Graham guardian., 1921-10-14
In her heart. II he turned his


| leaped In her heart II he turned his
back on her
"What are you going to do?" he
asked, somewhat surprised.
81 ought to telephone Alixl" Her
despair lent her wit. If he went TO
The ticket office, and she into a tele-
phone booth, she might escape him
yeti While he dawdled here, minutes
we're flying, and Peter was watching
every car and every pasSer-by, torn
with the same agony that was tearing
her. "If you'll go find out the exact
time and get tickets" she said, "Tll
telephone Alix."
"Tickets?" he echoed, with all Mar
tins old, maddenlng slowness.
Haven't you got return ticket?"
81 have mIleager" she blundered.
"Oh. then I'll use your mileage I"
Martin said. Telephone" he added,
noddng toward row of booths, mo
hurry; we've got piles Of time !"
She remembered that he liked a
masculine assumption of easiness
where all trains, tickets, railroad con-
nectIOns, and transit business of any
sort were concerned. He liked to lol.
ter elaborately while other people
we're running, liked to pull out his
big watch and assure her that they had
all the time in the world. She tried
to call number, left the booth. paid
staring girl. and reJoined him.
"Busy!" she reported.
81 was just thinking" Martin said,
that we might stay in town and go
to the 0rpheum; how about 1t? Do
we have to have Peter and Alix?"
Cherry flushed, angered again. in
the well-remembered way, under all
her fright and stir. Her voice had
its old bored note.
swell, Martin, I've been their guest
for two monthsr'
"rd just as soon have them p' Mar
tin conceded, indlfferently.
But the diverted thought had helped
Cherry, irritation hnd nerved her, and
the reminder of Martins old, trying
stupidities had lessened her fear of
him.
1--WE got to send telegram-for
Alix," she said.
what about?" he asked. less curl
Gus than ill-bred.
"Goodby to some people who are
sailing" Cherry answered, calmly.
only don't mention ii to Alix, because
promised 1t would go earlierr she
added
81 saw the Office back here" he told
her. They went TO 1t together, and
he was within five feet of her while
she scribbled her note.
"MartIn met me. Nothing wrong.
We are returning to Mill Valley. c.
L." She glanced at her husband; he
was standing in the doorway of the
little office, smoking. Quickly she ad-
dressed the envelope. Don't read
that name out loud" she said, softly
but very slowly aud distinctly, to the
girl at the desk. She put a gold piece
down on the note. "Keep the change,
and for Gods sake get that to the
Harvard, sailing from Dock 67. before
elevenH ~ she said.
The girl looked up In surprise; but
rose Immediately to the occasion.
Cherry's beauty, her agonized eyes
and voice. were enough 10 awaken her
sense of the dramatic. A sharp rap
of the clerks pencil sunmoned a boy.
George, there's dollar IN that for
you If YOU deliver II before eleven to
the Harvardl" said she. The boy
seized it, stuck it in his hat, and fed.
"And now efor the boat" Cherry
said, rejoining Martin, and speaking
In almost her natural voice. They
went back to the Sausalito ferry en-
trance again. and this time telephoned
AliX In real earnest, and presently
found themselves on the upper deck Of
the boat. bound for the valley.
Until now, and in occasional rushes
of terror still, she had been absorbed
in the hideous necessity of decelving,
pating and closing possible avenues
Of betrayal. But now Cherry began
TO breathe more easily, and to feel
rising about her, like tide, the half
forgotten consciousness of her reIa-
tiOnship with this man In the boldly
checked suit who was sitting beside
her She had thought to escape the
necessity of telling him tlnt she VAS
not willing to return to him; she had
been wrapped In dreams 50 great and
so wonderful thai lie thought OF his
anger and resentment had been AZ moth.
ing 10 her. But size had that to face
now.
She had II to face Immediately, too.
She knew that every hour of post
ponement would cost her fresh humlli-
ations and difficulties, and as the boat
slipped smoothly past the island that
roughly marked the halfway point,
she gathered all her forces for the
trial. The one distinct impression SHE
had from Martin was the appalling
one that he did not dream that She
had decided to sever their union COM
pletely and finally.
We'll, how's the valley? Bore you
TO death?' he interrupted the flow of
his own topic to ask carelessly.
"oh, no, Martin !" she quivercd II
II love It there always loved it!"
"Alix Is q fine gIrl--she's nice
girl" Martin conceded. "But can't
go Peter He may be oil right, all
that lah-di-dah and Omar Khayyam
and Browning stun may be all right,