Judsonia weekly advance., 1922-03-16

soul was sick with the uncertainty. His mind had been a confused web of memories of this casual word and that look, of what she had possibly heard, had probably seen, had suspect ed-known-
 Now he would know. He tore open the envelope, and the dozen written lines were before his eyes. The let ter was dated, most unusual thing for Alix to do, and Saturday, one o'clock was written under the date. It was the day of her death.
 He read:
 Peter, Dear-Don't feel too badly if I find stupid way out. I've been thinking for several days about it. You've done so much for me, and after you, of course there's no one but Cherry. She could be free now, he couldn't prevent it. When 1 saw your face a few minutes ago 1 knew we couldn't fight it. Remember, this is our secret. And always remember that l want you to be happy because l love you sop
 It was unsigned.
 Peter sat staring at it for a while without moving, without the stir of a changing expression on his face. Then he folded it up, and put it in the pock- ct of his coat, and went out to the back yard, where Row was feeding the chickens. The wet, dark day was end ing brilliantly in wash of red sun 1 oh hot hoH the young fruit trees, and touched every twig with dull glow. | 'Kow," Peter said, after an effort to speak that was unsuccessful. The Chinese boy looked at him sOlicitous- ly; for Peters face was ashen, and about his mouth were drawn lines "Kow," he said, T go nown
 "Go now other house?" Row nodded, glancing toward the valley.
 But Peter jerked his head instead toward the bare ridge.
 "No, l go now-not come back ]" he said, briefly Tonight-maybe Bo- linas-tOmorrow, Inverness. I don't know. By and by the big mountains, Kow-by and by I forget!"
 Tears glittered in the Chinese boys eyes, but he smiled with a great air of cheer.
 q keep house!' he promised
 The dog came fawnng and spring ing from the stables, and Peter Whis- tied to him.
 Come on Buck We're going now ?"
 He opened the farmyard gate where her hand had so often rested, crossed the muddy corral, opened another gate, and struck off across the darken- ing world toward the ridge. The last sunlight fingered on crest and tree-top, tangled itself redly in the uppermost branches of a few tall redwoods, and was gone. Twilight-a long twilight that had in it some hint of spring-lay softly over the valley; the mountain loomed high in the clear shadow
 Gaining the top of the first ridge, he paused and looked back at the cabin, the little brown house that he had built almost fifteen years ago. lie re- membered that it was in the beginning a sort of experiment; his mother and he were too much alone in their big city house, and she had suggested, with rare wisdom, that as he did not care for society, and as his travels al ways meant great loneliness for her, he should have a little eyrie of his own, to which he might retreat when ever the fancy touched him.
 She liked Del Monte and Tahoe. her self, but she had come to Mill Valley now and then in the days of his first wild delight in it's freedom and beau ty, silk kgowned and white-gloved and very much disliking dust She had sent him plants, roses, and fruit trees, and she had told him one day that he had a neighbor in the valley who was an old friend of hers, Doctor Strick- land, widower, with children.
 He remembered sauntering up the opposite canyon to duly call upon this inventor physician one day, and his delight upon finding well-read, mu- sic-loving, philosophic, cratic man. who had at once recognized a kindred I spirit, and who had made the younger man warmly welcome.
 Presently, on the first call, an en- chanting little girl in a shabby smocl had come ina little girl all dimpes demureness and untouched boyisl, beauty. She had said that "Anne wath mad wiv her, and that Alix-" she managed to lisp the name, "wath up in the madronei"
 A somewhat older child, named Alix a freckled, leggy little person with enormous front teeth, had proved the claim by falling out of the madrone and had received no sympathy for 2 bump, but a--to him-rather surpris- ing censure. He had yet to realize that nothing ever hurt sAlix, but that she always ruined her clothes, and frequently hurt other persons and oth- CT things. He found her spirited, en. thusiastic little person, extremely ar l ticulatp and uuita uncnlf oonea;o,r