, 1922-02-01

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he would have spoken. "Let's-Fd
rather noti where Is my book :?
What was 1 doing? Peter-Peter-"
Just a minute" Peter protested
thickly. "Cherry-I want to speak to
you-wiIl you wait a 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 h0ur
before; she was in her wrapper and
her hair fell over one shoulder in a
rumpled braid. Cherry, sick with
fright, faced her in a sort of horror,
unable to realize at that momen that
there was nothing %betraying in her
attitude or Peters, and nothing in her
sisters unsuspicious soul to give signl-
ficance to what she saw, in any case.
Peter, more quickly recovering self
control, went toward his wife.
"Pete!" she said. "Cherry! Look
at thisl Look at this !"
Suc uciu TIE DupcI OUT " tlell, OUT
it was rather at her that they looked,
as all three gathered near the hearth
again. &.
81 happened to finish my novel;"
Alix said, and l reached for Dads
old Bible-it's been there on the shelf
neal my bed ever since l was married,
and I've even read it, tool 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 trouble !" Alix exulted to the still
bewildered Cherry. ITS been there
all this time-and Cherry" she added
in a voice rich with love n memory,
that's what he mean by saying it
was in Matthew, don't you remember?
Doesn't 1t mean that, Pete? Isn't it
perfectly clear?"
1T means only about fifty thousand
for you and Cherry" Peter answered.
"Yes sir, by George-it's perfectly
clearl He paid it back-every cent of
it, and got his receipt! H'm-this
puts rather a crimp in Little's plans
I'll see him tomorrow. This calls off
his suit"
Really, Peter?" Alix asked, with
dancing eyes. "And it means that you
can keep the old house, Cerise,'' she
exclaimed t~riumphantly, and we can
be together part of the year, anyway !
Oh, come on, everybody, n sit down,
and let's talk and talk about It'll Let
me see it again-fn 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 4;
Cherry had looked pale and distracted
II had not seemed half enthusiastic
enough.
1t was a Sunday, foggy and overcast,
but not cold. The vines about the
porch 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 it?"
Talk" she faltered. Her voice
rather noti" she whispered, with n
frightened glance about.
listen, Cherry !" he said, following
her to the wide porch rail and stand
ing behind her as she sat down upon
it. I'm sorry! I'm just as sorry MS
/ can be. But l can't help 1t, Cherry.
I'm as surprised as you are-I can't
tell you when tit 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 sorryr" Cherry wills
pered on a breath of utter distress.
Pm so sorry Oh, Peter, we never
should have let it happen-our caring
for each otherl We never should have
allowed ourselves to think-to dream
OF such a thlngl oh, Peter, Pm so
sick about It," Cherry added, inco-
herently, with filling eyes. I'm just
sick about it! / know know that
Alix would never have permitted her
self to--I know she wouldn'tr'
He was close 10 aer, and now he
laid his hand over hers.
II care" he said, quite involun-
tarily, 81 have always cared for
you'll l know it's madness-I know
it's too late-but I love every hair of
your beautiful head Cberry-Cher-
ry--1"
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 elung