Show S s 75 11 V aj NORRIS F oy kats P AND THE SISTERS synopsis doctor strickland retired to Is living in mill valley near san ban francisco ills his family consists of his daughters allx alix 21 and cherry 18 and anns anne his niece 24 2 their closest friend Is petr petar joyce a lovable sort of 0 recluse martin lloyd a visiting mining engineer wins ins cheav cherry in marries aries her and carries her 0 oft to el nido a mine min town peter realizes that lie loves cherry justin little boes woes oos anne cherry romes comes home lor for annea anne wadding CHAPTER VI continued well we wont go into her father interrupted her hastily for allx alix had aired these views before and he be was not in sympathy with them and I 1 guess youre right the child Is a woman now with a womans comans re he added and her gave place lace Is with her husband have to solve life together to learn leam together ill speak to cherry allx alix watching him walk malk away thought that she had never seen dad look old before she saw the shadow tin on his wild kind face all the rest of that flay day itaas only the next morning when be opened the question with fill cherry it was a brilliant morning with tpring spring already in the air cherry ou on the porch steps was MRS reading a letter from martin her father sat domn dow n beside her she had on one of her old towns gowns and bathed in soft sunlight looked eighteen again the air was sweet and pungent and damp and resh the sky high and blue and across the granite face of Tamal pals a last scarf of mist was floating well what hat has martin to say asked the doctor oh he like it much 1 ry said making a little face ile he describes the village as perfectly hopeless iles hes moved into the little house in E street and gotten two stoves up ab and when does he want his girl her ber father pursued ue say cherry answered innocently 1 I think he be Is really happier to have me here where lie he knows I 1 am well viell off I 1 she said 1 I know 1 am slie she ended after a moments thought her father v was as conscious of a pang he had not even formed the thought thou glit in his own mind that cherry was unhappy the child lie he told himself had a good husband a home and health and undeveloped resources within herself it was MRS puzzling and painful to him to realize that there M was as needed something more and that that something was lacking lie ile felt a sudden anger at martin why martin managing this affair mart mention any time I 1 he roused mused thanks to youl cherry said dimpling mischievously ile he wrote quite firmly just before christmas bhe added but I 1 told him that dad had been such an angel and liked so much to have me here and cher rys smile was full of childish triumph my dear her father said spurred to sudden courage by a realization that the matter might easily become barlous ber lous you abuse his generosity ero sity suppose aou ou write that join him this Is march suppose you say the first of april cherry flushed and looked down her lips trembled there was a moment of unhappy silence very well mell dad she said in a low olce oice A second later she had bad jumped to lier her feet and vanished ani shed in the house bouse her father roamed the woods in Nr wretched etched misgivings coming in at lunch time to find her in her place smiling but traces of tears about her conely cly ecea nothing more was said tor for a day or lo bio 10 and then cherry read aloud to the family an affectionate letter in aich which martin said that everything would be ready for her whenever she aine now CHAPTER VII the lust list day of march and of cher rys visit broke clear find and blue and milli it spring seemed set mod to have come on oil a rush of perfume and green beauty beauly days had been soft bott and warm before tiis hiis day was MRS hot and flushed milli color and splendor alls alix and cherry washed each others hair in the old fashion and came trolling trailing down dosin with towels aud and combs to the garden the doctor joined thorn them in the midst ut of beir tossing anil and and sat smoking peacefully on tile porch steps oil heavens how bow I 1 love sort of men w rather therl 1 allx alix exclaimed flinging her brown broun mune backward her tall figure slender to lu a faded kimono dad and peter she bile went on aud denly delly sitting erect will mill get all this nice bice clean hair roll full of cigar smoke tonight so no the use anyway To nights the we go to pe I 1 tors cherry stated rather than asked do you yon remember she glanced at her father who was reading ills his paper do you remember when dad always used to scold us tor for being rude to peter well id rather go to peters for dinner than akym here else I 1 ever go I 1 allx alix remarked dreamily seriously I 1 mean she repeated as cherry looked nt at her in amused surprise in the first place I 1 love his bungalow tiny as it Is it has the whole of a litte canyon to itself and the prettiest view in the valley I 1 think and then I 1 love the messy sitting room with all the books and music and I 1 love the way peter entertains I 1 wish she added simply that I 1 liked peter halt half as aa well as I 1 do his house I 1 peters a dearl cherry contended ob I 1 know he Is P allx alix said quickly peters always been a dear of course but I 1 mean in a special sense P finished flais bed alls with an entirely unembarrassed grin cherry through a glittering cloud of hair looked at her steadily suddenly she gave an odd laugh do you know I 1 never thought bought of peter like that she said alts alix nodded with a cautious look at her father who mho via was out of hearing no nor it II weve always taken him rather for granted she admitted only ive been rather wishing lately peter such an unflattering olg dig everyday every day neighbor sort of person cherry regarded lier her steadily with an awakening look in her eyes why lately she asked because said allx alix briskly and unromantically 1 I think peter would like me to well to stop taking him for grant granted edl 1 I 1 imagine hes awful awfully y lonely and then I 1 imagine it would please dad dad has always been ridiculously fond of him cherry said thoughtfully peter possibly in love with aliel she had never even suspected it well there was something rather pleasant in the thought after all if AUX allx mind his ugliness and thinness cherry thought about it all day she had bad 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 fact she quietly got into one of her prettiest dresses a dress that had been made in the long ago excitement of trousseau days peter as a rather autocratic and critical neighbor was one thing as a possible brother in law lie he was another she came downstairs to find her father waiting uniting and they walked away through the woods together alix had bad already gone up to peters petera house to play tennis they walked slowly through the lovely aleles of the trees crossing a road or two climbing i beadily tea dily upward under great redwoods cherrys chernys Cher rys skirt brushed the gold dust from masses and masses of buttercups butter cups the tennis was 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 missed doub doubles lesl called allx alix the grandest we ever did dudl I 1 doubles with the thompsons Thomp sons and three sets straight to us six two six two and six amo att 0 again gone oh heavens hea hel liens ens I 1 never had such tennis oh peter when you stood there at the net and just curved your hand like a cup 11 allx gave an enthusiastic imitation and over bile went ment and game and set cherry sinking white and frilly into a chair smiled indulgently the walk malk had given her a wild rose color and even allx alix was struck with her extraordinary beauty allx alix had wheeled about on the rail to face the porch and peter had gotten to his feet fee it and was hospitably pushing basket babbet chairs about now he gave allx alix a critical look youre disgracefully dirty I 1 lie be sat said fraternally 1 I know it site die answered calmly have I 1 time to tub all the oie time in the world he answered allx alix departed its very pleasant to me to have allx alix so much at home here cherry said sald when allx alix was gone and the doctor wandering happily about the garden 1 I dont know what wed do it if anny one ever usurped our places here i she had said it deliberately the fascination of her recent discovery was too strong to resist the man flushed suddenly for I or a full minute lie did not speak and cherry was surprised to find herself a little thrilled and even frightened by his silence what put that into your fiendt lend lie he asked presently smoking his eyes flied blied upon the valley far below Terba perhaps ps its because there are so many changes peter my marriage annet annes different I 1 it just came to we me that it Is nice to have this always the same perhaps alix will come up beta lie slid help keep it so some day adny tile the man said deliberately Cher chernys cherrys rys look of clabo elaborate kate surprise and pleasure died before hla his serious glance she aas ns silent for a moment why dont you ask her she said in a low thoughtful tone trembling eager to preserve his mood without a false note cote 1 I have lie ile answered simply cherrys chernys Cher rys henrt heart jumped with mith a sudden unexpected emotion what was it not pleasure not all surprise surely there could be no jealousy mixed with her feeling tor for peters plans but she was dazed with the rush of feeling hurt in sonic gome fashion she could not stop to dissect now and she said no she stammered in confusion she said no or at len least st I 1 intimated that I 1 was wag a lonely old affectionate man with this and that to offer and she intimated that that enough I 1 ought to have sald said I 1 ought to explain that I 1 had told her only a few days previously that I 1 had always loved somebody elsel oh li h hl I 1 cherry was enlightened 0 she visualized an affair in the last years of the old century for peter oh and and she love you cherry asked the lady she was unfortunately married before I 1 had bad n chance to ask her said peter oh li h cherry said again impressed and never get over it she asked timidly peter I 1 never knew hint I 1 she added as he was silent does doeg does dad know nobody knows but allx alix and she only knows the bare facts he assured her oh I 1 cherry could think of nothing to add to the sympathetic little monosyllable finished with the sho shower werl shrieked allx alix from the warm darkness inside the dorway doorway hurry up peter something smells utterly grand I 1 the chicken thing peter shouted back springing up to disappear in the direction of the bathroom cherry sat on silent wrapped 8 still in the new spell of the pleasant voice the strangely appealing and yet masterful personality dt riner straggled 0 0 a the be dinner straggled as ill all peters dinners lid did alix alii mixed a salad dressing peter himself flashed in and out of the tiny liot hol kitchen a hundred times kow kew in immaculate linen came back and forth in leisurely table setting suddenly evory everything thing was ready the crisp smoking hot bot french loaf the big brown jar of bubbling and odorous chicken the lettuce curled in its bowl the long necked bottles in their straw caws cases and cheeses and crackers and olives and figs and tiny fish in oil and marrons barrons in fluted paper that were a part of all peters dinners after dinner they watched the moon rise until allx alix drifted in to the piano to cherry tied trimly into a hat that was all big daisies was wa silent for a while and peter follo followed sed her and the others came in too to sit beside the fire As usual it was midnight before any one thought of ending one of peters evenings and all through the pleasant quiet hours and when ben be bundled them up in his own big loose coats to drive them home cherry was thinking of him in iii this new light peter loving a woman and denied the knowledge so seemed owed to fling a strange about him she saw new charm in him or perhaps perli aps as she elie told herself slie she saw for the first time how low charming he really was as ills speech seemed actually the plea pleasant pleasanter santer cr for the stammer at which they had all laughed years ago the slight limp lent its own touch of indi duality find and the mans mails blunt criticism of books and politics and people were baere softened by his humor ills genuine humility m clity and his eagy y hospitality next neit day sue took occasion to mention peter ieler und and lila his affairs to aux ally allx alix guined fiery red but laughed hardily it if he considers that an offer he be can consider it a refusal I 1 guess she bile said boyishly embarrassed 1 I like blin im ilu crazy about bilm but I 1 dont want tiny any party in ringlets and crinolines crino lines to come heating floating from the dead past over my childs innocent cradle allx alix youre awful I 1 cherry laughed you talk that waa WB if you loved lim him I 1 F alix laughed laug beJ 1 I suppose I 1 ought ough to be a mass ot of blushes the Is I 1 like kids and I 1 dont like bus bands 1 you tou dont know anything about husbands huc bandal 1 cherry 1 I know lots of men id like to go off with tor for a few mont hg allx alix purl pun sued but then rd fd like to come horn hon again I 1 I 1 dont see bee why that pert pen factly reasonable well its not doti cherry declared almost crossly that mar riago you belong where your hus hu band Is and you you are always glad to be with hini him but suppose you get tired of him like a job or a boarding aliouse or any of your other fi lends allx alix persisted idly well yeu yen arent supposed tol to I 1 cherry said feebly allx alli let her have hav the last word it was only due to her hei superior experience she thought crossly but half nn an hour later lying alyin I 1 wakeful and thinking that she would miss dear old cherry tomorrow she fhe fancied she heard something like I a sob from cherrys chernys Cher rys bed and her whole heart softened with ith sympathy for hei bell sister 0 they came downstairs together the next day in both batted and wrapped for the trip for was to take cherry as far as Saus alitt in the car and martin by a fortunate fortu natt chance was to meet them there at IN th ferr ferryboat boat for san francisco still mill valley was not more than an hours houri ride from the ferry allx alix was to drive down and return with peter chem chein said goodby good by to her father on th the porch she seemed more of a puzzled child than ever ive had bad a wonderful visit dad she began bravely suddenly the came she burled buried her face against hw her fathers old office coat and his arms went about her alls alii I 1 laughed awkwardly and peter shut his teeth anne who had bad very properly come over to say goodby good by to her hei cousin got in the back seat of th the car and allx alix took the seat beside her cherry saw in peters expression something that she did not forget toi for many many months never quite forgot ills his eyes were fixed upon her bei with something so learning so loving so troubled in their gaze that a thrill went ment through cherry from head bead to foot ne he instantly averted hla his look turned to the car fumbled with the tha gears they were off cherry tied trimly into a hat that was all big daisies dal wits was silent for a while maille but when allx alix and anne commenced an interested conversation in the back seat she suddenly said eald regretfully gret fully oh I 1 liate hate to go away this time I 1 I 1 mind it more even than the first time tamel I 1 peter edging smoothly about a wide blue puddle nodded sympathetically but did not answer |