The Dolores star., 1922-04-21
CHAPTER xvi-contlnued.

hint OF unhappinesS, but She did not
stop to analyze 1t 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. chr Martin asked.
when again she stood beside him.
Positively notv she answered.
Look here" he said, abruptly.
What brought me up here Is this.
Who's making love to CherryT
Indignant. and with rising color, she
stared at him.
"Who-what !"
"she's having a nice little quiet fir
tation with somebody" Martin said,
with a significant and warning smile.
"Who is it7
II 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
mel"
II don't mean any harm-I don't
mean any harm !" he assured her, with
q quick attempt to quiet the storm he
had raised. Don't get mad-don't
get mad! But I 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
seer Come on, now. put me onH'
Alix 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 1t wasn't that you're Cherry's
husband l wouldn't listen to you! But
you'll have to take my word for 1t
that it's a lie. We three have lived
up here without seeing any one-any
one! Cherry has hardly spoken to n
man, except Peter and Antoine and
Kow. since she came"
"Who is this George Sewall7' he
asked, shrewdly.
"The lawyer! Oh, heavens, Martin
Why, George was beau of mine; he's
widower of fifty, and has just an
nounced his engagement to the trained
nurse that took care of his boy"
Him. Martin commented.
"If any one mentioned Cherry's name
In connection with George" Alix said,
firmly, that was a perfectly malicious
slander-"
"Sewalrs wasn't mentioned Mar
tin said, hastily.
Whose name was mentioned,
them" Alix pursued, hotly.
well, nobody's name was men
toned" Martin took a 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.
This is from my mother" he said.
MY aunt, Mrs. North"
I'VE saw her here, a week or two
ago!" Alix said as he paused.
"Well, she was in Portland, and saw
the folks" said Martin. "And my
mother writes me this" And after
q few seconds of searching he read
from the letter:
"'Bessie North saw Cherry and Mrs
Joyce in Mill Valley, and If l was you
l would not let Cherry stay away too
long. A wifes place is with her hus.
band, especially when she Is as pretty
as Cherry, and if Bessie is right, some.
body else thinks she's pretty, too, and
you know it doesn't take much to start
people talking. 1t isn't like she had
a couple of children to keep her busy.
That's all of that" said Martin
folding the letter. He eyed Allx keen
ly. "Well, what do you think? he
asked, triumphantly.
II think that's mean, wicked thini
to say" she said, Indignantly. mo
Martin" she said, silencing him, a.
he would have interrupted her, &c
know she is beautiful and young, anc
know-because she's told me-tha
you and she feel that your marriage il
a mistake, but if you think"
"Oh, she said that, did she? Now
look here" with his air of assurance
by George, she had something on he
mind when she met me today. Sh,
was fused, all right, and 1t wasn't al
the surprise of seeing me, either. Firs
she wanted to telephone you-thel
she fused over your message"
Cherry gets fluttered very easily 7
Alix reminded him.
"Well, she was fused all right thi
morning. She said not to mention |
to Alix, because she had promise,
that it should go on time. 1 though
maybe she meant that you wanted he
to go herself; no, she said, not
would do"
II don't know what you're talkin
about" !" Alix said, puzzled.
"Your motel" Martin explained.
what note! didn't write any note
Cherry telephoned-"
NO." he said, patiently and pei
functorily. "you -Cherry-to-
say = good-by - to-those-people-
who-were-sailngl That was ali
8he wrote 1t; it got there In time,
guess. Anyway, heard the girl sa,
to rush II to the boatI"