Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-03-18

fore taking anything ike decisive
step Plenty Of time--plenty of time.
AIr. Lloyd here and must have some
talks about his plans"
Il know exactly how you feel, Doc
tor" Martin said. sensibly and sym
patheticalIy. q realize that ! should
have come TO you first. and asked to
pay my respects to your daughter. EX-
cept thar it al came over me with
such a rush. A week ago Cherry was
only a most attractive child, TO me.
I'd spoken 10 my aunt about her and
had said that / envied the man that
was some day TO win her, and that
was all Then the time came for me
to get back to work-and / found !
couldn't gol And then came last
night, when I began to say good-byes,
and--it happened I know that you
all hardly know me, and ] know that
Cherry is pretty young TO settle down,
but l think I can satisfy you, Doctor,
that you give her into safe hands. and
l believe she'll never regret trusting
me Z"
He had gotten to his feet as he spoke
and was holding the back OF his chair,
looking anxiously and eagerly into the
old mans eyes
well" said the doctor. touched
in his gentlest tone, well, It had
to come, perhaps. I can't promise her
TO you very soon, Mr.. Lloyd. Bur if
YOU both are willing to wait, and If
time proves this TO be the real feel
Ing, I don't believe you1l find me hard
on your'
That's all ] ask. sir" Martin said
/ resuming his seat and his dinner. And
for the rest or the meal harmony and
gayety reigned
After dinner Cherry and Martin, in
! al the ecstadc first delight of recog-
nized love. went out to the wide front
porch, whore there were wicker chairs
4 under the rose vines, AK alone
laughed at them as they went. Anne
with a storm in her heart, played nois-
| lily on the piano, and the doctor. after
/ giving the doorway where Cherry had
disappeared a wistful .ook, restlessly
| took to his armchair and his book, in
/ such desolatiOn of spirit as he had not
known since the dark day of her moth
ers death.
The next day Alix and the engaged
pair walked up to invite Peter to
| tennis foursome on the old Blithedale
court. 1t was a Saturday, and as he
| usually dined with them, or asked them
to dine with him on Saturday, they
were not surprised to find him busy
with a charcoal burner, under the
! trees, compromising marvellous dish
of chicken, tomatoes, cream and mush-
| rooms.
stop your messing one second I"
Allx said, catching him by the arm
Congratulate these creatures-they-
they're going to be married! Why
| don't you congratulate them?"
| Peter gave one long look at Mar
tin and Cherry, who stood laughing
| but a little confused and self-con-
| sCious, too, in the grassy path. With q
shock like death in his heart, he real
lied that 1t was all over Their pro-
lection Of her, their suspicious, had
come too late. Blind child that she
was, she was committed TO this fasci-
mating and mysterious adventure.
/ His face grew dark with a sudden
rush Of blood. But he went to them
| quickly and shook hands with Martin,
and was presently reproaching Cherry
| for her secretiveness In his old, or
almost his old, way.
He arranged that they were to play
the tennis here on his own courts, and
later dine with him, but under his
/ hospitality and under the golden beau
| ty of the day It was all pain-pain-
| pain. II was agony to see her with
him, beginning to taste the rapture of
/ love given and returned 1t was agony
4 to have the conversation return al
ways to Martin and Cherry, TO the
first love affair Peter felt that he
could have killed this newcomer this
thief, this usurper of the place that be
himself might have filed
| "Dad's always said he disapproyed
Of long engagements" Alix commented,
amusedIy, but you ought to hear him
now This thing-he won't even cal
It an engagement-it's an understand
ing, or a preference--is to be a pro
found secret. and Cherrys to be TWEEN
! ty-one before any one else but our
selves knows"
Peter did not hear her. There was
beginning a little hope in his heart.
Girls did not always fulfil their first
engagements; did not often do so, IN
fact The thing was a secret; 1t might
well come to nothing, after all
That was the beginning, and after
It, although it was arranged between
them all that nothing should be
changed and that nobody but them
selves should share the secret, some
how life seemed different. Two Or
three days after the momentous day
Of the raising Of the rose tree. Martin
Lloyd went to his mine at Ei Nido,
and the interrupted current Of life it,
the brown bungalow supposedly found
| its old groove.
But nothing was the same. The doe