The Dolores star., 1922-03-03

tramps and reading-togethef. lnV
that . pretty good basis for mar
riage7"
"Noi" Alix had answered, decidedly.
Perhaps II were madly In love with
you 1 should say yes, and trust to
little fingers to lead you gently. and
| so on"
He remembered ending the cOnver-
sation in one of his quick moods OF
irritation against her. II she couldn't
fake anybody or anything seriously
he had said.
Poor Alix-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 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 goodr Peter said.
shaking his head.
| Doesn't seem to! 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 q
maid. l believe"
"She must love him." Peter submit
ted. Alix looked surprised.
"Why not2' she smiled. Il 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 1t works that wayT
Peter asked, with a keen look.
well, don't you think so2 Aren't
lots Of marriages like thatT"
You false alarm. You quitter!" he
answered. Alix laughed, trifle guilt
| lily. Also She flushed. with a great
wave Of splendid young color that
made her face look seventeen again.
Your father left you-somethlng.
Alixi" Peter asked presently, with
some hesitation.
THAT" she answered frankly, "is
where Anne comes inI"
"Annei"
"Anne and Justin came straight
over" Alix went on, land 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 Alix, II I had only been
here to help you'll" the man said. And
| for a moment they looked little con-
| sciously at each other.
"Well, anyway" the girl resumed
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 Un-
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 Un-
and the funny thing is" Ali1 broke
Off to say, musingly. Uncle Vincent
was perfectly splendid about II; my
self remember him saying. Don't
worry, Lee. I'm specializing on my
own responsibility, not yours"
"WellT Peter prompted, as she hes
itated.
"Well. They had a written agree
ment then, giving Uncle Vincent q
third interest in the patent, should 1t
be sold or put on the market"
"Haw Peter calculated, struck.
(which. Of course, was only little
while before Uncle Vincent died." Alix
went on, with a grave nod. 1.-THE
agreement lay in Dads desk all these
years-fancy how easily he might
have burned 1t many's the timel But
he didn't. George Sewall says that
Anne is right. They've broken the
will"
Peter, in the silence, whistled ex-
pressively.
"Gee-rusalem !" he exclaimed. "What
does it come to?"
| At this Alix looked very sober,
gazed down at the fire and shook her
| head.
"All he had!" she answered, briefly.
Peter was silent, looking at her in
stupefaction.
| almost, that Is" Alix amended
more cheerfully. "As it was-we
should have had more than thirty
thousand apiece. As 1t is, Anne gets
1t all, or il not quite all, nearly ALL"
Gets" he echoed, hotly. How do
you meant"
ut seems to be perfectly just" the