Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-07-08

| not wholly unconscious look, TO the
hreside, and he stood up TO greet her.
"Tired?' he asked, in an unnatural
voice.
II was just going TO bed" she
| answered, hesitatingly. But she sat
down, nevertheless; sank comfortably
| into the chair opposite his own, and
/ stretched her little feet. crossed at the
ankle, before her, as If she were in
deed tired.
He knelt down beside her chair. and
gathered her cold hands into one Of
his own. 'What are you and l going
to do?" he asked.
She looked at him in terror.
But all that is changedw she said,
! quickly, fearfully.
why is 1t changed?" he countered.
Il love you'll have always loved you.
since the days long ago, in this very
house! l can't stop 1t now. And you
love me, Cherry !"
Yes, / shall always love you" she
answered, agitatedIy, after a pause in
| which she looked at him with troubled
| eyes. "But-but-you must see that
we CannOt-cannOt think Of all that
now" she added with difficulty. 81
couldn't fail Martin now, when he
needs me so"
He needs you nOw," Peter conced-
ed, land l don't ask you to do any
thing that must distress him now. But
in a few months, when his mother
comes down for a visit you must tell
them honestly that you care for me-"
he said
Cherry was trembling violently.
''But how could To she protested.
'Tell him that l am going away, de-
sorting him when he most needs me ~
Peter had grown very pale.
"But-" he stammered, his face
close to hers-"but you cannot mean
that this is the endP"
She moved her lips as If she was
about tc speak; looked at him blankly.
| Then suddenly tears came, and she
| wrenched her hands free from his,
and laid her arms about his neck Her
wet cheek was pressed to his own, and
he put his arms tightly about the lit
tie shaken figure.
"PeterP she whispered. desolately.
And after a time, when the violence OF
her sobs was lessened, and she was
breathing more quietly, she said
again: Peter We can never dream
that dream again"
1--WE shall dream 1t again." he cor
rected her.
Cherry did not answer for a long
while. Then she gently dlsengaged
| herself from his arms, and sat erect.
Her tears were ended now, and her
voice frmer and surer.
NO; never again. she told him.
| I've been thinking about it, all these
| days. and I've come to see what is
| right, as l never did before. Alix
never knew about US, Peter-and
that's been the one thing for which l
| could be thankful In all this time But
! Alix had only one hope for me, and
| that was that somehow Martin and |
would come to be-well, to be nearer
| to each other. and that somehow he
| and | would make d success of our
marriage, would spare-wel, let's say
the family name, from all the disgrace
and publicity of a divorce"
Put, Cherry, my child" Peter ex-
postulated. You cannot sacrifice all
your life to the fancy that no one else
can take your place with him"
That she said, steadily. lis just
what must dor
Peter looked at her for a few sec
onds without speaking.
You don't love him." he said.
NO" she admitted, grayely. 81
don't love him-not in the way you
mean"
He is nothing to you" Peter argued
las a matter of fact it never was
what a marriage should be. 1t was
always-always-- mistake"
Yes" she conceded sadly, at was
always mistake"
Then there is nothing to bind you
TO him" Peter added.
"N0-and there isn't Alix to distress,
now!" size agreed. thoughtfully. "And
| yat, she went on, suddenly. Il do this
more for Alix than for any one .
Peter looked at her IN silence,
looked back at the last flicker Of the
| fire.
You will change your mind after
awhile! /" he said
Cherry rose from the chair. and
stood with dropped head and troubled
eyes, looking down at the flame.
NO, l shall never change my
mind " she said, IN a low tone that
was stiH strangely firm ana final for
he9. For five or ten or twenty or
thirty years I shall always be where
Martin is caring for him. amusing
him. making a life for him" And
Cherry raised her glorious blue eyes
in which there was q pure and an up-
lifted look that Peter had never seen
there before. 1T Is what Dad ana
Alix would have wished" she finished.
solemnIy, "and I do It for themr
Peter did not answer; and after q
moment she went quietly and quickly
from the room, with the new air 81
quiet responsibility that she had worn
/ ever RinCe the accident.