The Holly chieftain., 1922-02-09

tramps ana readins-together. Isn't
that a pretty good basis for mar
riage?"
NO" AliI had answered, decidedly.
Perhaps If l were madly in love with
you l should say yes, and trust to
little fingers to lead you gently, and
so on"
He remembered ending the conyer-
sation in one of his quick moods of
Irritation against her. If she couldn't
take anybody or anything seriously
he had said.
Poor Alix-she was taking life seri-
ously enough tonight, Peter thought,
as he watched her.
.'Tell me about Cherry" he said.
Cherry is well, but just little thin,
and heartbrOken now, of course. Mar
tin never seems to stay at any one
place very long. so keep hoping
Doesn't make good!" Peter said,
shaking his head.
Doesn't seem to! It's partly Cher
ry, l think" Alix said honestly. "She
was too young, really. She never
quite settles down, or takes life in
earnest. But he's got contract now
for three years. and so she seems to
be resigning herself, and she has
maid, l believe"
"She must love him." Peter submit
ted. Alix looked surprised.
"Why not?" she smiled. II suppose
when you've had ups and downs with
man, and been rich and poor, and
sick and well, and have lived in half
a-dozen different places, you rather
take him for granted!" she added.
"Oh, you think it works that way?"
Peter asked, with a keen look.
"Wel, don't you think so? Aren't
lots of marriages like thati"
You false alarm. You gutter" he
answered. Alix laughed, trife guilt
lily. Also she flushed, with a great
wave of splendid young color that
made her face look seventeen again.
Your father left you-somethlng,
Alix!" Peter asked presently, with
some hesitation.
"That," she answered frankly, ''is
where Anne comes in!"
"Anne!"
"Anne and Justin came straight
over" AliX went on, "and they were
really lovely. Doctor Younger and
George Sewall were here every day;
you and George were named as execu-
tors. l was SO mixed up In policies
and deeds and overdue taxes and In
terest and bonds"
Poor old Alix, If had only been
here to help you'll" the man said. And
for a moment they looked little con-
sciously at each other.
"Well, anyway" the girl resumed
hastily, when 1t came to reading the
will. Anne and Justin sprung mine
under US! 1t seems that ten years
ago, when the Strickland patent fire
cxtinguisher was put upon the mar
ket, my adorable father didn't have
much money-he never did have.
somehow. So Anne's father, my Un-
Gle Vincent, went into 1t with him to
the extent of about three thousand
dollars"
"Three thousand!" Peter. who had
been leaning forward, earnestly at
tentive, echoed in relief.
"That was all. Dad had about
three hundred. Dad did all the work.
and put In his three hundred and Un-
Gle Vincent put in three thousand
and the funny thing is" Alix broke
off to say, musingly, "Uncle Vincent
was perfectly splendid about 1t; my
self remember him saying, Don't
worry, Lee. I'm speculating on my
own responsibility, not yours"
"Well!" Peter prompted, as she hes
itated.
"Well. They had written agree
ment then, giving Uncle Vincent
third interest in the patent, should 1t
be sold or put on the market"
Hal" Peter calculated, struck.
(which, of course, was only a little
while before Uncle Vincent died." Alix
went on, with grave nod. '"rhe
agreement lay in Dads desk all these
years-fancy how easily he might
have burned it many's the time! But
he didn't. George Sewall says that
Anne is right. They've broken the
will"
Peter, in the silence, whistled ex.
pressively.
"Gee-rusalem !" he exclaimed. "What
does it come toy
At this Alix looked very sober.
gazed down at the fire and shook her
head.
'All he had" she answered. briefly.
Peter was silent, looking at her in
stupefaction
almost, that is" Alix amended
more chcerfully. "As it was-we
should have had more than thirty
thousand apiece. AS it is, Anne gets
it all. or If not quite all, nearly ALL"
"Gcts!' he echoed, holly. "IIew do
you mean?'
ut seems to he perfectly just the
girl answered. rather lifelessly. But
cbn lnuuboJ i.npp't lnnl.