The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1922-04-06

Gomez" said Cherry's beartrending
voice, a mere whisper, beside him.
He turned upon her lifeless eyes.
"Gone," he echoed
"Oh, Alix-my darling My own big
sister - Cherry sobbed, falling to her
knees and passionately kissing the
peaceful face. "Oh, Alix, dearest"
The women about broke into tears.
Peter pressed his hand close against
his aching eyeballs, wishing that he
might cry.
"She drove here" he heard a mans
voice saying In the silence, land she
mus have lost control of her car for
a minute. Then-dO you see2-,the
wheel slipped on the bank. Once II
got this far, no power in God :
earth"
mo power I'm Gods earth - another
mans voice said In solemn cOnfrma
ton.
Peter" Cherry said, will YOU come
TO me as soon as you canf I shall
need you"
"As soon as can" he answered
absently.
The car drove away, and be heard
Martin moan again as 1t moved.
Joyce" said a mans kind voice
close beside him. He recognized the
voice rather than the distressed face
of an old friend and neighbor. "JOyce,
my dear fellow" he urged affectionate-
ly, tell us what we may do and Wen
see to II. Pull yourself together, my
dear chap. Now, shall ! telephone for
an-an ambulance? You must help us
just a little here and then Wen spare
you everything else"
"Thank you, Fred" Peter answered
after moment. THANK you. WIN
you help me my-wife-homeT
you wish it that wayf" the other
man said anxiOusly.
please" Peter answered simply.
And instantly there was moving and
clearing in the crowd, a murmurlng
of whispered directions.
After while they were at the noun
tain cabin, and KOw, with tears run
ming down his yellow face, was helping
them Then they went into the old liv-
ing room, and Allx was lying there,
splendid, sweet, untouched, with her
brave, brown forehead Swallowed soft
ly by her brown hair, and her lashes
resting upon her cheeks, and her fin
gers cJasped about the stems of three
great, creamy roses.
There were other flowers all about,
and there were wONen in the room.
White draperies fell with sweeping
lines from the merclful yelling of the
crushed figure. and Alix might have
been only asleep, and dreaming some
heroic dream that lent that secret
pride and JOY TO her mouth and filed
those closed eyes with triumph they
had never known in life.
Peter stood and looked down at her,
and the men and women drew back.
But although the muscles of his mouth
twitched, he did not weep. He looked
long at her, while an utter silence
filled the room and while twilight
deepened into dark over the cabin and
over the mountain above It.
$50 that was your way out, AlixT'
Peter said in toe depth Of his soul.
THAT was your solution for us all ?
You would 70 out of life. away from
the sunshine and the trees and the
hills that you loved so that Cherry
and / should he saved? was blind
not to see 1t. ! have been blind from
the very beginning"
Silence. The room was filing with
shadows. On the mantel was deep
bowl of roses that he remembered
watching her cut-was 1t yesterday or
centuries ago?
II was wrong" he said. But !
think you would be sorry 10 have me
racc-wnat am facing now. You
were always so forgiving, Alx; you
would be the first TO be sorry"
He put his hand over the tigerish
pain that was beginning to reach his
heart. His throat felt thick and
cholled. and still he did not cry.
IAN hour ago" he said, eff il had
been that the least thought of what
! this meant to You might have reached
me an hour ago. II would not have
been too late. Alix. one look into your
eyes an hour ago might have saved
us all! Fred" Peter said aloud, with
bitter groan, clinching tight the
hands OF the old friend who had crept
In TO stand beside him. Erred. she was
here. in all her health and JOY and
strength only today. And now"
81 knOw-old man" the other man
muttered lie looked anxiously NJ Pc
ter's terrible face. In the silence the
dog whimpered family. But when Pc
ter, after an endless FIVE minutes
turned away, II was to speak to his
friend in an almost normal voice.
81 must 20 down and see Cherry
Fred. She took her husband 10 the
old house; they were living there"
"Helen will stay here" the old man
assured him quickly. "J1l drive You
down and come back here. We thought
perhaps a few Of us could come here
tomorrow aftern non. Peter" he added
tjmidly With his Redeemed eyes cling