Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-01-17
CHAPTER XVI.

The evening dragged. Allx had sug
gested bridge, but Martin did not play
bridge. So she went to the piano, and
began to ramble through various
songs.
Cherry and Peter, left at the table,
did not speak to each other; Peter
leaned back In his chair, with ciga.
rette; Cherry dreamily pushed to and
fro the little anagram wooden block
letters. -, -
But presently her heart gave great
plunge, and although she did not alter
her different attitude. or raise her
eyes, her white hand moved with d.
reeted impulse. and Peters casual
glance fell upon the word Alone"
When he laid his finished cigarette
in the tray, il was to finger the let
tiers himself, In turn, and Cherry real
lied with great thrill OF relief that
he was answering her. Care.essly, and
obllterating one word before he began
another, he formed the question: my
office tomorrow"
"Martin always with me-" Cherry
spelled back. She did not glance at
Peter, but at Martin, who was watch
ing tte Gfe, and at Allx, whose back
was toward the room.
"Cone on. have another gameT
Peter asked, generally, while he
spelled Quicfly:. "'Wnl arrange sail
ing first possible. day."
AlIx, humming with her song, said:
"Wait a few minutes!' and Martin
glanced up to say, "No, I'm no good ut
that thing!"
Then Cherry and Peter were unob-
served again, and she spelled Mart
goes Monday. Plans to take me-"
Peter had reached for O magazine;
he whirled through the pages, and
yawned. Then he began to play with
the anagrams again.
"Can you get away without himf
he spelled.
"How?" Cherry instantly asked.
And as Peters hands went on build
ing a little bridge of wooden letters,
she went on: "Alix to train, Martin
with me to city, impossible"
"Glve him the Slip" Peter spelled.
And after pause he added, life or
DEATH" go"
Difficult to evade," Cherry spelled,
wipng the words away )ne by one.
'Must wait" Peter began. AllI,
ending her song on crash of chords,
came to the table, interrupting him.
Cherry was now lazlly reading maga-
zine; Peter had built little pen Of
tiny blocks.
"Fll go you!" Ali1 said, with spirit.
But the game was rather languid
one, nevertheless, and when it was
over they gathered yawnlng about the
mantel, ready to disperse for the
night.
"And tomorrow night we dine in
town and go to the Orpheum?" Ali1
asked, for the plan had been suggest
ed at dinner-time.
It'll blow you girls to any show you
like" Martin offered. rt
Remarking that he was tired, Peter
went to his room. Cherry, with only
general goodnight, also disappeared.
to find Alix arranging beds and Pill.
lows on their sleeping porch.
"Oh, AliX-Im so worried-Im so
sick with worry" Cherry whispered.
"He won't listen to me. He won't
hear of divorce"
~ know!" Alix said, distressedly.
"But what shall l dol can't go
with him." Cherry protested.
Alix was silent.
"What shall do?" Cherry pleaded
again.
"Why, l don't see what else you can
do, but go with him." Alx said, in n
troubled voice. You are his wife.
For better or worse, for richer or
poorer, till death"
It was said so kindly, with Alix's
simple and embarrassed fashion of
giving advice, that poor Cherry could
not resent 1t. She could only bow her
head desolately upon her knees, as
she sat, child.fashiGn, in her bed, and
cry.
"A nice mess I've made Of my life"
she SObbed. 1--WE made nice mess
Of II! l wish-oh, NY God, how ]
wish was deadr'
my own life has been so darned
easy" Alix unused, in a cautious un-
dertone, sitting. fully dressed, on the
side of her own bed, and studying her
sister with pitying eyes. "rve often
wondered if l could buck up and get
through with It II some OF that sort Of
thing had come TO ME! don't know,
Of course, but 1t seems to me that I'd
say: who loses his life shall gain
it, and I'd stand aHythiug-people
and places / hated, loneliness and pov.
erty-the whole bag of tricks think
/ would. ] mean I'd read the Bible
and Shakespeare. and enjoy my meals,
Gud.. haze n-Ga rden--," Her voice sank.