The Holly chieftain., 1922-03-09
CHAPTER xiv.

like a fever-it's like sickness. I'm
never happy, any more, unless my
arms are about you. VIII you let me
take you somewhere. where we can be
happy together?'
Cherry turned her confident, child
ish face toward Limi; her lashes gilt.
tered, but she smiled.
II love you, Peter!" she said. And
the words, sounding softly through the
silence of the garden. died away on
the warm night air like music.
In the two weeks since the day at
the old house they had not chanced to
be often alone. and tonight, for the
first time, Cherry admitted that she
could fight no longer. They talked as
lovers, his arm about the soft little
cllnglng figure, her small. firm fingers
tight In his own. He had squared
about on the great log that was their
seat so that his ardent eyes were
closer to her; the world held nothing
but themselves. 1t was eight o'clock.
$50 this is the thing that was walt
Ing for us all these years. Cherry, ever
since the time you and Allx used to
dam my brook and climb my oak
| trees!" ~
~ never dreamed of 1t" Cherry
said, with wonder in her tone.
"If we had dreamed of It" Peter
began, and stopped.
"Ah, If we had. it would all be diff
ferent," Cherry said, with look of
pain. "Thnt's the one thing / can't
bear to think of! l cannot go back to
Martin. can't leave you'll can't leave
you!"
"Shall we go away?" Peter asked,
simply.
go where?' she asked.
go anywhere he answered. ave
have money enough; we can leave
Alix rich-she will still have her cabin
and her dogs and the life she loves.
But there nre other tiny places, Cher
ry; there are little cabins in Hawaii,
there are Canadian villages-Cherry,
there are thousands Of places in the
south of France where we might live
for years and never be questioned, and
never be annoyed"
"France!" she whispered, and the
downcast face he was watching so
eagerly was thoughtful. "How could
we CO." she breathed. you first, and
then 1? To meet somewhere?"
"We would have to so together"
he decided swiftly. EVERY one must
know, dear; you realize that?"
Wide-eyed she was staring at him
as If spell-bound by some new hope |;
now she shrugged her shoulders in
careless disdain.
"That isn't of any consequence
"You don't feel 1t so!'' He sat down
beside her, and again they locked
hands.
mot that part she answered, sim
ply. II mind-Alix," she added,
thoughtfully.
"Yes. l mind Alix!" he admitted.
But the injury is done to Alix now"
Cherry said, slowly. "NOw it is too late
to 60 back! You and couldn't-we
couldn't deceive Allx here, Peter"
Cherry added. and as she turned to
him he saw her thin white blouse move
suddenly with the quick rising Of her
heart. "That-that would be too hor-
rIblel But I could take this love of
ours away, leave everything else be-
hind, slmply-simply recognize" STAN
mered Cherry, her lips beginning to
tremble, "that 1t Is bigger than our
selves that we can't help 1t. Peter.
I'd fight it II could" she added, pite-
ously, "Td 90 away If / didn't know
that no power on earth could keep me
from coming back"
She buried her head on his shoulder.
and he put his arm about her, and
there was utter silence over the great
brOOding mountain, and in the valley
brimming with soft mOonshlne, and in
the garden.
II believe that even Alix Will under
stand" Peter said after awhile. "She
loves you and me better than any one
else In the world; she Is not only ev-
erythlng that Is generous. but she isn't
selfish, she Is the busiest and the most
sensible person ever knew. I know
of course know it's rotten" he broke
Off In sudden despair, but what I'm
trying to say Is that Alix, Of all peo-
pie I know, Is the one that Will make
the least fuss about It"
Cherry was staring raptly before
her; now she grasped his hand and
said breathlessly:
"Oh, Peter, are we talking about 1t?
Are we talking about our going away,
and belonging to each OtherT"
What else?' he said, quick tears
In las eyes.
"Oh, but I've been 30 unhappy. I've
been so starved" she whispered. II
thought wanted people-cities-I
thought I wanted to go on the stage.
But 1t was only you wanted. oh,
Peter. what life 1t will be! The lit
tlest cottage, the simplest life. and
perhaps beach or woods to walk In
and always talking. reading. always
together. Isn't there some way we
can get away, disappear as IL we had
never been?"
Cherry" he said, kneellng before