News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-11-02
"Oh, ! know that!"

"Oh, 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,
"Yotr mean children--a child?' she
said, supposedly. why not, Peter?'
she added, tightening her fingers,
what could he more wonderful than
that we should have child? Can
you imagine happier environment
for a child than that little sunshiny,
woodsy beach cottage; can't you see
the little fgure-the two or three little
figures !-scampering ahead of us
through the country roads, or around
the fire? Oh, ! can" said Cherry her
extraordinary voice rich and sweet
with longing, II can! That would be
motherhood, Peter, that wouldn't be
like having a baby whose father one
didn't-one couldn't love, marriage or
no marriage"
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 Alx-J know her will only
be sorry for NE. She'll only think me
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 now There is the steamer line
that goes to Los Angeles" he mused.
"Yes-I believe that Is the solution"
he added, with Frightening face. mo
body you know goes there on it; it
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
Gay and half more; and we can
keep to ourselves if by any unlucky
chance there should be any one we
know on the train"
(Which isn't likelyw
(which isn't likely! Then at New
Orleans we 90 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. III see about |
reservations-the thing is, you're too |
pretty to go quite unnoticed!" he add
ed ruefully.
He saw 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-Ill tell
her that where she's sane, I'm mad,
and where she's strong, I'm weak.
And We'll weather it, dear, and Wen
find ourselves somewhere, alone, with
all the golden, beautiful future before
ue. But, Peter, until this part Of it's
over we mustn't be alone again-you
kiss me again VIII you prom
Use me"
AS stirred as she was, he gathered
her little fingers together, and kissed
them.
I'll 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 few minutes"
Good nightw she breathed, and he
saw the white gown flicker against
the soft light on the lawn, and saw
the black shadow creeping by it. be-
fore she mounted the porch steps,
and was gone.