Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-09-28

tive" Cherry pleaded. ut can't be
that marriage Is the only-the only
irrevocabe thing! II you had a part
ner that you couldn't go on with. you
could come to some agreement I"
| you don't love him ~ Peter said.
II don't hate him." she answered
quickly. "Indeed I don't. And It isn't
just the place and the life, Peter! 1
could be happy In two rooms-some-
whcre-anywhere- But not-with
him. Oh. Peter, If hadn't done it"
Her beauty, as she pushed her plate
aside and leaned toward him, was so
startling that Peter. lighted match
| half-raiScd to a fresh cigarette, put
the match down nimlcSSly and look ed
thoughtfully Mt the cigarette, and laid
/ that down, too, Without the faintrst
consciousness Of what he was doing.
The day was warm, and there was a
little dampncss on her white forehead,
whcr" the gold hair cIung to the brlm
| Of the dropping hat. The soft curve
! of hcr chin, the babyish shortncss Of
her upper lip. and the crimson sweet
| ness Of the li.tlc earnest mouth had
never seemed more lovely than they
wrr" today She was youth incarnate,
| palptating, flushed. unspoiled
For moment she looked down at
! the table and the color flooded her
! fnce: then she looked him straight in
| the eyes and smiled. "Well! Perhaps
1t VIII nj work out right, Peter" she
said with the childish. questioning look
Ahnk Ii
diately gathered her possessions TO-
Xether TO 90. but when they stepped
into sunshiny Geary street 1t was three
o'clock, and Peter suggested that they
| walk down to the boat.
They met Alix on the boat, but she
did not ask any embarrassing ques-
| tions; she sat between them on the
upper deck, blinking contentedly at
the blue satin bay. her eyes following
the wheeling gulls or the passage of
ships. her mind evidently concerned
only with the Idle pleasantness of the
moment. And always, for Peter, there
was the same joyous sense Of some
thing new-something significant
| something ecstatic In life.
From that hour he ~as never quite
at ease In Cherry's company and
avoided being alone with her even for
an instant, although her presence al
ways caused him the new and tingling
delight. He read her honest blue eyes
truly, and knew that although, like
himself she was conscious Of the new
sweetness and brightness Of life, she
had never entertained for an instant
the fitting thought that 1t was Peters
| feeling for her that made 1t 80. She
thought, perhaps that 1t would be the
old childish happiness that she had
known in the valley, the freedom and
leisure and irresponsibility of the old
days.
The next day she talked in q trou-
bled, uncertain way Of going back to
| Red Creek, and he knew why. But
| AliX was SO aghast at the idea, and
Peter. who was closing DR.. strick-
lands estate, was so careful to depart
early In the mornings and return only
late at night, that the little alarm, II
1t was that, died away.
The next time that Cherry went in
to town, Alix did not go. and Peter
sitting on the deck Of the early boat
with her, asked her again to have
luncheon with him. Immediately q
cloud fell on her face and he saw her
breast rise quickly.
"Peter." she asked him childishly,
looking straight into his eyes, "why
didn't we tell Alix about that7"
Peter tried to laugh and felt himself
begin to tremble again.
"About what7" he stammered.
"About our having been three hours
at lunch last wcekT'
"Why-I don't know!" Peter said,
smiling nervously.
She was silent and they parted
without any further reference to meet
ing for lunch.
That night. when Alix had gone to
bed, he entered the sitting room sud
denly to find Cherry hunting for a
book. She had dropped on one knee,
the better to reach a low shelf, and
was wholly absorbed in the volume
she had chanccd to open.
When she heard the door open she
turned, and Immediately became very
pale. She did not speak as Peter
came to stand beside her.