The Holly chieftain., 1922-02-09
CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER x.
Alexandra Strickland. coming down
the stairway of the valley house on an
April evening, glanced curiously at the
door. Only eight o'clock, but the day
had been so long and so quiet that she
had fancied that the hour was much
| later, and had wondered who knocked
SO late.
| She crossed to the door and opened
| it to darkness and rain, and to man
in raincoat who whipped off spat-
| tered cap and stood smiling in the
| light Of the lamp she held. Instantly
with sort of gasp of surprise and
pleasure and some deeper emotion, she
set down the lamp, and held out her
hands gropingly and went into his
arms. He laughed joyously as he
kissed her, and for minute they
clung together.
Peter" she said. "You angel
when did you arrive and what. are you
doing, and tell me all about itl
But Alix-you're thin!" Peter said
holding her at arms length. "And-
and" He gently touched the black
she wore, and fixed puzzled and
troubled eyes upon her face. "Ali1-"
he asked, apprehensively.
For answer she tried to smile at
him, but her lips trembled and her
eyes brimmed. She had led the way
into the old sitting room.
You heard-about Dad?" Alix fal-
tered, turning to face him at the man
| tel.
"Your father!" Peter said. shocked.
But hadn't you heard, Peter?"
"My dear-my dearest child. I'm
just off the steamer. l got in at six
o'clock. I'd been thinking of you all
the time, and suddenly decided to
cross the bay and come straight on to
the valley, before I even went to the
club or got my mail Tell me-your
father"
She had knelt before the cold
hearth, and he knelt beside her, and
they busted themselves with logs and
kindling in the old way. A blaze
crept up about the logs and Alix ac-
cepted Peters handkerchief and
wiped streak of SCOT from her wrist.
quite as If she was a child again, as
she settled herself in her chair.
Peter took the doctors chair, keep
ing his concerned and sympathetic
eyes upon her.
"He was well one day" she said,
simply, "and the next--the next, he
didn't come downstairs. and Hong.
waited and waited-and about nine
o'clock went up-and he had fallen
he had fallen"
She was in tears again and Peter
held it.
"He must have been going to call
some one" said AliX, after while,
they said he never suffered at all.
This was January, the last day, and
Cherry got here the same night. He
knew us both toward morning. And
that-that was all. Cherry was here
for two weeks. Martin came and
went"
where is Cherry now?' Peter in
terrupted.
Back at Red Creek" AHS wiped
her eyes. "She hates 1t, but Martin
had good position there. Poor
Cherry, 1t made her ill.,"
Anne cameI"
ANNE and Justin. of course" Peter
could not understand ,Alix's expires.
sion. She fell silent, still holding his
hand and looking at the fire.
He looked at her with great rush
of admiration and affection. She was
not only a pretty and clever wom-
an; but, In her plain black. with this
new aspect of gravity and dignity, and
with new notes of pathos and appeal
In her exquisite voice, he realized that
she was an extremely charming wom-
an.
Before he said good-by to her, he
had asked her to marry him. He well
remembered her look of bright and in
terested surprise.
"Dyou mean to tell me you have
forgotten your lady love of the hoop
skirts and ringlets?" she had de-
manded.
mo" Peter had told her, frankly.
II shall always love her, in way.
But she is married; she never thinks
Of me. And like you SO much, Allx
like our music and cooking and