Show A J A by KATHLEEN NORMS N 0 R 11 1 S by hathleen nr i 1 I CHAPTER continued 17 no allx alix is I 1 going to speak to liliu him about it cherry outlined tile the talk that die and her sister had liml had at then I 1 bring up the question at all peter ieter decided quickly it would only mean nd an ugly anil and unnecessary necess nry scene its much 1 miser I pr to let him bira continue to think that you dont know anything about it and to let alii think that you are ignoring the he asbole thing I 1 until sunday she whispered until sunday peter n glanced lanceit lan ceil at martin and alix who were talking to geter yit lir absorbedly in low tones my little sweetheart theart ill make nil all till this misery UP to you he whispered iler her little band was locked in his for the rest of the evening al morning anlu g ca came me a crystal autumn morning and life went on if there was any change at the cabin it wa was a change for the better alls alix who ulso had been silent and troubled for a little while was as more serene now as usual concerned for tile the comfort of her he household slid and as usual busy all day lung long with tier her poultry and pigeons tier lier beekeeping bee keeping stable and dogs peter ieter was ills his courteous gentle interested self belt more like the old peter ieter who had always been occupied with fill ills his music and his books than aban like the passionately metamorphosed peter who had bad been to so changed by love for chery martin satisfied with the general respects and nd consideration with which he found himself surrounded accepted life placidly enough perhaps he had been disturbed by the advent of the letter perhaps he was willing to let tile the question of an adjustment be tween cherry and himself rest resl it amused him to help get the house ready for a tenant and from tile hie fact that cherry talked no more of living there and made no comment upon his frequent reference to their departure on monday lie he deduced that she had come to hr senses cherry too was less unhappy than she had been by avoiding peter tv by refraining even in words and I 1 looks from the companionship for which abc he to so hungered by devoting herself to allx AIN she managed to hold her feelings in leash kven even though alix found that the knowledge of the secret the they shared without ever mentioning stood between them like irke a screen the sisters busy about tile house had wonderful hours together CHAPTER saturday came a perfect day that filled the little valley to the brim with golden sunshine allx alix driving alone to the mountain cabin stared in the morning freshness at the blue overhead and said aloud oil oh what hat a day of gold itile ithe dog sitting beside her on the front seat flapped his tall tail in answer to 10 her voice slid and she laughed at him but the laugh was quickly follo followed Ned by a sharp sigh saturday she mused und and martin expects cherry to go with him on monday expects her to go back with him to t a life of misery for her existence with a man she hates oh cherry my little slater there can be no happiness for you therel 1 and peter 1 peter ieter Is left behina to nip me who cannot comfort him or still the ache that Is tearing his heurtz I 1 my two loved on mien and what cut can I 1 do to help them she had bad come up to the cabin to do the usual last fast little dally daily fussing among the ducks and chickens and to bring peter if peter had not go gone e atit into 0 town back with tier her to cherrys chernys Cher rys house they had all dined in the old strickland house the night before and because of a sudden rainfall hall had deela decided I 1 to spend the night there too tile the chinese boy who ho had find been helping the sisters with their house housecleaning cleaning had been persuaded to mk the dinner and ret kat breakfast and tile the evening about the he old fireplace had been almost too to poignantly sweet lut but suddenly at about ten peter ieter had surprised them nil all by get ting to his feet lie ile was gc going up tr the cabin lie said must g go in tact lie he would rattier rather wijk please lie he told allx alix when she offered to drive him P in the car bewildered and a little she let film go to cherry vho aho ho s lemed emed ta feel suddenly sad end lid uneasy alls alix laughed about it but bill the he was secretly worried berst herself if and immediately after breakfast tile the next morning decided to run up lip to use the cabin in the cur car and dwire herself that everything was right there cherry who mho hall had not slept and who ho tag as pale 1 had come out to tile car lierd her distracted istra ct e d manner increasing alexs tense sense that ahat something was gravely miss amiss she started on tier her trip with it heavy heart but the halt half hours run toothed her in spite of hiar herscot self and 1 now she reached the cabin a much trott on cheer cheerfull fill mood peter waa nowhere about and as she he plunged into the work of house bouse I 1 nd fanu farmyard sard she supposed without ta t living the matter a conscious thought tillit h he had lone aoe to the city r ills veter peter not MK go BO train kew an nr esly all alaxa A I 1 dixs vague suspicions awakened not go co train traill she asked with a premonitory pang kow made a large gesture na as indicating affairs disorganized him no go to bed lie he further stilted til Kd bogs come late into ile he balkin on imrch up ile came in inte and walked on it the twi reh alls alix echoed in a low tone as if to herself acri elf where sir mr peter git now she asked ile he lume haie some cultee coffee no ent lit the liy boy answered ile he tile the diree tImi of the creek and arter it n while labile alix with nil all icy heart went to the birdge anil and the pool lierse lier re sl peter hall hail first found cherry only a few weeks ago ile he was stin dins staring vaguely bely nt bt the jow abid lisping str stream essm null mid allx alix frit felt a great pang of pity when hen she siw saw him ile he came to tier her smiling ng hut but as cherry had bad stuffed smiled with a wan wall and ghastly face peter youre not well ell allx alix said 1 I think 1 I nm ini a little upset lie nn they aliey walked buck back to the house together allx alix ordered him to take a hot bath and made him drink some coffee coffiei when uben refreshed and strate strategul ful lie came out to the porch half an all hour later they shared the little meal that was her luncheon and his breakfast ile he followed her to the car slid and got in the front seat beside her youre awfully good to tile me lie he said briefly when they were going down the long grade allx alix did not answer immediately and he thought that she had not heard she ran the bl big machine through the valley stopped at the post postoffice office and still in silence began the climb toward the old house houe the roads roada were all narrow here but she could have followed them in the dark lie he knew and lie he understood that it was not her driving that made her face so thoughtful and kept her eyes from meeting ills his you say im good to you pete fete she surprised him by saying suddon Jy 1 I hope I 1 am for youve been very good to me my dear theres only one t thing hill in life that I 1 got and want i ant and that you cant unfortunately tuna tely get for me lie ile had bad flushed darkly and lie he spoke with a little effort td rd lile to try she ignored the invitation for a few minutes arid and for an instant of panic he thought lie he saw her lip tremble but when site she turned to him it was her usual st smile rille its only that I 1 would like to have you and ani and martin and cherry as happy as I 1 am she said quickly and a second later the mood was gone as she mie turned the car in at the home gate all and exclaimed theres cherry now martens Martl ns somewhere here about cherry said as peter joined her and allx alix stopped the car within conversational range alix remarking that she would turn the car so that she might later start on in the grade dic disappeared appeared and the two mere lere together again after what a night and what nhat a day and that was of Z f L I 1 I 1 I 1 lit where mr peter go now sh she e asked all that mattered they spoke confusedly fu sedly lit in brief monosyllables and wore vere allent tl lent their eyes meeting only furt hely and briefly can you walk up till to the cabin alth ile iet peter ieter asked 1 I want so much to lo speak to you every things all arranged fur for tomorrow all oil have to of Is yourself now low lit in ca case cae e f missing the boat again conceivable but we must be really ready IM for anything 1 l I 1 shall hhall go straight to the lub jub you must telephone rue me there all just t go off tonight quietly gut get tit as much elects ills as you can and kerp keep your wits its about you trill me our plans again cherry faltered its perfectly simple lie he said giving her anxious face a concerned glance you are going to the olivers I 1 go in in the morning to get your sult ul trase imse and my own and get to the bl I 1 shall be there at half balf vast past ten you ket there rleon on wont see tile nie hut but go straight on oil t board oard still and ask for mrs joyces joycea cabin walt wait for me therel there I 1 isit hut but suppose you dont come ill lie be there before you it Is letter better tor for us tint not to meet upstairs iut but to tie he sure sule ill la telephone you at minna lit tubers sit lit about nine tomorrow morning morn lii ill just tell joll that hint im on oil my illy way any and that everything Is all right I 1 do you realize that hy fly tills this little liine tomorrow we ne hall be out at sen lie added leaning on the rall rail watching the pacific rare race by and belonging to each other forever and ever tile the picture flooded her face with ith happy color its tomorrow at bastl she said wonderingly as they walked slowly lowly toward thu the aliouse louse 1 I thought it would never bo be its only a few hours more now linw will you feel when its today he asked oil oh peter ieter I 1 shall be so glad when its all over and when hen the letters are written and when ue ee e been together for a year she answered fervently 1 I know it will be all as we have planned but but if it were over they reached the side door now anti and were mounting the three steps together be patient until tomorrow tie fie whispered oh she said softly 1 I shant breathe until tomorrow leaning across her to push back the light screen door lie fie found himself face to face with alls alix lit in tile the dark entry entryway ay peter aud and cherry had not seen her had not heard her move ieter cursed ills his carelessness lie could not remember lit in the utter confusion of tile the moment just what fiat lie he and cherry had said but if it was of a betraying nature they had betrayed themselves one chance in a hundred that she had not heard yet if she was acting she was acting superbly cherry had turned scarlet and had given him film tin fin open glance of consternation but alix alax lid did not seem to see it she rd addressed dressed I 1 ieter eter but when ilien lie he found himself physically unable to answer site she continued the conversation with no apparent consciousness of ills his stumbling effort to appear natural there you are arc I 1 are we going to have any tennis its after two now 1 I had no idea it was so late peter said 1 I knew it was getting gelling on oil cherry added utterly at random 1130 go in and tell the boy we wont be back until tomorrow lomo tomo irow trow martin suggested to ills his wife you could all come do down n here to sleep cherry said and have breakfast here I 1 1 I have to go into town rather early tomorrow peter remarked I porters giving a breakfast at the bohemian club why vily not walk up to the cabin cherry sug suggested ested in n a shaking voice 1 I have to take the lie car up you three falkl come on anybody who ho wants to ridel allx alix said they can walk martin said getting getling into the front seat I 1 me tor for the little old busl cherry cattle out of the house with her hut fiat on oil aud and buck leaped before her into tile the back seat allx watched her as B slie site stepped up on the running board and saw the color flicker in her beautiful race face 1 I thought you ou were going to walk peter said nervously lie he had alered up tip to them with an air of in difference shall IV I 1 faltered cherry slie she looked tit at allx alix who hall had not yet climbed into the lie car and was pulling on her dehing aloes alix Allx toward whose face the dog was vas milking making eager springs lid did not appear interested so cherry turned to martin walk with fill us mart slip slie said nix martin said comfortably not nol stirring ill tie lie home before you pete ant and wait all for or you allx alix said she looked nt lit him irresolutely as if she would hale hae added more but evidently decided ag against it and spoke again only lit in reference to tile llie dogs dog keep buck will ou willylu wil willa lyou you pete she lie said lies iles getting too lazy no I 1 sir birl I 1 slie she reproached the animal r affectionately effect iona kiy you shall not ride well the dear old bucky lioy boy does he want to come along arid and she fhe f he knelt down and add put tier lier arms about tile the an animal and tall laid tier lier brown cheek against ills his head you old foi fool she file said shaki shaking nr mm gently to and fro youve got it to stay with peter old buck Rudd eidy Jy mie was on oil her feet md and had bad sprung into her place hold him hill pete she goodby sis dear I 1 all rig right b 1 martin N the engine raced the car slurped smoothly into gearald ge arand vanished peter and cherry stood looking at each other alve give them a good start or buick buck will patch them peter said his body swaying with the frantic jumping or ol the straining dog but to himself he qaid laid iab a sense of shock all allx knows I 1 buck was ans olt lair like a rocket when lie he finally set him bim free his feathery tall disappeared between the columns of tile the reU Horda without and peter started after him anil and now that we are alone boget lip er cherry said utter after a few minutes there seems set ins to be nothing to bay bayl weve ial ill it nil all nothing to s gayl peter echoed sed adix knows lie aid in lila his heart whatever we e do it nil all icem i so wrong cherry sold with watering e eyes y es whatever we do li Is wrong bill h areil agreed soldierly so oli erly lierly pill cut we 11 eu she said on a flutter in breath arenth we gol peter ieter answered anil and again like the orul ominous now fall of a heavy apil tonya the words formed in ill his heart beart alix knows alix knows lie ile thou it lt of 0 the afternoon only a few weeks igo alien chernys cherrys Cher rys beauty had made mad so guilden and so irresistible an 81 appeal t to him film and of the innocent delight of their luncheons together when hen she had first confided lo in him film and of tile days ot of secret and intense joy that her mere hearnes ne arnes and the knowledge that lie would see her had find afforded him it had all seemed so fresh so natural so entirely their own affair until the tragic danof Marth martins ss reappearance and the hour of agonized waiting at the boat for tile the cherry who did not come there had been no joyous self corill I 1 she ran toward them horror was in her aspect dence in that hour none in the distressed hour at the orpheum and the hour just past when cherrys chernys Cher rys rarely displayed passion had wrenched from him isis his last vestige of doubt cut but this was the unhappiness that he should know from alias brave and gentle and generous gene roas look as they parted that allx alix knew lie had in the wild rush and hurry of ills his thoughts no time now to analyze what their love must mean to her b but ut it hurt him to see on |