Grand Forks herald., 1922-05-31
S IS + F. r S
BY KATHLEEN NORRIS.

like having a baby whose father one
didn't-one couldn't love, marriage or
no marriage!"
And as he watched. amazed at the
change that love had brought to quiet,
little inarticulate Cherry, she added,
earnestly:
will! Anx-I know her! will only
be sorry for me. She'll only think me
Strickland; she'll think we're both
crazy. Perhaps she'll plunge into the
orphanage work, or perhaps she'll go
on here. gardening. playing with
Buck, raising ducks-she says herself
that she has never known what love
means-says it really meaning it, yet
as If the whole subject was a. Joke
la weakness!"
II believe she will forgive US, for
she is the. most generous woman in
|the world" Peter said slowly. ANY
Istop now! There is the steamer line
that goes to Los Angles" he mused.
"Yes-I believe that is the solution" !"
he added with Frightening face,
Nobody you know goes there on it; it
leaves daily at eleven and gets into
Los Angeles the following morning.
From there we can get a drawing
room to New Orleans; that's only a
day, and a half more; and We can
keep to ourselves if by any unlucky
chance there should be any one we
know on the train-''
(which isn't likely!"
which isn't likely! Then at New
Orleans we go either to the Zone, or
to South America, or to any one of
the thousand places-New York, If
we like. by water. BY that time we
will be lost as completely as If we had
dropped into the sea. I'll see about
reservations-the thing is, you're too
pretty to go quite unnoticed!" he add
led ruefully.
He saw a smile flicker on her face
in the moonlight. but when she spoke,
lit was with almost fearful gravity:
You arrange it, Peter. and some
how I'll 20. I'll write Alix-IIl tell
her that where she's sane. I'm mad,
any where's she's strong. I'm weak!
And we'll weather it, dear, and we'll
find ourselves somewhere, alone, with
jail the golden, beautiful future be-
fore US. But. Peter, until this part
of it's over we mustn't be alone again
you mustn't kiss me again! Will you
promise me?" J.
AS stirred as she was, he gathered
her little fingers together, and kissed
them.
III promise anything! Only trust
me for a few days more, and we will
be away from it all. And now you
put it all out of your mind, and run
in and 20 to bed. You're exhausted.
and II Alix gets the eight o'clock train
she will be hero in a few minutes =
'Fpod might" she breathed. and he
the soft light on the lawn and -.
the black shadow creeping by it, be-
fore she mounted the porch steps, and
was gone.
CHAPTER XIV.
Swept along by passionate excite
ment that seemed actually to consume
her. Cherry lived through the next
three days. Alix noticed her mood,
and asked her more than once wha,
caused it. Cherry would press a hot
cheek to hers, smile with eyes full OF
pain, and fiutter away. She was well,
she was quite all right, only she-she
was afraid Martin would summon her
soonr-and she didn't want to 20 t..
him!
SuApectinE something gravely ax1,iss,
Altx tried to win her confidence re-
garding Martin. But briefly, quickly,
and with q sort Of aMecuonete and
apologetic impatience. Cherry refused
to discuss him.
II. shaAr not 70 back to him!" abe
said. breathinR hard. and with the air
Of being more absorbed In what sh
was doing than what she was saying.
But do you mean tilat you are
really EoinK to leave him 2" the older
sister questioned.
S.'I don't know Whist I'm going to
dol" Cherry half sobbed.
But, dearestdsarest. you're onl,
twenty-fbur: don't YOU think vol
might feel better about It e time goes
on Z" AK urged. Now that the
money 10 all yours. Cherry. and you
can have this nice home to come to
now and then. Isn't It different"
Cherry waA looking at her stsadify.
You don't understand, sls!| she
said. q .s .9sg .
81 understand that Won don't low,
Martin" Altx said. H perplexed. .'But
cant people who don't lovs eacl, other
1--we together IN peace p She addsd
with q halfs smile. I: iI78
sS.s..N-nsct N man and wite!.. Cherry
stammered. !, as Al
AK sat hack on her hsels,I In tn
Mngraceful fashion Of her sirlhood.
And shrug9ed her shoulders. s.:
Think q the people Who are wor-