The Raymer enterprise., 1922-01-19
CHAPTER v-Continued.


tor confessed, amazed. 1--WE seen the
young man-noticed him about. Well
-well-well! Anne, too"
In June came the blissful hour In
which Anne, all bushes and smiles.
could come 10 her uncle with a duti-
full message from the respectfully
hdoring Justin. Their friendship, said
Anne, had r!pened into something
deeper.
Justin wants to have frank talk
with you, uncle" Anne said, ''and
Of course I'm not 10 20 until you are
sure you can spare me and unless you
feel tina, you can trust him utterlyw
Anne's engagement cups were
ranged Oh the table where Cherry's
had stood, and where Cherry had
talked Of coffee -colored rajah silk
Anne discussed the merits Of a "smart
but handsome blue tailormade."
The wedding was 10 be In Septem.
Der. not quite a year after Cherry's
wedding. Allx wrote her sister pages
about 1t, always ending with the EN-.
phatic declaration that Cherry must
come down for the wedding.
Cherry was homeslck. She dreamed
continually Of the cool, high valley
the scented aisles Of the deep forest
the mountain rearing Its rough sum,
init 10 the pale blue Of summer skies
June passed; July passed; It was
hot at the Emmy Younger" August
came In on a furnace breath; Cherry
felt hendachy, languId and half sick
all the time. Martin had said that
he could not possibly get away, even
for the week Of Anne's wedding, but
Cherry began 10 wonder II he would
let her 20 alone.
III he doesn't, shall be slck!" she
fretted to herself, In certain burn.
ing noontime, toward the middle OF
August. Martin, who had been play,
Ing poker the night before, was sleep.
ing late this morning. Coming home
at thee o'clock dazed with close air
and cigar smoke, he had awakened
his wife TO tell her that he would be
dead" In the morning, and Cherry
had accordingly crept about her dress
ing nolselessly, had darkened the bed
room and eaten her own breakfast
without the clatter Of dish. Now
she was sitting by the window, pant,
ing in the noon heat. She was think.
Ing, us It CHANGED, OF the big forest
al home and Of a certain day-just
one Of their happy days only year
ago, when she had lain for dreamy
hour on the soft forest floor, staring
up Idly through the laced fanllke
branches. and she thought Of her ia.
ther, with his mild voice and ready
smile; and some emotion, almost like
fear, came over her. For the first time
she asked herself. In honest bewilder.
menL why shc had married.
The heat deepened and strengthened
and increased as the burning day
wore on. Martin walked up, hot and
hesdachy, and having further dis.
tressed h'riself with strong coffee and
eggs. departed into the dusty, motion.
less Iafaace -of-doors. The far
brown iills shimmered and swan, the
EMMY Younger" looked Its barest,
Its 'xliest, Its least attractive self.
There was q shadow In the door,
way, she looked up surprised. For a
minute the tall figure In striped linen
srd the smiling face under the flow.
ely hg. seemed those of stranger,
Then Cherry cried out and laughed,
and In another instant was crying In
Allx's arms.
Alix cried, too, but II was with q
great rush Of pity and tenderness for
Cherry. AliI had not young love and
novelty TO soften the outlines Of the
Emmy Younger" and she felt. as she
frankly wrote later TO her father, at
last convinced that there is a hell r.
The heat and baroness and ugliness
Of the mine might have been over
looked. but this pocr little house OF
Cherry's, this wood stove draining
white ashes, this tin sink with its
pump, and the bathroom with neither
faucets nor drain. almost bewlldered
Allx with their discomfort.
Even more beWildering was the
change in Cherry. There was q GER
tain hardening that impressed Alix at
once. There was & weary sort Of pa.
thence, disillusloned concession to
the drabness OF married life.
But she allowed the younger sister
10 see nothing Of this. Indeed, Cherry
10 Frightened under the stimulus Of
Alix's companionship that Martin told
her that she was more like her old self
than she had been for months. Joy.
ously she divided her responsibilities
with Alix, explaining the difficulties
Of marketing and housekeeping. and
joyously Alix assumed them. Her VI
tally infected the whole household.
She gave them spirited accounts Of
Anne's affair. Hes a nice little aca-
aAruAr fnlInuv y ehp said Of Jusfip Tif.