News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-11-16
"Who-wnat:s

tation with somebody" Martin said
with significant and warning smile
"Who Is it?"
~ don't know who's been talkini
to you about Cherry, Martini" Ali,
said, sharply, "but you know you can
repeat that sort of rotten scandal Il
me-"
II don't mean any harm-I dom
mean any harm !" he assured her, witt
a quick attempt to quiet the storm he
had raised. "Don't get mad-don''
get mad But l happen to know that
| here's some attraction that's keeping
Cherry here, and came up to look
over the ground for myself, do you
see? Come on, now, put me on y
Alx made an effort at selfcontro'
Martin, you're mistaken" she said,
quietly. you have no right to listen
| to any one who tells you such things,
and if it wasn't that you're Cherry
husband | wouldn't listen to you! But
you'll have to take my word for it
that it's lie We three have lived
up here without seeing any One-any
one. Cherry has hardly spoken to a
man, except Peter and Antoine and
kow, since she came.'
"Who is this George Sewall?" he
asked, shrewdly.
The lawyer! Oh, heavens, Martin !!
Why, George was Il beau Of mine; he's
widower of fifty, and has just an
nounced his engagement to the trained
nurse that took care of his boy!"
HIM" Martin commented.
If any one mentioned Cherry's name
in connection with George" Alix said,
firmly, that was perfectly malicious
SANDER"
"Sewall's wasn't mentioned" Mar
tin said, hastily.
"WhOSe name was mentioned,
them" Alix pursued, hotly.
well, nObody's name was men
toned" Martin took a great many
creased and rubbed papers from his
vest pockets, and shifted them over
Finally with a fat deliberate hand he
selected one and put the others away.
This is from my mother" he said.
my aunt, Mrs. North"
eve saw her here, a week or two
ago. AliX said as he paused.
"Well, she was in Portland, and saw
the folks" said Martin. And my
mother writes me this" And after
a few seconds Of searching he read
from the letter:
"Besse. North saw Cherry and Mrs.
Joyce in Mill Valley, and if l was you
[ would not let Cherry stay away too
long. A wife's place is with her hus-
band, especially when she is as pretty
as Cherry, and if Bessie is right, some
body else thinks she's pretty too, and
you know it doesn't take much to start
people talking. 1t isn't like she had
a couple of children to keep her busy
THAT'S all of that" said Martin,
folding the letter He eyed Alix keen
Iy. well, what do you think?" he
asked, triumphantly.
Il think that's a mean, wicked thing
to say!" she said, Indignantly. mo,
Martin" she said, silencing him, as
he would have interrupted her, 81
know she is beautiful and young, and
| knoW-because shes told me-that
you and she feel that your marriage is
a mistake, but if you think"
ooh, she said that, did she? Now,
look here" with his air of assurance.
by George. she had something ON her
mind when she met me today. She
was fused, all right, and it wasn't all
the surprise of seeing me, either. First
she wanted to telephone you-then
she fused over your message"
Cherry gets fiuttered very easily!"
AliT reminded him.
We'll, she was fused all right this
She said not to mention it
to Aix, because she mad promised
that ii should go on time. l thought
maybe she meant that you wanted her
to go herself; no. she said, a note
would do"
81 don't know what you're talking
about !" Alix said, puzzled
your note!' Martin explained.
"What note didn't write any note.
Cherry telephoned-"
mo" he sad, patiently and per- |
"you wanted-Cherry-to-
say - good-by - to-those-people-
ho-were-saling! That was all. |
She wrote it, it got there in time, | |
guess. Anyway, | heard the girl say |
to rush il TO the boat"
ooh :" Alix said. oh" she added |
Her tone betrayed nothing, but she |
was thoroughly at sea. Did | ask |
Cherry TO say good-by to any one?"
she ASKED herself, going back to the |
5es.nnng of the long day. Instinct
warned her that nothing would be |
gained by sharing her perpleXity with
Martin, 81 give you my word that she
hasn't been five minutes alone with any |
one but Peter and me!' she said
frankly, looking into Martins eyes. |
Now, are you satistied?"
Sure, I'm satisfied" he answered.
I'll take your say-so for it," He
yaNned, Trouble with Cherry is, she
iasn't enough to do!' he finished sapi-
entity.
Pm poor person with whom to