| Show t yr at aj i i T 4 M T HLEEN 3 7 hoart PETER AND THE SISTERS syn synopsis djs doctor strickland retired Is living in mill valley near san F francisco ran cisco his family consists of 0 ah 1 I s alix tl 21 and cherry 18 28 and anne anna his niece 24 their closest cloret friend Is peter joyce a lovable sort of recluses martin lloyd a visiting mining engineer wins che cherry marries her and carries her orr on to el aldo L mine town peter realizes allies re that bolovas bo love cherry J ustin little aruie ann e cherry comes home tor for annea CHAPTER VI continued awell wW ell we wont g go into her rather interrupted her hastily tor for mix allx had hadi aired alred these views before and de e was not cot in sympathy with them X and I 1 guess youre right the child Is h woman in an now with a womans comans re he added and her place Is with her husband faveto solve life together to learn together th e r ill speak to cherry I 1 allro All rj watching him walk away thought that she had never seen dad took old before she saw the shadow an his aff andr face all the rest of that oily flay it wils was only the next nest morning when lie ie 0 p tk the question with cherry it was a brilliant morning with Spring already in the air cherry on oil the porch steps was reading a letter from martin her father sat down beside her she had on one ot of her old gowns an a nd a bathed in soft sunlight looked eighteen again the air was sweet keef and pungent and damp dam p a and nd resh the sky high and blue and across the granite face of Tamal pals i j ast of mist was floating wen well what has martin to say I 1 asked the doctor oh oli lie he like fike it ft much I 1 cher cheit ry said making a little face lie ile describes the village as perfectly hopeless less iles moved into the little house in E street and gotten two stoves up op and when does he be want his girl her father pursued he say cherry answered innocently 1 I think he be Is really hap pier to have pe here where he knows tua ami veil A ell off I 1 she ilie said 1 I know klon I 1 aln am 11 she ended atler afier ii a moments r thought her father was conscious of a pang tie ile had not even formed the thought in his own mind that cherry was unhappy th echil he di told himself had N a 0 good husband a home and health ind undeveloped resources resources within herself it was puzzling aak and painful to him to realize that thai there was needed something more and that that something was tacking lacking he hedelt a sudden anger at martla why martin inaba managing ging this affair mart mention any aimel be mused thanks to youl cherry said dimpling mischievously ile he wrote quite firmly just before christmas I 1 she added but I 1 told him that thai dad had bad been suca an angel and liked so t much to have we ide here bere and cher t rys smile was full of childish t triumph sly dear her father said spurred to budd sudden courage by a realization that th A atter might easily become serious ou abuse his bis generosity ero sity I 1 suppose you write that L join him this Is march suppose you say the first of april 3 cherry berry flushed flashed and looked down ile her r lips trembled thre there aas w as a moment yai of unhappy silence 14 very well vell dad she said in a low r voice abscond Abe A second cond later she li had all jumped to her feet and vanished in fh he house her der father roamed tho the woods in wretched coming in h at lunch time to find aind r aiace Bl smiling alling tu 91 traces races p pi hearp falp cabout t her lobely eyes 17 1 7 nothing more waff dir sa said id aya f ora day tay or two and thih h I 1 cherry 1 e H I 1 T iod d to in which h it 9 mau a ir everything jd d be ready f tor r b aishe at fio ow 11 I 1 1901 L wl CI CHAPTER VI I 1 61 7 pe io ayae riia a 0 ad W 0 ar hie 1 last ast 9 day ay of march odd and of cher rys visit broke clear and blue and ditl X ear A 4 to oxe 0 on n a al s d ty days to aa 1 rs wa 10 4 aay was hot and willa n fl eh L r ill t tire ord ion a ansiame e W c cam ts to the garden tho the doctor joined them in the midst of th their I 1 1 od d spreading and sat easefully fully eale on the dorcill mex sa inta w su 1 oh heavens li cavena liow how I 1 lov love 4 L this so corfi ot of weather 1 allx alix exclaim her brown figure awe slender in a faded D dad d lod denty denly olt As kt i airn is its nice clean hair fall of cigar smoker Z tonight so 80 the OW tk night i v go to aft tors cherry stated rather than asked do you remember the she glanced at her father who was read ine ills his paper palter do you remember when dad always used to scold us for being to peter well id rather rathe go to peters for dinner than anywhere else I 1 ever got gol allx remarked dreamily seriously I 1 mean she repeated I 1 nsf Cherry looked ather at her in am amused used surprise in the first place I 1 V love ye his bungalow tiny as it Is it has the whole of a a ailt little littie canyon to itself and the prettiest view in the valley I 1 think and then I 1 love the mesby sitting robin room with all the books and music and I 1 love the way peter entertains I wish 1 sh she added elm simply ply that I 1 liked peter half as well as I 1 do his house I 1 peters a dearl dear I 1 cherry contended oh I 1 know he is I 1 allx said quickly 11 peters eters always been a dear of course but I 1 ll 11 mean ean in a special sense finished allx alix with an entirely unembarrassed grin cherry ahr through 0 a glittering cloud of hair looked at her steadily suddenly she gave an odd laugh do you know I 1 never thought of ft peter pete r like she bald said allx alix nodded with a cautious lous look at her father who was out of hearing no ko nor it II weve always as taken him rather for ranted granted g she admitted only ive been rather wishing lately peter such an unflattering i alg ev everyday every e ry day neighbor sort of person cherry regarded liar her steadily wa with th an awakening look in her eyes why lately she asked Se because cause said allx alix briskly and unromantically 1 I think peter bould like me to well kostop to stop taking ghim him for granted I 1 I 1 imagine hes awfully onely lonely and then men 11 I 1 ji imagine magine atwould it would please dad dad has always been ridiculously ond fond of him cherry said thoughtfully reter peter possibly in love with she had never even suspected it well there was something rather pleasant in the thoughts thought after all if allx alix mind his ugliness and ad thinness cherry thought about it all day she had no thought of money a year or two ago but she was more experienced now And Peter was rich ordinarily she would have said that she was not going to change for peters dinner but this afternoon without mentioning the fam fact she quietly got into one of her prettiest dresses aises a dress that had been made ja in the long ago excitement of trousseau days peter as a rather autocratic era alc tlc and critical neighbor was one thing as a possible brother in law he be was another she imme came downstairs to find her father waiting and they walked away through the woods together allx alix had bad already gone up to peters house to play tennis they walked slowly through the lovely aisles of the trees crog crossing sing a road or two climbing steadily upward under great redwoods chernys cherrys Cher rys skirt brushed the gold dust from masses and masses of buttercups buttercup butter cups cu ps the tennis was over over but just over peter and allx alix were sitting still panting on the rail of the wide open porch and shouted as the others came up you tou missed doub doubles lesl 1 called allx allm the grandest wb we every ever did I 1 dc doubles with the thompsons Thomp sons and three sets straight to us six two six els two and alx again i I 1 gone ob heavens I 1 never neve rhad had such tennis oh ob peter when you stood there ef the net andi just curved your band like a cup allx alix gave an enthusiastic amit imitation tation a and 1 nd over she went and an gaine and seiri I i 1 r r I 1 I 1 r ard and frilly into a a chair sm smiled indulgently thelwall Thel walk llda had alveh her er a wit d os color and even allx alix was her er extraordinary T baor beauty allx alix h had wheeled V I 1 le aled tr T I 1 yo tb f ac q porch pore h ednd rl s and lusheng ket chairs hei acl yav q y am ig a 10 te t 9 z 11 tac it d he be said fraternally efi I 1 ilove I 1 time to ayi 1 4 all bic Q time tn irl th tha i joriu he an pg 99 N W arif V A artt pa iq ti ta me 4 to tl haw have afI alliso Allx so much lUle M chey sm CT it tl the le I 1 wandering the ms igho ig ho A ad iwed do irany I 1 ny une one ver ever usurped ou places here r I 1 J thaid it deliberately the 0 tic bor discovery w 4 too 0 wong stion to to trept res resist st sl tb the e man bushed suddenly for a full all minute to he e did not weak find cherry was bur aur pr nd h ersela little thrilled and even frig frightened py by his silence eald he e as asked ez presently smoking with his eye e y ei s fixed upon the valley far below Ter hapa iti are so many changes belei vis ii arriagia iii laih io jinvit thief always the same will come up hera he ant kielp it so 60 some day daf th nin ann fad 1001 of cluba 1 rt nd pleasure died before ills his serious glance saw was silent for a moment I 1 kiy Why dont hotl abu ask asir Tier h 60 she salil said in alow a low thoughtful tone trembling eager to preserve ahls hl amold without a fal false falke ke note j r j 1 l r linvel have lie ans answered red simply cher chernys cherrys ry rys P heart henrt jumped with a sudden unexpected emotion what was itt lt not pleasure riot not fill all surprise surely there could be no jealousy mixed with her hei feeling for peters plans but she khe was dazed with the jush of feel ing hurt in some fashion ih she could not hot stop to dissect pow and dihe she said eald bior no she ahe stammered 4 in confusion n sh she sald said no mo least I 1 intimated that I 1 was a lonely old alle man with this and that toof to offer and shi she that enough I 1 ought to have said I 1 ought that I 1 had to told id her only a few days previously that I 1 had always lov loved ed somebody elsel else I 1 oh h hl cherry was enlightened enlighten ei she visualized an affair in the last years year f the pu century ifor peter oh ind and love lov your you cherry asked the lad lady y she was unfortunately married before J anad and A chanco chance to ask her ald aid peter oh h hl cherry said bald again impressed baad arid heyer heter get over it she asked timidly mildly peter 1 never knew that thail I 1 aishe she added as he e aias was elle nf does does dad jenow nobody knows but allx alix and she only knows i abe bare facts ho hi yi assured s i her har oh I 1 cherry could think of nothing thadd to m monosyllable inq finished with the sho werl wert shrieked alli from th the e warm dar darkness kneis inside the doorways nurry hurry up peter 86 something n ething I 1 feua utterly grand I 1 the I 1 chicken chicken thing r peter shouted bacle backi springing up to disappear in the direction of the bathroom I 1 cherry sat on silent wrapped still in the new spell of the plea pleasant sait i voice the strangely appealing tand ad at mat masterful erful personality 4 the dinner straggled adall a th jutera Jp tera dinners blaids did allx alix mixed mixed V a salad drei dressing peter himself flashed in and opt of chetiny then tiny hot kitchen hundred times kow kew in immaculate linen came bick back end and forth la IA leisurely tables ettl ng suddenly en I 1 ly everything was vas ready the crisp hot french loaf the big grown b rown jor of bubbling and cidio odorous rous ci chicken ilcken the lettuce lettu o curled in its bowl the long necked bottles in fit their straw cases and cheeses and crackers and olives and fags and tiny fish ash in oil and marrons barrons mar rons in fluted paper that were a part 0 of f all peters ll dinners after dinner they watched the moon rise until allx all drifted in to the piano fa 7 e 1419 cherry tied trimly into a hat that was all big daisies was silent for a while and peter followed her and the others ais cameil too to 6 the fire Ls 1 usual midnight before any one thought of ending one of peters evenings evenIn gLiT i kl JL 7 rl and al all through the pleasant ailet ulet Ws Is dylen dmn u up P lu his own big loose E ei coats 9 arh drive th them in hal home i ne cherry I 1 waS af art lit ahll new 1 pete loving a alhaj athia knowledge Snow ledge seemed to fling a strange about him she saw nein nei charm JN tn hl ahlm I 1 ari I 1 pisa a aue t id iwic tz rc ai 71 I 1 N ch T I 1 1 her eairy was I 1 Is C seemed rot it e stain meil laetch alad t alf ia i own ow p ai apat d the be mans man a blunt criticism at P itta hausl poll fis and i s rt enel by hist ST humor ills s gen anty hue i 1 1 m n e eak os W 11 y next nest daysee day she ea tion alon r n A iv ail e iea i ea butlett bueTI liti 1 glied ed a ii f ir if considers chiti iti g CBS she said boyishly 1 I 00 put but t bonit t v want any part party in I 1 and crinolines crino lines to come floating froni the e ae af a dat barj over tay chaldy innocent 0 ent cradle f 1 71 T r allx alix awful Is fi chiny ala 1 u L alaj LA L al A L iwo i wo tj lt if you loved hi 1 a 0 5 allx Inu gliM 1 I suppose I 1 to lo ile bo bus lioS alic truth ru Is bands I 1 nn na d t dont bont i dont ont kno know rani anything thing about husbands cherry le I 1 1 I 1 know kno lots of mm men id like ilki t to rid ei OT olt with for a a few aw nit mo agi alix pur pun sued aued hut but then id like to come hoina hom ngali I 1 I 1 dont see why that perfectly peri reasonable i j well its not hotl I 1 cherry declared almost crossly crassly f that map man ariage yu you belong where your your bus hn band is liand and iou you you aai are always glad f f but suppose suppose yow byoir get tired of him like a job or a boardinghouse boarding house bouse or any lof of your friends allx persisted aisted idly I 1 1 f well yu you arent supposed tot tol cherry sald said feebly ailt lether have th ohp e last word it was only due to bet bei superior experience she thoi thought ight crossly but halt nn an hour later lying wakeful and thinking that the ahe would miss dear old cherry forfi tomorrow fo morrow orrow alij ah fancied she heard something like a e sob from cherrys chernys Cher rys bed and her whole heart softened BOtt ened with sympathy for hey hei sister 0 a a ai i s they came down together the th next d day y f in on bot atad and wrapped for the trip forPe torPe tei was to take cherry as far as in the car and ana martla martin by a 0 fortunati fortunate chance was to meet them there at th ferryboat for san Pran francisco cIsco mul valley was tot not more than an bouee hour ride front feord the ferry beriy alit was wag to drist down azid arid return with peter cherry said goodby good by py toi oi her I 1 father ion on the th porch porcha she deemed more pt of a pu puzzled aed child than ever ive haa baa a wonderful visit dad she began bravely suddenly the iari tear came slie she buried heg he facci against hot h father fathe iq shabby old office ii oat coat and aid his arms vant about her hei AIN alaj lati laughed glica j awkwardly ad peter shut ahu his teeth Anne Alae who had very pr OP overto baygood baito by to haa he cousin got in the back seat or tin the car and allx alix took the seat benidt herr her I 1 4 i j dierly paw saw ja in peters raees something that ti did n no 1 0 forget tot for niana many never q quite atte fari t 0 got hwi hit I 1 eye a aeri were hil hei with somethIng so so loving so troubled in their gaze that a went through cherry from head bead to toot ile he ins instantly averted his bis cooki look turned to the ai ca rumbled um blad with do ged gears abey were were off cherry tied trimly into 4 a hat that was all big dal daisies was client tora fora tori fori I 1 while but when pr idAnne commenced an interested conversation in the back iea seat she suddenly enli sald daidre ie |
