The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1922-03-16


frightened her. 81 shall be sick If !
20 on this wayi" she reminded her
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 II was Cherry all
the time Even those years ago
when we used to tease him about the
lady with the crinolines and ringlets.
it was she. But why didn't he ask her
instead OF me7" wondered Alix, and
with an aching head and a frowning
brow she began to piece 1t all to-
gether.
The terrible truth rose triumphant
from all her memories. Sometimes for
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 here I"
Alix said, suddenly. She crossed to
the door, and opened it, 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. With
no goal in view, Alix climbed upward,
walking rapidly, breathing hard, and
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 it
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
now Peter, l care now ! can't give
you up, even TO Cherry. II is non
sense to talk of giving him up" Alix
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 l thinking about-It's alb
surd Can't people like each otner. in
this world, just because they happen
TO be married Peter would be the
first TO laugh at me. And is il fair to
Cherry even to think that she would
"Oh, but it's true the hcnester inn
pulse interrupted, mercilessly. 1T 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-trifes, 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,
termless visit; all these were signif-
cant now.
II am desperately unhappy Cherry
had said. And Immediately after that,
Alix recalled wretchedly, had come a
brief and apparently aimless talk
about Alix's rights, and her eagerness
| to share them with her sister.
FL, al I
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 her 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, she realized
that she was that sort of a nature, she
must love and be loved, or she cannot
| livel But why did he let her marry
Martin, and why wasn't he here to
keep me from marrying Peter? What
observation-disclosures we've made of IL
allp
AS she used the term, she realized
that Cherry had used ii, too, this same
evening, and fresh conviction was
added to the great weight of convic-
ton In her heart.
"Oh, Peter-Peter-Pete ~ she
moaned, writing as the cry escaped
her. "Why couldn't 1t have been me,
why couldn't you have loved me that
way? l know l am not so pretty as
Cherry" Alix went on, resuming her
restless walk. land l know that those
things don't seem to mean as much to
me as to most women! But, Peter"
she said softly, aloud, mo wife ever
loved a man more than love you, my
dear" She remembered some Of his
half-laughing. half-fretful reproaches,
when he had told her that she loved
him much as she loved Buck. and that.
in these respects, she was no more
than healthy child. 81 may be a
child" said Alix, feeling that a dry
flame was consuming her heart, "but
a child can love Ny dear-my dear