The Dolores star., 1922-04-21

Il
| frightened her. II shall be sick II
20 on this way!" she reminded ner-
self. "And then they will know. They
mustn't know. But Peter she
whispered suddenly. "Peter. who has
ALWAYS been SO good to me-so gen
erous to me-and 1t was Cherry all
the time! Even those years ago
when we used to tease him about the
lady with the crinolines and ringlets'
II was she. But why didn't he ask her
instead OF me7" wondered AK, ana
with an aching head and frowning
brow she began to piece II all To-
gether.
| The terrible truth rose triumphant
| from all her memories. Sometimes Tor
a second hope would flood her with
almost painful Joy, but inevitably the
truth shut down upon her again, and
hope died, and she realized afresh that
sorrow, stronger than before, was
waiting to seize her again.
"Well-I can't stand 1t In mere
Allx said, suddenly. She crossed to
the door, and opened 1t. and slipped
noiselessly out into the night, catch-
ing coat from the rack as she
passed.
The night was wrapped In an ocean
fog. there was no moon and no stars
| but the air was soft and warm. win
no goal in view. Allx climbed upward,
walking rapidly, breathing hard, ana
| frequently speaking aloud, as some
poignant thought smOte her. or stand
ing still. too sick with pain, under an
unexpected rush of emotion, to move.
"He would have told me about 1t
why didn't l let him!" ran Alix's
thoughts. 81 thought Of some older
woman. ! don't know why-anyway,
| didn't care so much then. But care
nowI Peter, l care now! l can't give
you up, even to Cherry. II is non
sense to talk of giving him up" AliS
told herself, sitting down in the inky
dark, on log against which her wild
walk had suddenly brought her, ''for
we are all married people. and we all
| love each other. But oh, | am so sor-
| ry! l am so sorry. Peter" she whis-
pered, as If she were speaking to him.
You couldn't help 1t, l know that.
She is so pretty and so sweet, Cherry
and she turns to you as If you were
her big brother!"
She got to her feet and went on.
What am / thinking about-lt's ab-
surd Can't people like each other. in
| this world, just because they happen
to be married, Peter would be the
| first to laugh at me. And is it fair to
Cherry even to think that she would
"Oh, but it's true" the honester i'm
| pulse interrupted. mercilessly. ut Is
true. Whether it's right or wrong, or
sensible or absurd, they do love each
other; that's what has changed them
| both"
And she began to remember hundred
"a thousand-trifies that made it all
hideously clear. Words, gances,
moods subtler than either, came back
to her. Cherry's confusion of late,
when the question Of her return to
Martin was raised, her indifference to
her Inheritance, her restless talk dur
ing one hour of immediate departure,
and during the next Of an apparently
termless visit; all these were signifi-
cant now.
II am desperately unhappy" Cherry
had said. And Immediately after that,
Alix recalled wretchedly, had come a
brief anc apparently aimless talk
about Alix's rights, and her eagerness
to share them with her sister.
Poor Cherry!" the older sister said
aloud, standing still for a moment,
and pressing both hands over her hot
eyes. Poor little old Cherry-life
hasn't been very kind to herl She
and Peter must be SO sorry and
ashamed about this And Dad would
be SO sorry; of all things he wanted
most that Cherry should be happy !
Perhaps" thought Alix, "he realized
that she was that sort of nature, she
must love and be loved, or she cannot
live! But why did he let her marry
Martin, and why wasn't he here tc
keep me from marrying Peter? What
a mess-mesS-mess we've made of II
all -
AS she used the term, she realized
that Cherry had used 1t, too, this same
evening, and fresh conviction was
added to the great weight of convic
tiOn In her heart.
"Oh, Peter-Peter-Pete sht
moaned, writhing as the cry escaped
her. "Why couldn't 1t have been me
why couldn't you have loved me tha
way? l know I am not so pretty n!
Cherry" Alix went on, resuming hel
restless walk, land know that thos,
things don't seem to mean as much t.
me as to most women But, Peter
she said softly, aloud, mo wife eve,
loved man more than love you, m,
dear" She remembered some of hi!
half-laughing. half-fretful reproaches
when he had told her that she lovet
him much as she loved Buck and that
in these respects, she was no NOR,
than n healthy child. ~ NAV be ,
child" said Alix, feeling that a DIR,
flame was consuming her heart, "bu
child can love! My dear-my dear