The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-11-10

through the lovely alSles of the trees,
crossing road or two. climbing
steadily upward under great redwoods.
Cherry's skirt brushed the gold dust
from masses and masses Of buttercups.
The tennis was over, but just over;
Peter and Alix were sitting. still pant
ing, on the rail OF the wide, open
porch, and shouted as the others
came up.
"You missed doublesl" called Alix.
"The grandest we ever did! Doubles
with the Thompsons and three sets
straight to <us-six-two. six-two. and
six-two againl They've gone. Oh,
heavens. never had such tennis. oh.
Peter, when you stood there at the net
and just curved your hand like cup"
--Alix gave an enthusiastic imitation
land over she went, and game and
set r.
Cherry, sinking white and frilly into
chair, smiled indulgently. The walk
had given her a wild-rose color, and
even Alix was struck with her extraor-
dinary beauty. Alix had wheeled
about 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.
'You're disgracefllly dlrtyr he
said, fraternally.
Il know. It," she answered, calmly.
ssHave l time to tub?"
"All the time in the world !" he an
swer
Alix departed.
'It's very pleasant to me to have
Alix SO much at home here" Cherry
said, when Alix was gone, and the
doctor wandering happily about the
garden. II don't know what we'd
do If any one ever usurped our places
herew
She had said it deliberately; the
fascination Of her recent discovery
was too strong to resist. The man
flushed suddenly. For a full minute
he did not speak, and Cherry was sur
prisei to find herself a little thrilled
and even frightened by his silence.
what put that into your headY'
he asked, presently. smoking with his
eyes fixed upon the valley far below.
Perhaps it's because there are so
many changes, Peter; my marriage,
Anne's-everything different! 1t just
came to me that 1t is nice to have this
always the same"
Perhaps Alix will come up here
and help keep 1t SO some day." the
man said, deliberately. Cherry's look
Of elaborate surprise and pleasure
died before his serious glance She
was silent for a moment.
''Why don't you ask her?" she said
in low, thoughtful, tone, trembling,
eager to preserve his mood without a
false note.
II have" he answered simply.
Cherry's heart Jumped with a sudden
unexpected emotion. What was It'll
Not pleasure, not all surprise surely
there could be no jealousy mixed with
her feeling for Peters plans7 But
she was dazed with the rush Of feel
ing; hurt in some fashion she could
| not stop to dissect now.
"And she said nor" she stammered
| in confusion.
"She said no. Or, at least, l init
mated that I was a lonely old affec-
/ tionate man with this and that to Of.
fer, and she intimated that that wasn't
enough. / ought to have said-I ought
! to explain-that had told her, only
a few days previously, that had al
ways loved somebody else!"
~ "Oh-h-h!" Cherry was enlightened
She visualized an affair in the last
years Of the old century for Peter.
"Oh, and-and she didn't love your
| Cherry asked.
"The lady? She was unfortunately
married before had chance to ask
her." said Peter
"Oh-h-h!" Cherry said again, i'm.
pressed, "and you'll never get over
itr' she asked, timidly. "Peter,
never knew that" she added as he
was silent. "Does-does Dad know?
Nobody knows but Alix, and she
only knows the bare facts" he as.
sured her.
"Oh |" Cherry could think Of nothing
to add to the sympathetic little mono
syllable.
"Finished with the shower r
shrieked Alix from the warm darkness
inside the doorway. "Hurry up
Peter, something smells utterly
grandl"
j That's the chicken thingp Peter
shouted back, springing up to disap
pear in the direction Of the bath
room. Cherry sat on, silent, wrapped
still in the new spell Of the pleasant
voice, the strangely appealing and vel
1>masterful personality.
4 The dinner struggled as all Peters
\ dinners did Alix mixed a salad dress
ing; Peter himself flashed In and ou,
Of the tiny, hot kitchen hundred
times. K0w, In immaculate linen
i came back and forth In leisurely
tablesetting. Suddenly everything
was ready; the crisp, smoking-hot
4 French loaf, the big, brown Jar Of bub