The Raymer enterprise., 1922-03-30
CHAPTER xv,-contInusd.

"0oOd-night, old girl!" Something
In the tone touched her, with vague
hint Of unhapplness. but she did not
stop to analyze It. She went back
through his room. and through the lit
tie passage. and rejoIned Martin. The
freedom Of Peters apartment Alix
had always taken as naturally as she
did the freedom Of her fathers.
Cant hear US. ehy Martin asked.
when again she stood beside him.
Positively not!" she answered.
Look here" he said, abruptly.
"What brought me up here Is this.
Who's making love to Cherryy"
Indignant, and with rising color, she
stared at him.
"Who-whatT
"She's having q nice little quiet fir.
tation with somebody" Martin said,
with significant and warning smile.
"Who Is itr'
Il don't know who's been talking
to you about Cherry. Martin" AlIx
said. sharply. "but you know you can't
repeat that sort Of rotten scandal to
me
II don't mean any harm-l don't
mean any harm! !" he assured her, with
a quick attempt to quiet the storm he
had raised. "Don't get mad-don't
get mad! But happen to know that
there's some attraction that's keeping
Cherry here. and l came up to look
over the ground for myself. do you
sect Come on, now. put me on"
Allx made an effort at self-contrOl.
Martin, you're mistaken" she said.
quietly. "You have no right to listen
to any one who tells you such things,
and II Il wasn't that you're Cherry's
husband I wouldn't listen to you! But
youIl have to take my word for II
that It's . lie. We three have lived
up here without seeing any 0ne-any
onel Cherry has hardly spoken to
man. except Peter and Antoine and
Kow. since she came"
"Who is this George Sewalll" he
asked. shrewdly.
"rhe lawyer! oh, heavens. Martin I!
Why. George WIS beau Of mine; he's
q wldower Of ffty. and has Just an
nounccd his engagement to the trained
nurse that took care Of his boy!"
"H'm!" Martin commented.
III any one mentioned Cherry's name
In connection with George" Allx said,
firmly. "that was q perfectly malicious
slander-" s.a.
"Sewall's wasn't mentlonedr Mar
tin said, hastily.
"Whose name was mentioned.
then7' Allx pursued. hotly.
swell. nobody's name was men.
toned" Martin took \ great many
creased and rubbed papers from his
vest pockets, and shifted them over.
Finally. with fat. deliberate hand he
selected one and put the others away.
''Ihis Is from my mother" he said.
MY aunt. Mrs. North"
1--WE saw her here. q week or two
agoi" Alix said us he paused.
swell. she was In Portland, and saw
the folks" said Martin. "And my
mother writes me this" And after
few seconds Of searching he read
from the letter:
"'Bessle North saw Cherry and Mrs.
Joyce In Mill Valley. and II was you
would not let Cherry stay away too
long. A wife's place is with her hus.
band. especially when she Is as pretty
as Cherry. and II Bessie is right, some.
body else thinks she's pretty. too, and
you know II doesn't take much to start
people talking. II isn't like she had
q couple Of children to keep her busy
'"rhat's all Of that" said Martin,
folding the letter. He eyed Alix keen
ly. swell, what do you thlnkf' he
asked, triumphantly.
II think that's a mean, wicked thing
to say" she said, Indignantly. "No,
Martin" she said, silencing him, as
he would have interrupted her, ~
know she ls beautiful and young. and
know--because she's told me--that
you and she feel that your marriage is
q mistake. but II you think"
"Oh. she said that. did she! Now,
look here" with his air OF assurance.
by George, she had something on her
mind when she met me today. She
was fused, all right, and II wasn't all
the surprise Of seeing me. either. First
she wanted to telephone you--then
she fused over your message"
"Cherry gets futtered very easily!"
Alix reminded him.
"Well. she was fused all right this
morning. She said not to mention It
to Allx, because she had promised
that II should 60 on time. thought
maybe she meant that you wanted her
to 60 herself; no. she said. note
would do"
II don't know what you're talking
aboutl" Alix said. puzzled.
"Your notew Martin explained.
"What note didn't write any note.
Cherry telephoned-"
sNo," be said. patiently and per.
functorily. 'you wanted-C -Cherry-to-
ny - good-by - to-those-people--
Who were-saillngi That was all.
NJ wrote Il; 1t got there In time, I
guess. Anyway. I heard the giri say
to r,,sh Il u The bostls