Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-05-13
xII-continued.

II
~ don't hate him." she answered
~n3Nkv Indeed | don't. And 1t isn't
s.,xf HE place and the life, Peterl
..en,d be happy In two roOms-some-
.-,,.,. -anyWhere- But nOt-With
nina oh. Peter, If hadn't done tt"
41ar beauty. as she pushed her plate
ssiae and leaned toward him, was so
.fs-{Iing that Peter lighted match
hslf-raised 10 a fresh cigarette, put
~ match down aimlesSly and looked
ghaflehffully at the cigarette, and laid
4hnf down. too without the faintest
fanstl business Of what he was doing
rrha dav was warm and there was a
4sffIa dampness on her white forehead.
wlaere the gold hair chung to the brim
Hi fho dropping hat The soft curve
III her chin. the babyiSh shortness of
hnr upner lip. and the crimson sweet
moss Of the little earnest mouth had
ne9er seemed more lovely than they
wars today She was youth incanate,
unfpitatng, flushed unspoiled.
For a moment she looked down at
ne table and the color flooded her
4aee. then she looked him straight in
4hAtyes and smiled. well! Perhaps
ii IN all work out right, Peter" she
xaid with the childish, questioning look
thaf so wrung his heart. She imme-
tiafely gathered her possessions to-
aether to go, hut when they stepped
into sunshiny Geary street 1t was three
0't}bck. and Peter suggested that they
vail down to the boat.
; They met Alix on the boat. but she
did not ask any embarrassing ques-
ti0ns she sat between them on the
upper deck, blinking contentedly at
the blue satin bay, her eyes following
the wheeling gulls or the passage of
ships, her mind evidently concerned
only with the idle pleasantness of the
Hl0nent. And always, for Peter, there
wns the same joyous sense Of some
thing new--sOmething significant
GONG thing ecstatic in life.
Ffom that hour he was never quite
At ease in Cherry's company and
AVOIDED being alone with her even for
IN instant, although her presence al
ways caused him the new and tingling
delight He read her honest b.ue eyes
truly, and knew that although, like
himself, she was conscious of the new
sweetness and brightness of life, she
had never entertained for an instant
the fitting thought that 1t was Peters
faeaing for her that made it so. She
thought, perhaps, that 1t would be the
Old childish happiness that she had
known in the valley, the freedom and
leisure and responsibility of the old
DAYS.
The next day she talked In a trou-
bIed, uncertain way of going back to
Red Creek, and he knew why. But
All was so aghast at the idea, and
Peter, who was closing DIR. Strick-
land S estate, was so careful to depart
early in the mornings and return only
iate at night, that the little alarm, If
e was that, died away.
he next time that Cherry went in
- town Alix did not go, and Peter,
Mfflng on the deck of the early boat
Hhh her. asked her again to have
Mncheon with him. Immediately
elond fell on her face and he saw her
hfeast rise quickly.
Peter" she asked him childishly.
lpoknG straight into his eyes, why
asan't we tell Allx about that?"
Peter tried TO laugh and felt himself
begin to tremble again.
About whatT' he stammered.
About our having been three hours
af lunch last week?"
NWhy-I don't knowI" Peter said,
zMling neTvously.
She was silent, and they parted
wNhout any further reference to meet
5na for lunch
That night, when Alix had gone to
psi he entered the sitting room sud
ply to find Cherry hunting for
poDk. She had dropped on one knee,
Ene better 10 reach low shelf. and
vas wholly absorbed in the volume
M had CHANGED to open.
When she heard the door open she
Snfned. and Immediately became very
rae She did not speak as Peter
Rsrne to stand beside her.
sS CHERRY" he said In a whisper,
ne face close to hers. Neither spoke
asain for while. Cherry was breath
znE hard; Peter was conscious only Of
wild whirliDg of brain and senses.
They remained so, their eyes fixed,
fher breath coming as If they had
Deen running, for endless seconds.
You remember the question you
SC me this morningT Peter said.
10 you remember7 Do you remem-
berY'
Cherry. her cold fingers stll holding
ne place In the book she had been
rea ding, went bllndly to the fireplace.
"What?" she said, IN the merest
hfeath "WhatT'
Because" Peter said. following her.
sort Of heady madness making him
Pr conscious Of that need to hear
To- her own Fps that she knew, "be-
use didn't answer that question
MneStlyt"
It mattered not what he said, or
#1at he was trying TO express; both