gave an odd laugh.
"Do you know l never thought of
Peter like that?" she said.
Alix nodded with a cautious look at
her father, who was out of hearing
mo, nor I! We've always taken
him rather for granted" she admit
ted. "Only I've been rather wishing
lately, that Peter wasn't such an un-
fattering, big-brotheriSh, everyday
neighbor sort of person."
Cherry regarded her steadily, with.
an awakening look in her eyes.
''Why lately?" she asked. e
Because" said Alix, hriskly and
unromantically, 81 think Peter would
like me to-well, to stop taking him
for granted! l imagine he's swfully
lonely. And then imagine it would
please Dad"
dad has always been rldiculously
fond of him." Cherry said. thought
fuli-. retcr-posSibly in love with
Allx! She had never even sus pccted
It. Well, there was sopacthing rather
pleasant in The thought, after all, II
aAlix didn't mind his Bglme9s and
hnness. Cherry thought about it all
3day. She had no thought of money a
j year or two ago; but she was more
4 experienced row. And Peter was rich.
Ordinarily she would have said that
she was not going TO change for
Peters dinner; hut this afternoon,
without mentioning the fact, she
quietly got into one Of her prettiest
dresses; dress that had been made
in the lOng-agO excitement of trous-
seau days. Peter as rather auto
cratic and critical neighbOr was one
thing; as q possible brother-in-law he
was another.
She came downstairs to find her
father waiting, and they walked away
through the woods together. AliX
had already gone up to Peters house
to play tennis. They walked slowly
through the lovely aiSleS Of the trees,
crossing road or two, climbing
steadily upward under great redwoodS.
Chcrry's skirt brushed the gold dust
from masses and masses Of buttercups.
The tennis was oyer,sbut just over;
Peter and Alix were sitting, still pant
Ing, on the rail of the wide, open
porch, and shouted rs the others
came up.
You missed doubles" called Ali1.
"The grandest we ever did! Doubles
with the ThOmpsOns and three sets
straight to uS-SiX-twO, siX-two, and
six-two again! They've gone. ON,
heavens, never had such tennis. on,
Peter, when you stood there at the net
and Just curved your hand like a cup
-Alix gave an enthusiastic imitation
land over she went, and game ana
set"
Cherry, sinking white and frilly into
q chair, smiled indulgently. The walk
had given her q wild-rose color, and
even Alix was struck with her eXtraor-
{,inary beauty. Alix had wheeled
ohout on the rail to face the porch,
and Peter had gotten TO his feet and
was Hospitality pushing basket chairs
about. Now he gave AliX critical
look.
uyou'ra dISgraCefully dirty" he