Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-09-21

- -.
rom the low branches OF the oaks.
Beyond the house the mountaih rose;
from the porch Cherry could look
:!cwn upoD the familiar valley. and
The rivers winding like strips Of blue
.ibbon through the marshes. and the
,ar bay. and San Francisco beyond.
Inside were shady rooms, bowls Of
iowcrs. plain little white curtains
,tirrin; N the summer breeze, peace
and simplicity everywhere. Cherry
smiled at the immediately clad Chi
nese stirring something In a yellow
FOWL in Il SpotleSs kitchen whose win
lows showed manZanita and wild lilac
and mndrOne trees; smiled at the big,
,Hmoked Fireplace where sunlight fell
IN piled logs down the chimney'S
:reat mouth; smiled as she went to
md fro on Journeys Of investigation.
}ut the smile quirercd into tears when
ihe came to her own room. just Such
i room us little Charity Strickland had
lnd, "nly few years ngo, with white
lanHingS and unpaintcd wood, fresh
llr streaming through 1t, and red
woods outside.
Cherry stumbled into the airy, dark,
ywect little bedroom. and somehow
addressed and crept between the cool
sheets of the bed that stood near
AliX's OH the wide sleeping porch.
der last thought was for the heavenly
cedwoods SO close to her; she slept.
indeed, for almost twelve unbrokeu
hours.
"Oh, Sis. do feel so delciously
lazy and happy and rested and-and
evcrything.' said Cherry, rs she set
tied herself at the porch table where
Srrvice for one was spread.
"Cherry, you're prrtlicr than ever"
AliN said. cyring the white hands so
busy with blue china. and the bright
mead dnpplrd with shade and sun
shine coming through the green rose
vine.
cam II" Cherry said, pleased. ~
thought myself that l looked nice this
morning" she added, innocently. "But
it is really because the nir of this
place agrees with me, it makes my
skin feel right and my eyes feel right
IT makes me feel normal aud Smouthed
out Somchowr
"Oh, there's no place in the world
like it, AliX agreed, rubbing some
dried mud from the back Of her hand
With the trowel. "If Martin contin-
ues to migrate every little while,
wish you could have little house
here. Then for part Of the time. at
least, we could be together"
The old house." Cherry said, dream
lily.
"Well. why notf' Alix echoed. eager
ly. Its in pretty bad shape, after
being empty so long, but 1t would
Martin object7"
Cherry filled her coffee cup a sec
ond time, gave kow an appreciative
smile as he put hot French loaf be-
fore her. and said, indifferently:
Martin has constitutional objec-
Ion to whatever pleases me, and would
ind some objection to any plan that
gave me pleasure!' Her tone was
light, but there was bitter twitch to
,er lips as she spoke.
"Oh, Cherry" Alix said, distressed.
Ai'"SNSi, All hot Soili6 ~ Ahih
bout Martin" the younger sister de-
-eed, gaily. I'm too utterly and alb
'lutcly happy"
There was worried little cloud on
liN'S forehead, but 1t lighted stead
-, as the happy morning wore on.
I'D half an hour later, when she and
Cherry were sailing frog on shin
s'a, on the busy little stream that
.Oured down the hill near the cabin,
both We're laughing like children
again.
1t was here that Peter found Cher
ry. She came up TO him. and he took
both her hands and, after n second Of
hesitation. kissed her. She freed one
hand to put 1t on his shoulder and,
standing so. she seriously returned
his kiss. For moment his arm en-.
circled her waist; he had forgotten
how blue her eyes were. with just a
film of corn-colored hair loosened
above them, and what husky. exQuis-
lite, childish notes were in her voice.
"Chcrry-thiS is the incest thing
that has happened for long. long
while" ne said.
"Iou and AliX are angels to let
me come" Cherry answered, ms they