The Yale expositor., 1922-02-09

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she broke Off In quick interruption, as
he would have spoken. 'Lets-Pd
rather not where is my book !?
What was i doingf Peter-Peter-"
Just minutev Peter protested
thickly. "Cherry-I want TO speak to
you-will you wait minute?"
She was halfway TO the door; now
she paused. and looked back at him
with frightened eyes. Peter did not
speak at once; there was a moment
Of absolute silence.
.
And In that moment Alix came in.
She had said goodnight half an hour
before; she was in her wrapper and
her hair fell over one shoulder In a
rumpled braid. Cherry, sick with
fright, faced her In sort of horror,
unable to realize at that moment that
there was nothing betraying in her
attitude or Peters, and nothing In her
sisters unsuspicious soul to give signi-
| ficance to what she saw, In any case.
| Peter, more quickly recovering self
control went toward his wife.
"PeteI" she said. Cherry! Look
| at this Look at this"
She held the paper out to them, hut
it was rather at her that they looked,
as all three gathered near the hearth
again.
| II happened to finish my novel,"
Alix said, land ! reached for Dads
old Bible-it's been there on the shelf
near my bed ever since was married,
and I've even read it, too! But look
what was in it-there all this time
It's Uncle Vincent's receipt to Dad
for that three thousand that is making
all the troubled" Alix exulted to the still
bewildered Cherry. Its been there
all this time-and Cherry" she added
in q voice rich with love and memory,
that's what he meant by saying 1t
was in Matthew, don't you remember?
Doesn't 1t mean that, Pete? Isn't 1t
perfectly clear"
1T means only about fifty thousand
for you and Cherry" Peter answered.
"Yes sir, by George-it's perfectly
clear! He paid ii back-every cent of
it, and got his receipt! H'm-this
puts rather a crimp in Titles plans
I'll see him tomorrow. This calls off
his suit"
Really, PeterT Alix asked, with
dancing eyes. "And II means that you
can keep the old house, Cerise." she
exclaimed triumphantly, land we can
be together part of the year, anyway !!
Oh, come on, everybody, and sit down,
and let's talk and talk about 1t! Let
me see II again-'in recognition of all
claims against the patent extinguisher
aforementiOned'-sit down, Pete; it's
only ten o'clock! Let's talk. Aren't
you simply wild with 10y, Cherry?
But she told Peter later that she had
been surprised at Cherry's quietness !;
Cherry had looked pale and distracted
| and had not seemed half enthusiastic
enough.
1t was Sunday, foggy and overcast,
but not cold. The vines about the
porch were covered with tiny beads
of moisture; among the bushes in the
garden little scarfs and wells OF fog
were caught, and from far across the
ridge the droning warning of the fog
horn penetrated. at regular, brief In
tervals. Alix was away.
Cherry" Peter said suddenly, when
the silent meal was almost over, will
you talk about itT'
"Talk-Y she faltered. Her voice
thickened and stopped. ooh, l would
rather mott" she whispered, with a
frightened glance about.
Listen, Cherry" he said. following
her to the wide porch rail and stand
ing behind her as she sat down upon
1t. "Im sOrryl I'm just as sorry as
can be. But can't help 1t, Cherry.
I'm as surprised as you are-I can't
tell you when lit all happened |!
But it" Peter folded his arms across
his chest, and with a grimly squared
jaw looked off into the misty dis
tance-"it is there" he finished.
"Oh, I'm so sOrryl" Cherry whis-
pered on a breath of utter distress.
Pm so sorry! Oh, Peter, we never
should have let 1t happen-our caring
| lOl tdNn Ollti we HtNCl bilOuiu nave
allowed ourselves to think-to dream
of such Il thing! oh, Peter. I'm so
sick about it," Cherry added, inco-
herently, with filling eyes. I'm just
sick about it. I know know thnt
Alix would never have permitted her
self to- know she wouldn'tl"
He was close 10 her. and now he
laid his hand over hers.
81 care" he said, quite involun-
tarily, II have always cared for
you! I know it's Madness know
it's too late-but love every hair of
your beautiful head Cherry-Cher.
ry--w
They had both gotten TO their feet,
and now she essayed TO pass him, her
face white, her cheeks blazing. He
stopped her and held her close in his
arms, and after a few seconds he felt
her resisting muscles relax and they
kissed each other.
For a full dizzy minute they chung
| l.