The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-03-18

Cherry could not answer it but she
was ready and waiting when he
stopped the battered old car at the
gate, and when she settled herself
beside him she would not have
changed places with any woman in
the world.
"Goody!" she said.
"Why 'goody?'"
Because you're alone"
Who'd you think was bringing?"
mo one special. But it's more
fun to be alone"
I've been a little too much
alone" he said. ST came down for
the Rasmussen wedding, and then
went on to Carmel and painted cy-
presses and rocks
When" She felt a prick of sick
premonition. ''When was the Ras-
mussen wedding?" she asked, with a
slight culver in her voice.
1.-Two weeks ago-two weeks ago
Wednesday. Alice Rasmussen is the
closest friend I have, you know.
She's peach. 1t was a small home
affair; no fuss. Her brother must be
fifty and the bride looked about
that, and Stan wanted me for his
best man. So I stayed there a couple
of days-I was bluer than indigo
anyway-and then went on down to
Carmel"
Then you saw Fran" Cherry
stated rather than asked, with the
bright day going dark about her.
Franz" His amazed eyes gave
her a side glance. 'How d'you
mean?"
"She brought me down to the Prin-
giles to make arrangements and
things. That was on Thursday, two
weeks ago."
81 didn't know Fran was therel"
He was honestly astonished. Ibid
she come to see Alice Rasmussen"
well, maybe she didn't" Again
Cherry must stand corrected about
Fran. Instantly the solution oc-
CURED to her. Fran had learned in
some way that Kelly was there, that
by an extraordinary accident he was
the Rasmussens' guest. And she had
determined to avoid him.
Perhaps she had made her other
call first and someone there had
happened to mention him. What
ever she had done, Cherry knew she
could believe Kelly now, for his con-
sternation at the thought of her hav-
ing been so near and his having
missed her was Enthusiastically gen.
uine.
This might be her chance to speak
to him of Fran.
maybe she didn't want to see
you, Kelly. Maybe she thought it
would be no use," she offered TIM
idly.
II haven't any illusions as to its
being any use, if by it you mean
my feeling for her." he answered
decisively, almost savagely, and
there was a silence. After a mo-
ment or two he said that he was sor-
ry to be so rude, and they talked
by rather awkward degrees of other
things until they were at ease again.
But the mornings gala mood was
hard to recapture, and Cherry felt
something lacking in the beginning
of the day. The bridge and the
Sausalito hills were wreathed and
buried in fog; the picnic turned it
self into house party. Three or
four friends had been asked to lunch
with Kelly, all bringing picnic con-
tributions far more suited to the
woods or the beach than to the liv-
ing room.
Cherry's cheeks glowed; more
than once the others smiled to hear
her ringing laughter.
'Oh, Kelly" she said ingenious
ly when they were back beside the
fire again, .'it's such glorious fun
here! Why can't we all stay here
always!"
"All right by me-" Kelly said,
busy with drinks.
1T seems so horrible to go out
again into the fogi"
We'll give you girls the bed
room," Kelly arranged it, land we
can 60 over to the studio and bunk
there"
"Oh, mol" Cherry turned a fire.
flushed face toward the room. II
was only fooling. / have to be at
Judge Marshbanks' for dinner"
"We have to go. Well take you
over" said little Mrs. Wilcox.
''No. I'm responsible" Kelly told
them. 81 brought her here and I'll
see that she gets back safely"
Cherry leaned against the
rough homespun shoulder of Kel-
ly's coat and listened dreamily
although this talk was mostly
about Fran.
She was deliciously tired after the
long day in the open air. She thought
how she loved him, and how proud
she would be to belong here, in the
front seat Of his car, resting against
him.
They reached the Marshbanks
house only too soon for her, and she
said good night and ran up the steps.
Cherry found a comfortable robe,
slippers and nightgown laid out for
her. She was anticipating the COM
fort of an hours rest and reading
before Amy arrived when there was
a knock at her door.
A little puzzled, she said Come
in" her heart leaping with irration-
al terror when the invitation was
accepted by old Mrs. Marshbanks,
the formidable woman who was her
grandmother and Amy's.