The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-20
tcontinued from Yesterday.)

I19SjCulln0 OI e6S1hSS5 where all trains. tickets. railroad con nections, and transit business of any sort were concerned. He liked to loi- ter elaborately while other people big watch and assure her that they had all the time in the world. She tried to call a number, left the booth, paid a staring girl, and rejoined him.
 Busy" she reported.
 'I was just thinking Martin said, that we might stay in town and go to the Orpheum; how about it7 Do we have to have Peter and Alix?"
 Cherry flushed. angered again, in the well-renembered way, under all her fright and stir. Her voice had its old bored note.
 well, Martin, I've been their guest for two monthsi"
 "Pd just as soon have themi" Mar tin conceded, indifferently.
 But the diverted thought had help ed Cherry, irritation had nerved her, and the reminder of Martins old, try ing stupidities had lessened her fear of him.
 "Tve got to send a. telegram-for Alix" she said.
 What about?'' he asked. less curi- ous than ill-bred.
 "Goodby to some people who are sailing!" Cherry answered, calmly. "Only don't mention it to Alix, be- cause I promised 1t would go earlier." she added.
 'T saw the office back here" he told her. They went to it 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 tn the doorway of the little office. smoking: Quickly she ad- dressed the envelope. Don't read but very slowly and 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 eleveni' 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 summoned a boy
 George, there's a dollar in that for you If you deliver it before eleven to the Harvard!" said she. The boy seized it, stuck it in his hat, and fled.
 And now for the boatl" Cherry said, rejoining Martin, and speaking in almost her natural voice. They went back to the Sausalito ferry en- trance again, and this time telephon- ed 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 l in the hideous necessity of deceiving, | Of covering her own traces, of antici- pating and closing possible avenues of betrayal. But now Cherry began to breathe more easily, and to feel ris- | ing about her, like a tide, the half forgotten consciousness of her reIa- 1 tionship with this man in the boldly | checked suit who was sitting beside | her. She had thought to escape the necessity of telling him that she was not willing to return to him; she had been wrapped in dreams so great and so wonderful that the thought of his anger and resentment had been as nothing to her. But she had that to face now.
 She had it to face Immediately. too. She knew that every hour of post ponement would cost her fresh hu- 1niliations 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 impress sion she had from Martin was the appalling one that he did not dream that she had decided to sever their union completely and nally.
 Well, howis the valley? Bore you to death?" he interrupted the flow of his own topic to ask careless1y "Oh. no, Martini" she quivered. q love it there! I always loved t"'
 %Alix Is a fine giTl.she's a nice cant go Peter, He may be ali right, all that 1ah-di-dah and Omar Khayyam and Browning stuff may be all right. but I don't get it.'' And | he yawned contentedly in the sum- shine.
 After few seconds he gave Cher ry an oblique glance. expecting her resentment. But she was thinking too deeply even to have heard him Her mind was working as desperate 1y as a caged animal, her thoughts circling frantically, trying windows walls and doors in the prison in io1, rI, I,o f@y Sos cape.
 She blamed herself bitterly now for allowing him, in the surprise and feal she felt, in the shock of their unex- pected meeting, to arrange this do RsStic and apparently reconciled re. eurn to the valley house. But it was too late now! Too late for anything but a bald and brave and cruel hail hour that should, at any cost, sunde1 them.
 Quick upon the thought came an, other: what should she and Peter plan now? For to suppose that theil lives were to be guided back into the old hateful channel by this mere n1is chance was preposterous. Within { few days their interrupted trip mus be resumed, perhaps tomorrow-per haps this very night they would manage it successfully. Meanwhile until she could see Peter alone there was Martin to deal with, Mar ) tin who was leaning forward, vain gloriously reciting to her lone speeches he had made to this super. ior or that.
 Martin she said, impetuouslv in Iterrupting him. "Ive got to talk tC 7 youl I've had it in mind ever since I left Red Creek"
 Shoot" Martin said. with hi. favorite look of indulgent amuse ment.
 There are marriages that withou any fault on either side are a mis take" Cherry began. "any contribu tory fault, I mean" Talk United States!" Martin l growled, smiling. but on guard. ''Well, I think our marriage wal ; one of those!" Cherry said.
 ''It didn't happen in Germany" But Germany didn't really have