The Raymer enterprise., 1922-02-09

| tramp0 ana reaQln8-tO8etnct. Aro
that 4 pretty good basis for mar.
riage?"
"No!" Alix had answered. decidedly.
"Perhaps II l were madly In love with
you I should say yes, and trust to
little fingers to lead you gently, and
| so on"
He remembered ending the CONVEX.
satlon in one Of his quick moods Of
irritation against her. II she couldn't
take anybody or anything seriously
he had said.
Poor AlIx-she was taking life serl.
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. Think" Allx 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 q
maid, believe"
"She must love him." Peter submit
ted. Alix looked surprised.
"Why mott" she smiled. II suppose
when you've had ups and downs with
a 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 1t works that wayf"
Peter asked, with keen look.
swell, don't you think sof Aren't
lots of marriages like that?"
"YOu false alarm. You quitter!" he
answered. Allx laughed. a trlfe guilt.
lily. Also she flushed. with a great
wave Of splendid young color that
made her face look seventeen again.
Your father left you-s0mething.
Alixi" Peter asked presently, with
some hesitation.
"That," she answered frankly, rs
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. was so mixed up In policies
and deeds and overdue taxes and In.
terest and bonds
"Poor old Allx. IL / had only been
here to help you'll" the man said. And
for 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
cxtingulsher was put upon the mar.
ket, my adorable father didn't have
much money-he never did have.
somehow. So Anne's father, my I'm.
Gle Vincent, went into It 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" Allx broke
of to say, musingly, Uncle Vincent
was perfectly splendid about It; my
self remember him saying, Don't
worry, Lee. I'm speculating on my
own responsibility. not yours"
"Wells" Peter prompted, as she hes;
itated. l.Js"
"Well. They had a written agree
ment then, giving Uncle Vincent 9
third interest in the patent, should II
be sold or put on the market"
Hal" Peter calculated, struck.
"Which, Of course, was only little
while before Uncle Vincent died." Ali1
went on, with grave nod. "The
agreement lay In Dads desk all these
years-fancy how easily he might
have burned It many's the time! Blu,
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. "Whnt
does 1t come tor
At this Allx looked very sober
gazed down at the fire and shook heI
head.
"All he hadw she answered, briefly
Peter was silent, looking at her In
stupefactlon.
"Almost. that is." Alix amended
more cheerfully. "As 1t was-wt
should have had more than thirty
thousand apiece. As 1t is, Anne geti
1t all, or II not quite all. nearly ALL"
"Gets!" he echoed, hotly. "HSw dt
you mean?"
ut seems to be perfectly just" thu
girl answered rather llfelessly. BuI
Immediately she laughed. Don't lool
so awful, Peter. In the first place
Cherry and | still have the house. II