The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-11

until the estate is cleared-a year or more from now. There are some things to be thankful for, Al1x add ed, dashing the sudden tears rom her eyes, and one is that Dao never knew it!''
 "I can't tell you how surprised l am at Anne" Peter said.
 Well. we all were!" Alix confess ed. "But it's just Anne's odd little self-centered way" she added. 'It was hers, and the wanted it. Well T let Hong go, and as soon as can rent this house, I'm going to New York.'R
 why New York, my dear girl?'
 "Recause I believe can make a living there, singing and teaching and generally struggling with life!' she answered, cheerfully. Cherry. gets most of the money-they are always the reason she is able to have a nice apartment and a maid now is be- cause she knows it Is com1ng-and get the house, and enough money to York;
 Do you want to go. Alix?" he said.
 "Yes, I think I do." she answered. way" she added. 'sThat is, I love my singing, and the thought of mak- ing a success is delightful to me But, of course. It means that I give up
  1 life, and-and the valley-for years four or five anyway, I'll have to give all that up. And I'm twenty-seVen. Peter. And I'd always rather hoped that my music was going to be a do- mestic variety" She stopped, smll- ing, but he saw the pain in her eyes. George Sewall most kindly asked me l to mother his small son" she resum- 1 ed, casually. But althoush ne IS | the deareSt-
 "Sewan did.' Peter exclaimed, rath- is one of the richest men in San Francisco"
 T know it." AIix agreed And he is one of the incest men," she added. any one but Ursula. And fet-oh, 1 I felt too tired and alone and depress- ! ed to enter upon congratulatlonsa ana clothes and family dinners with the fly. "I wanted-I wanted things in the old way-as they were- she said, her voice thickening-
 sympathetically. And for while | there was silence inthe little house. while the rain fell steadily upon the dark forest without: and soaked aed windows Can you put me up to- night ?" he asked. suddenly. He liked her frank pleasure
 Rather! think Cherrys room was made up fresh last Monday she
 She had risen, as if for good, l nights and was now beside the old square piano, where she nad placeu the lamp.
 q haven't touched it-since-" she said. sadly. sitting on the stool, and with her eyes still smiling on hlm putting back the hinged cover. And a. moment later her hands. with the assurance and ease of the adept drifte,i into one of the songs of the old days.
 | the rose tree back. Peter?" she asked When Martin was almost a stran- ger?", And do you remember the day we made biscuits, over by the ocean?"
 T remember all the days" he an swered, deeply stirred.
 ''Wa didn't see all this. then.' AllX unused. still playing softly. Anne claiming everything for her husband you and I here talking of Dads death
 and Cherry married- She sighed.
 She's not happy?" he questioned
 quickly.
 '.She's not unhappy" she told him.
 with a troubled smile. 'Its gust one of those marriages that don't ever get anywhere and don't ever stop. she added Martin has faults. he's un- reasonable, and he makes enemies But those aren't faults for which
 woman can leave her husband. Oh.
 Peter" she added. laying smooth,
 warm hand on his, and looking into his eyes with her honest eyes. 'don, go away again. Stay here in the val
 lev for week two. and help me get everything worked out and
 thought out-Tve been so much 1 alonev'
 down on the bench beside her and putting his arm about her. She dropped her head on his shoulder and so they sat. very still. for lons
 shoulder. and her fingers frightened or ? his and she breathed deep, contenteo
 breaths, like child. somebody ought to wire Mrs. Grun' l dy, collect" she said after while. eve will defy Mrs. Grundy. m1
 dear" Peter said. kissing the top ot
 a. soft brown braid, "by trotting ot 3 hand in hand tomorrow and gettlne K ourselves married. Why, A1ix, he g gave us his consent years ago-don1 g you remember"
 t He did wish it.' she said, and burs t into tears.
 g II seem to be doing things in :
 slightly irregular manner" she sait
 gotten breakfast together. and were l. basking in the sunlight of the upper
 deck of the ferryboat%: % on % their way yo |, r my marriage alone-in a small coun
 try house hidden in the woods-witf . my bctrothed. and propose to buy m!
 trousseau immediately after the cer n emony!''
 Her voice fell to a dreamy note q and she watched the gulls, wheeling e in the sunshine. with thoughtful y smiling eyes. The man glanced a s her once or twice. in the silence tha
 followed, with something like hesita V ton, compunction, in his look.
 Look. here, Alix-1et's talk. e want to ask you something. There t never been anything to tel t you-or your father, if he was here, It Peter said, flushed and a tri1e awk e ward. I'm not that kind of a man n But there has been that one thing l. that one woman"
 $ Flushed. too, she was looking a e him with bright. intelligent eyes.
 But I thought she never ever = knew
 d sNo, she never did,'' y "Oh, well, then she said, indif
 ferently.
 (Continued Tomorrowo