The Dolores star., 1922-05-12

light for him again! But she did not
stir.
Gomez" said Cherry's heartrending
voice, mere whisper, beside him.
He turned upon her lifeless eyes.
Gone" he echoed.
"Oh. Alix-my darling! My own big
sisterl" 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 mans
voice saying in the silence, land she
must have lost control Of her car for
minute Then-do you see?-the
wheel slipped on the bank. Once it
got this far, no power in Gods
earth"
mo power in Gods earth!' another
mans voice said In solemn contirma-
tion.
Peter" Cherry said, will you come
to me as soon as you can? I shall
need you"
"As soon as 1 can" he answered
| absently.
The car drove away. and he heard
Martin moan again as 1t moved.
Joyce" said 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 We'll
see to it. Pull yourself together, my
dear chap. Now, shall telephone for
an-an ambulance? You must help us
| just a little here and then We'll spare
you everything else"
THANK you, Fred" Peter answered
after moment Thank you. VIII
you wish It that way?" the other
man said anxiously.
please" Peter answered simply.
And Instantly there was moving and
| clearing In the crowd, n murmuring
of whispered directions.
After while they were at the noun
tain cabin, and Kow, with tears rum
ming down his yellow face, was helping
them. Then they went into the old liv-
| ing room, and Alix was lying there,
| splendid, sweet, untouched, with her
brave, brown forehead shadowed soft
ly by her brown hair, and her lashes
resting upon her cheeks, and her fin
| gers cIasped about the stems of three
great, creamy roses.
| There were other flowers all about,
and there We're women in the room.
| White draperies fell with sweeping
lines from the merciful 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 a 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
filed the room and while twilight
| deepened into dark over the cabin and
over the mountain above 1t.
$50 that was your way out, Alix?'
Peter said in the depth of his soul
THAT was your solution for US all ?
You would go out of life, away from
the sunshine and the trees and the
hills that you loved, so that Cherry
and I should be saved? | was blind
not to see it. have been blind from
the very beginning"
| Silence. The room was filling with
shadows. On the mantel was deep
bowl of roses that he remembered
watching her cut-was it yesterday or
centuries ago?
Il was wrong" he said. But ]
think you would be sorry to have me
face-wnat I am facing now. You
were always 50 forgiying, Alix; 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
choked, and still he did not cry.
IAN hour ago." he said, "if it had
been that the least thought of what
this meant to you might have reached
me an hour ago, it 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
n bitter groan, cllnching tight the
hands of the old friend who had crept
in to stand beside him, Fred, she was
here, in all her health and Joy and
strength only today And now"
Il know-old man" the other man
muttered. He looked anxiously at Pc
ter's terrible face. In the silence the
dog whimpered family. But when Pc
ter, after an endless five minutes.
turned AWAY, 1t was to speak to his
friend in an almost normal voice.
81 must 90 down and see Cherry.
Fred. She took her husband to the
old house; they were living there"
Helen will stay here" the old man
assured him quickly. "Inl drive you
down and come back here. We thought
perhaps n few of us could come here