, 1922-01-11
CHAPTER TX.
3

In January. however, he came home
one noon to find her hated and
wrapped to go.
"0h, Mart-it's Daddy" she said.
Hes Hive got to see him! He's
awfully ILL.,"
Telegram" asked Martin, not par
ticularly pleased, but not unsympa-
thetic, either.
For answer she gave him the yellow
paper that was wet with her tears.
Dad ILL.," he read. Don't worry.
Come If you can. Alix."
'I1l bet it's a put-up job between
you and Alix-" Martin said in indul-
gent suspicion.
Her indignant glance sobered him
he hastily arranged money matters INT
that night she got off the train in the
dark wetness of the valley, and was
met by a rush of cool and fragrant
air. Cherry got a driver, ratified and
jerked up to the house in a surrey,
and jumped out, her heart almost suf-
locating her.
Alix came flying to the door; the
old lamplight and the odor of wood
smoke poured through. There was
no need for words; they burst into
tears and chung together.
An hour later Cherry, feeling as if
she was not the same woman who
walked in Red Creek this same morn
ing n got Martins eggs and coffee
ready, crept into her fathers room.
Alix had warned her to be quiet, but
at the sight of the majestic old gray
head and the fine old hands clasped
together on the sheet, her ~self-control
forsoOk her entirely and she fell TO
her knees and began to cry again.
The nurse looked at her disapprov-
ingly, but after all, it made little diff
ference. DIR. Strickland reused only
one again and that was many hours
later. Cherry and Alix were still
keeping their vigil; Cherry, worn out,
had been DOING; the nurse was rest
ing on a couch in the next room.
Suddenly both daughters were wide
awake at the sound of the hoarse yet
familiar voice. Alix fell on her knees
and caught the cold and wandering
hand.
what is 1t, darling7" The old, half
JOhih6 IAalClh maj II was al III
earnest now.
"Peter?y he said thickly.
"Peter's In China, dear. You remem-
Der that Peter was to go around the
world? You remember that, Dad?"
Mo" he said musingly. They
thought he slept again, but he present
ly added: Somewhere In Matthew
No in NTorly NTo~Ir q, 4Io h,,rro, 1~o
Mark was as human as his Mas
ter"
shall I read you from Mark?" Alix
asked, as his voice sank again. A
shabby old Bible always stood at her
fathers bedside; she reached for it,
and making a desperate effort to
steady her voice, began to read. The
place was marked by an old letter,
and opened at the chapter he seemed
to desire. for as she read he seemed
TO be drinking in the words. Once
they heard him whisper, wonderful ~
Cherry got up on the bed and tool
the splendid dying head in her arms
the murky winter dawn crept in and
the lamp burned sickly in the daylight.
Hong could be heard stirring. Alix
closed the book and extinguished the
lamp. Cherry did not move.
"Charltyi" the old man said pres
emily, in a simple. childish tone. Later,
with bursts of tears, in all the utter
%desolation of the days that followed.
Cherry loved to remember that his
last %utterance was her name. But
AK knew, though she never said 1t,
hat it was to another Charity he
spoke.
ner in their new black, she sisters
came downstairs. ten days later. for
a business talk. Peter had been named
as one executor; but Peter was far
away and It was a pleasant family
friend, n kindly old surgeon of DR..
Strickland's age, or near 1t. and
the lawyer, George Sewnll, the other
executor, who told them about their
affairs. Anne. as co-heiress, was pres
ent at this talk, with Justin citing
close beside her. Martin, too. who
had come down for the funeral, was
there.
The house went to the daughters
there were books and portraits for
Anne, a box or two in storage for
Anne, and Anne was mentioned in the
only will as equally inheriting with
Alexandra and Charity. For some
legal reason that the lawyer and DR..
Younger made clear. Anne could not