The Yale expositor., 1922-02-16
CHAPTER XIV.


never happy, any more, unless my
arms are about you. VIII you let me
take you somewhere, where we can be
happy togetherT
Cherry turned her confident, child
ish face toward him; her lashes gilt
tered, but she smiled.
81 love you, Peter! !" she said. And
the words, sounding softly through the
silence OF the garden, died away Oh
the warm night air like music.
In the two weeks since the day at
the old house they had not CHANGED to
he 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
clinging 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 10 her; the world held nothing
but themselves. II was eight o'clock.
80 this is the thing that was wait
ing for us all these years, Cherry, ever
since the time you and Alix used I"
dam my brook and climb my oak
trees :"
81 never dreamed Of It" Cherry
said with wonder lh her tone.
IF we had dreamed Of it" Peter
began, and stopped.
"Ah, if we had, it would all be dit
ferent," Cherry said, with look of
pain. "That's the one thing l can't
bear to think Of | cannot 20 back TO
Martin. can't leave you'll can't leave
your
"Shall we go away2" Peter asked,
simply.
Go where?" she asked.
eco anywhere :" he answered. ave
have money enough; we can leave
Alix rch--she will still have her cabin
ard her dogs and the life she loves.
But there are other tiny places, Cher
ry; there are little cabins in Hawaii,
there are Canadian villages Cherry,
there are thousands Of places I'm 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 brcathed. You first, and
then 1? To meet somewhere"
I'VE would have to 20 together"
he decided swiftly. Every one must
| know. dear; you realize thatT'
Wide-eyed she was staring at him
rs If spell-bound by some new hope;
now she shrugged her shoulders In
| careless dlsdain.
THAT isn't of any consequence
"You don't feel it so" He sat down
beside her, and again they locked
| hands.
Not that part" she answered, sim
| ply. 81 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 go back! You and l cOuldn't--we
couldn't deceive Alix 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-
rible But ! could take this love of
ours away, leave everything else be-
hind, simpy-simply recognize" STAN
mered Cherry, her lips beginning to
tremble, that it is bigger than our
selves that we can't help il, Peter.
| I'd fight it If l could" she added, pite-
ously, "Pd go 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
/ Drumming with soft moonshine, and In
! the garden.
81 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-
erything that is generous, but she isn't
! selfish, she is the busiest and the most
sensible person l ever knew. l 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 / 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 It.?
Are we talking about our going away,
and belonging to each Other?"
"What else?" he said, quick tears
in his eyes.
ooh, but I've been so unhappy. I've
been so starved" she whispered. 81
thought / wanted peOple-cities-I
thought / wanted to go on the stage.
But it was only you l wanted. oh,
Peter, what life II will be The lit
TEST cottage, the simplest life, and
| perhaps n 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 been7"
"Cherry" he said, kneeling before
her in the wet grass. you know what
| II means 4"