, 1922-01-11

that a pretty good basis for mar.
riage?"
NOR AK had answered, decidedly.
Perhaps if l. We're niadly in love with
you l should say yes, and trust to
7 little fingers to lead you gently. and
; so on"
sation in n of his quick moods of
irritation against her. If she couldn't
take anybody or anything seriously
he had said.
Poor AIiX-she was taking life seri-
ously enough tonight, Peter thought,
as he watched her.
Tell ME about Cherry" he said.
Cherry is well. but just a 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 toll It's partly Cher
ry, / think" Alix said honestly. "She
was too young, really. She never
quite settles down, or takes life IN
earnest But he's got a contract now
for three years, and so she seems to
be resigning herself, and she has a
maid, l believe"
"She must love him." Peter submit
ted. Alix looked surprised.
why notY' 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 it works that way?'
Peter asked. with a keen look.
We'll, don't you think So? Aren't
lots of marriages like that?"
you false alarm. You gutter 7" he
answered. Alix laughed, a trife guilt
ily. Also She flushed, with a great
wave of splendid young color that
made her face look seventeen again.
Your father left you-something.
Alixfr Peter asked presently, with
some hesitation.
That" she answered frankly. sis
where Anne comes in !"
Amer"
Anne and Justin came straight
over" Alix vent on. .'and they were
really lovely. Doctor Younger and
George Sewall were here every day /;
you and George were named as execu-
tors. l was so mixed up in policies
and deeds and overdue taxes and in
terest and bonds
Poor old AIix, IL l had only been
here to help your the nan said. And
for a m they looked a little con-
sciously- at each other.
We'll, anyway" the girl resume
hastily, when 1t came to reading the
Will, Anne and Justin sprung a mine
under us 1t seems that ten years
ago, when the Strickland patent fire
extinguisher was put upon the mar
ket, my adorable father didn't have
much money-he never did have,
somehow. SO Anne's father, my Tn
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 I'm
Gle Vincent put in three thousand
and the funny thing Isl Aiix broke
off to say, musingly, Uncle Vincent
was perfectly splendid about 1t l my
self remember him saying, Don't
worry, Lee. I'm specializing on my
own responsibility, not yours"
"Well?" Peter prompted. as she hes
itated.
We'll. They had o written agree-
ment then, giving Uncle Vincent a
third interest in the patent, should 1t
be sold or put on the market
"HaI' Peter calculated, struck.
(which, Of course, was only Il little
while before Uncle Vincent died." Alix
went on, with a grave nod. ''The
agreement lay in Dads desk all these
years-fancy how ensily HI might
have burned 1t many's the time But
he didn't. George Sewall says thai
Anne is right. They've broken the
WILL
Peter, in the silence. whistIed ex-
pressively.
"Gee-rusalem !" he exclaimed. What
does 1t come tor"
At this Alix looked very sober,
gazed down at the fire and shook her
head.
"All he had" she answered. briefly.
Peter ysas silent, looking at her in
stupefaction.
almost. that is" ak amended
more cheerfully. "As 1t was-we
should have had more than thirty
thousand apiece. AS 1t is, Anne gets
1t all, or If not quite al. nearly all"
Gets !" he echoed. holly. "How do
you meant"
ut seems to be perfectly just" the
girl answered. rather lifelessly. But
Immediately she laughed. Don't look
SO awful. Peter. In the first place.