Show by KATHLEEN NOY NORMS 11 S by kathleen noarl CHAPTER XV continued 14 martin site she said impetuously interrupting him ive got to talk to you ive meant to write it so many times ive had it in mind ever since I 1 left red creek I 1 shoot martin said with his favorite look of indulgent amusement there are marriages that without any ny fault on either cither side are a mistake cherry begun spy any contributory fault I 1 mean talk united states martin groI growled ed su smiling illing but on guard well I 1 thine our marriage wits was one of those cherry said what have you got to kick about martin asked after a pause tm im not kicking I 1 cherry answered with quick resentment emment but I 1 I 1 had bad words to make you realize how I 1 feel about it martin looked gloomily up at her and shrugged this ahls Is a sweet welcome from your lofell lie ed but as she regarded him film ith troubled and earnest eyes perhaps tier lier it off forgotten beauty beatty ninae 06 an unexpected appeal to him for lie turned toward tier her and eyed tier lier a large tolerance the matter cherry lie he asked it seem to rne me that youie got gol 1 much to rick kick about I aldays ays talen taken pretty good care of you I 1 take me house bouse and anole the things in t I 1 leave you a whole month while title I 1 ate at that hat rotten boarding beardin house boube when your rather died I 1 let you hat baie how long Is it seven weeks meeks by george with bour our sister cherry recognized tile the tones of his old arraigning voice lie felt himself ill treated now kow you come in ID for this money he be beann cut but she interrupted him hot hotly ay maram Mar you snow that Is not true it true that the lie instant you can take care of yourself jour self you begin to talk spout not being happy and so eo on he asked without any particular feell feeling ng you bet 3 ou do why I 1 never cared anything about that money you never heard me speak of it I 1 always felt that by the time thu the lawyers and the heirs beirs and the witnesses got through there be much left of it anyway too rich in her new position of the woman beloved by peter to quarrel with martin maron in the old unhappy fashion cherry laid an appealing hand on his bis arm im sorry to meet you with ith this sort of thing she said simply 1 I blame myself now tor for not writing you just how flow come to feel about it I 1 we must make some arriving arrangement ement for the future things cant be as ag they I 1 p ere youve mad it nit all your way ever since we were married he be began now you maine me I 1 1 I dont blame you martini martial well m anat nat do you want a divorce tor for then 1 I dont even ayen coy y anything about a divorce cherry said fighting tor for Z cherry laid an App appealing eatIng hand on his HI arm time only but I 1 cant go back the sue added alth alth a sudden force fcc and conviction that reached him at last why cant you because you dont love tile me martin and you know itt it I 1 1 I dont love you well but you cant expect the way we felt alen we got married to last forever he said cluin clumsily do you suppose other men and women omen talk this way when the the novelty has worn off 2 1 I dont know how they talk I 1 only know how I 1 feel eel cherry said chilled by tile the old generalization martin who had stretched elied his legs to their length crossed them at the th ankles and shoved til hands deep into his pockets staring at the racing blue water fth somber eyes what do you want he be askea beadil he be ovll avil which her tortured spirit seemed to coin the hackneyed phrase that stuff 1 martin sneered under his breath well all right I 1 dont care get your div divorce orcel I 1 he agreed carelessly but ill have something to say about that too lie he warned her you can drag the whole thing up before the courts if you want to only remember it if you dont like it much lou ou did it it never occurred to tile nie even to think of such a thing ive dene my share in this business you neer asked me for anything I 1 could give you that you g get ause you youve ve never been tied down to housework work like other women youre not raising a family of kids go ahead tell every shop girl in san francisco all about it lit in the papers and see how much sympathy you betl oil oh you beast cherry said between her teeth furious tears in her hen eyes the water swam in a blur of blue before her as they rose to go 90 downstairs at sausalito Sau martin glanced at her with impatience her tears neier neer tailed failed to anger him dont cry for or gods sakel he said nervously glancing about for possible onlookers what do you want me to do for the lords sake dont make a scene until you and I 1 have a chance to talk this over quietly cherrys chernys Cher rys thoughts were reter peter in tier soul she felt as if his arm was about her as if she were pouring out to him the whole troubled story sure that lie he would rescue and console her site had find wiped moped her eyes and somewhat recovered calm but she trusted herself only to shrug her shoulder as she preceded martin to the train there was no time tor for another word for allx alix suddenly took possession of them she had had time to bring the car nit all the six miles to sausalito Sau and meant to drive them direct to tile the lalley al from there site greeted martin affectionately although even while she did so her eyes went with a quick worried look to cherry Cli erry they had been quarreling of course it was too bad all allx t thought ought but her own course was clear until she could take her cue ue from froin them she must treat them both with cheerful unconsciousness af pf ff th the storm storia I 1 they reached the valley and martin was vas magnanimous about the delayed anything would do for him lie he said lie he w as taking a couple of days holiday and everything ever thing went kow was chopping wood after lunch and lie he sauntered out to the block with suggestions allx laying a fire tor for the evening samoy because she liked to do that sort of work was favored with directions finally martin pushed her aside here let me do that lie said have a fine fire here at that rate I 1 later he went down to the old house with them to spend there an hour that was trying to both women it was almost in order now cherry had pleased her simple fancy in the matter of hangings hannings hang ings and papering and the effect was fresh and good girls going to rent thier this martin lil asked unless you and cherry come live here alix said boldly ue he smiled tolerantly why should we wel well why by your Lon loafing fing eh no not loafing but you could transfer your work to san francisco yu you ry 11 martin smiled a deep wise long enduring endur lug smile oil get me a job I 1 suppose he fie asked 1 I love the way you try to run things he added but I 1 guess ill paddle my own canoe for a longer there Is no earthly reason why by you lite here allx alix said pleasantly there Is no earthly reason why we should martin returned lie ile was annoyed by a suspicion that allx alix anti and cherry had tir arranged ranged between betA een them to make tills this plan the alternative to a divorce to toll tell you the honest truth I 1 ilont dont like mill Val valley leyl allx alix tasted despair small hope ol of preserving this particular relationship lie ile was as cherry had said impossible well we must try to make you like mill valley better she said with resolute goodnature good nature of 0 course it means a lot to cherry and to me to be near rach aeh other arnat may be true too martin agreed taking the trout front scat bent again for the drive home alls alix was surprised at cherrys chernys Cher rys passivity arid and silence but cherry was wrapped in a sick and nervous dream unable either to interpret the present or face the future with any courage before luncheon he had followed her into tier lier room and had put his itria an about tier lier but she had bad q dietly shaken him of with the lienous murmur ilease no dont kiss me martial stung martin had immediately dropped ills his arm had shrugged ills shoulders indifferently and laughed scornfully now he remarked to ajax x some bravado bra I 1 r r answered readily veler icier IMS nn an ex tra bunk on ills porch cherry bild I 1 have my lily porch hut but you can lc be out or in as you choose martin ventured an answer that hint made cherrys chernys Cher rys eyes glint angrily and brought a quick flush to alias face allx aft did not enjoy ft 0 certain type of joking and slie she did not concede martin enen cen the ghost of 0 it smile lie he immediately sobered tind and remarked that lie he himself liked to be indoors at night ills suitcase was vas accordingly taken into tle pleasant little wood swelling smelling room next to peters where the autumn sunlight scented with the dry sue sweetness etness of mountain shrubs was streaming lie he began to play piny solitaire on the porch table nt at five and kow had to disturb him to set it for dinner tit nt seven alix was watering the hie garden cherry wits was dressing it was tin nn exquisite hour of long shadows and brilliant lights kow had put a tureen of soup on tile the table and alix had returned with damp clean hands and trimly brushed hair for supper when peter came up through the garden cherry had rambled off in the direction of the barn a few moments before but martin hod had followed tier her and brought her back remarking that she had had no idea ot of the time and was idly watching antone milking she slipped into her place after they mere here all eating and hardly raised tier her eyes throughout the meal if alix addressed tier her she fluttered the white lids as if it were an all absolute agony to look up to peter she did not dot speak at all but to alar fartin slie she sent an occasional answer and when the conversation lagged as it was apt to do in this company she nervously filled it with random remarks infinitely less reassuring than silence now flow long do 10 we stay here martin cautiously asked his wife after dinner stay here she echoed at a loss yes be answered decidedly 1 I can stand a little of it but I 1 dont think much of this sort of eifel I 1 thought mabe we ue could all go into town for dinner and the theater tomorrow or saturday put but on monday well mell have to bent beat it monday Mond P Ch chears cherrys Cher errs rys heart bounded martin ln it a mistake to go ost on pretend pretending lug she began bitterly but peters voice in the drawing toom loom interrupted tier her ril ill let you know well talk about etl she had time to say hurriedly before he came to them ue he flung himself into a chair CHAPTER XVI the evening dragged allx alls had suggested bridge but martin did not rjay bridge so site she went to the piano and began to ramble through various songs cherry and peter left tit nt the table did not speak to each other peter leaned back in his chair with a cigarette cherry dreamily pushed to and fro fifo the little anagram wooden block letters but presently gerheart her heart gave a great plunge and although slie she did not alter tier her different attitude attl lude or raise her eyes her white hand moved with directed impulse and reters peters casual glance fell upon tile the word alone when he laid his ahls finished cigarette in the tray it was to finger the letters himself in turn and cherry realized with a great thrill thrift of relief that lie he was answering her carelessly aud obliterating one word before lie he began another lie formed the question my office tont tomorrow orrow martin always alays with me cherry spelled back slip did not glance at peter but ut at martin who mho wits was watching tile fire arid and at allx alix whose back was toward tile lie room come on have another game pett peter r asked generally while he spelled qui quickly eldy will arrange salling sailing first possible day alix humming with her song said wait rt ft few whittles minutes and martin glanced up to say guy no im no good at that tiling thing then cherry and peter were ere unobserved again and she spelled mart goes monday plans to take me ine peter had reached for at magazine agazine in lie he whirled through tile ati es and yawned dawned then lie began to play with the ana gianis again cain Hf can call you get away NIt bout will mini lie espered sin lied alow llo sv cherry instantly asked and As s peters bends went on building a little holdge of wooden letters she went ment on oil mix alix to train martin iii niu to city impossible ghe him the slip peter spoiled spelled and utter after a pause he be added life or death difficult alt to enade cherry spelled spell dl uie the words away one liy by otil one must wait waft peter begar allx alix ending ber liong on oil it eresli of came to the table able interrupting litin licary cherry li crry vas na now lazily ren reidling a maga file peter had built a little pea of liny illy t blocks til ill KO go allx alix said with spirit but the hie gaine was rather a languid one nevertheless aird eiten it was ia s ivr M they gal gathered hered dawning about the mantel ready to disperse for ill the town and go E to the jalli risked naked for the plan had bad been suwat suggest ed at dinnertime dinner didner time rii ill blow you girla to t any show low you like martin offered that he wits waa tired peter went to his room Cli cherry erry with only it general goodnight good night also disappeared to ind find allx alix arranging beds beda ahil pillows on their sleeping porch oh allx alix im so worried im so BO sick with worry I 1 cherry whispered lie wont listen to me ile he wont vont hear ot of a divorce I 1 11 1 I know mix allx said hut but what shall I 1 di I 1 cant go with himl him 1 cherry protested allx alix was silent what shall I 1 do cherry pleaded again why I 1 dont see sec what cle you can I 1 to ilo but go with him I 1 allx alix said in a troubled trouble voice you tou are his wife tor for letter better or worse tor for richer or poorer till death it was said so kindly with allis simple and embarrassed fashion of giving advice that poor cherry could not resent it she could only bow her head desolately upon tier her knees as slie she sat child fashion in her bed and cry A nice mess mesa pie ive aride of my affel she sobbed ive made a nice mess LN X a k A A nice mess mesa ive made of my eifel she sobbed of it itt I 1 I 1 wish oh my god how I 1 wish I 1 was dead 1 my ily own life tire lias been so BO darned esy basy alix mused in a cautious undertone bertone der tone sitting fully dressed on tin the side osiber dofher own bed and studying tier her sister with pitying eyes ive often wondered it if I 1 could buck up and get through with it if some of that sort of thing had bad come to roe me 1 I dont know of course coue but it seems to me that id say who loses its ills life shall gain it and id stand anything people and places I 1 bated loneliness and poverty the whole bag of tricks I 1 think I 1 would I 1 menu id read the bible and shakespeare and enjoy my meals and have a garden her voice sank 1 I know its terribly hard for you yon cherry she ended suddenly pitiful cherry had stopped crying dried her eyes and had bad reached resolutely for the book that was waiting on the little shelf above the porch bed youre bigger than I 1 am she ane said quietly or else im so made ade that I 1 surfer suffer more I 1 wish I 1 could face the music but I 1 cant do anything im sorry one knows of unhappy marriages everywhere without quite quit fancying just what a horrible tragedy an unhappy marriage Is dont mine mind me allx alix allx alix was conscious as she fhe went out to speak to kow about breakfast and to give a final glance nt at ores fires and lights tant this was one of the times w hen girls needed a wise mother or a 0 father who could decide name kaiue and advise coming back from the kitchen with a pitcher of liot lint water mater site she saw star mar tin in a welter of evening |