Show 0 KATHLEEN NORRIS v y KATtI LEW 10 1 CHAPTER XIII 12 meanwhile cherry in ili the sick flutter ot of spirits that had bad become fa familiar millar to her ber of late kept her dentist appointment and at noon looked at a hushed flushed and lovely vision la in the dentists mirror slie she went out into the blazing street it was one of the hot bot noontides noon tides of the year at two to a wild wind would spring up and send papers and dust flying but just now the heat was arv and clear and still site she was cart carril 3 ing ng a parasol and she opened it now and walked slowly to v i i d geary street slie she could not even fiame f 11 me in tier her thoughts the utter blank tie nc of the feeling that swept over li ii at missing tin an opportunity to see P I 1 r she turned and went sloay past the big shop windows that rei fl 1 a the burning plaza and so came fi cool great doorway of the st r F i s inside AN was as tempered light in nuch noiseless coining and n 11 i 1 and parting C ry drifted into the big deep c ed w alting room there were 0 W women there sunk into the big it ii lr hairs hal ris watching the doors rind p F ug as it elie clock when a man if il in the door one woman ti r there was a significant smile a if aured greeting before the two t k d ii if a luxurious chair cherry waited r P rr for certainly erta would not come in t i alf past twelve perhaps not then S lenly with nith a spring of her heart i 1 ait tier lier ribs she saw raw reters peters dark le with its touches of iron gray groomed and brushed scrupulously os as elways il ways with ith the little limp yet as i in lys dignified and erect he be came to stand before tier lier find and she stood up i their hands met flushed and a litile slie she followed him to tit an inconspicuous table in a corner of the dining room then the dreamlike u and beauty of their hours together began again did you expect me to meet your you off K smiled for answer be looked at li if thoughtfully a minute before his 0 n face lighted with nith a bright smile 1 I dont think I 1 thought of your not ieng I eng there lie he confessed 1 I was gg sl ii fit moving all morning toward the li fl tit lit of mooting meeting lie ile watched tier her if 11 i with anxiety for a moment t tl turned his nt attention to the hill bill of 01 aire but cherry was not hungry of in she paid small attention to tile the or to the food when it come came pi ili atly they were talking again in i i it 11 hunger for self analysis that J h pert part of new love they thrilled ti a e ry word cherry raising her t t r shining with eagerness to ills his 0 watching the little down di face in an agony of adoration an ali exir passed packed two hours after a nil iiii they were walking still with th strange sense of oneness and of si n lie ile and still as easily as it if tl cy li 11 1 0 en floating to the ferry A v X met abe them in mill valley with v a 2 of the day she had bad 1 b oon wondering dering the brief talk with A an r and was anxious to have peters N 0 it peter ieter was of the opinion tl i i annes acnes conduct indicated very en my that she and justin realized th their case was lost teen youre fixed for life airry ry was vas alexs first remark oh say bayl elie ehe added in a burst lets go down to th tb old cold house tomorrow will you levs leis see what list it needs and how much i ild have to be done to make it fit to me in flushed staring steadily at I 1 e i ter er and peter too was conf i but allx alix saw haw nothing the ail II 11 x li ili she carried her point and t c fiam with her ber down to the old h L ire ic cherry was mas pule pale and fighting ti J they crossed the porch and r me key in the door inside the if air was waa close and stale i 1 uj ot of dry plue walls and of una nu cufr peter flung up a window 1 walked aimlessly alm lessly about iiii LI n r v ili familiar yet shockingly and tables that were all tit ni til ki with nith dust ii i i tl everything allx alix said firt quick tour of inspection a greater weather streak on ll 11 plaster of the dining room i it needs air cleaning straight tu eu t u i flott flon ers coill how it dues does i p aple ople 1 1 1 1 ant beair III cherry said I 1 hi it a sick undertone al I 1 villo nho was wag rapidly recovering 11 sprung sprang upstairs with 0 t aln tier her but cherry did not nol 1 li bile bhe went I 1 tile the open rout IQ lt i aud and stool there leaning i tile the fell M and gazing sailly sadly out u 11 ibby garden that 11 ie red fill all the safety and joy ant am uin mn ure uee of her little lettle girl days bleter lie he buld as he caine to sign ix ili de tier her im so unhappy 11 cr cl rr will you end it he be cd her bei S wc win teci n pl look trl T ial it if she faltered V 0 i you do you think you 0 forc o mave ii 10 gnu gibe i clad up for me lie asked peter said cherry hardly above a breath will you go away with me peter went on feverishly the only way now the only way now will you go away go awny away I 1 cherrys chernys Cher rys face was ashen as she moved tier her tragic find and beautiful eyes to his go away where anywhere reter peter answered confusedly fu sedly anywhere ite he did not meet tier her look his own went furtively about the garden immediately lie he seemed to regain solf self control im talking like a tool fool he said quickly 1 I dont know what im saying half the time im sorry im sorry cherry dont mind me say that forgive me tor for what I 1 said lie ile tin had token taken tier her bands and they were looking and soberly at each other when ilien an unexpected noise made them step quickly apart cherrys chernys Cher rys heart beat madly with terror and peter flushed deeply it was martin lloyds gunt aunt mrs north their old neighbor who came about the corner of the house and approached them thein smilingly how much had slie she seen cherry asked herself in III a panic what were they doing ii what hat were they saying as slie she appeared how much had their attitude betrayed them mrs north nas as the same loud lend laughing cheerful woman onlan as of old slie she kissed cherry and was full of queries for martin durango belle told me something about his going there she said allow long lang you been here cherry ive been with alls alix and peter for for several weeks cherry said uneasily her eyes met peters and he conveyed reassurance to her with a look when you going back dear mrs north asked with so shrewd a glance from cherrys chernys Cher rys exquisite rosy face to reters peters that eliat lie felt a fresh pang of suspicion she bad seen something why ive been rather rather kept here by the the lawsuit law suit sult 1 I peter cherry explained but I 1 expect to go soon as it Is all settled heres alls alix slip said gladly as allx alls came downstairs ill bet you throe three are having real good times mrs north said with a curious look from one to the other you know what I 1 hope alls alix told her Is that cherry and martin will keep the old place open now I 1 dont beleve cherryll Cler cl derryll ryll ever love an I 1 it ac 4 13 W i I 1 heres alix she said gladly as alix came downstairs other place as she does the valley will you its allx alix ended I 1 eagerly cherry met the arni arm tier her sister linked around her aalf aay and gave her a troubled smile guille and yet a few moments later when some quest took peter suddenly from the group she ilie the shabby corduroy suit the laced high boots aik aua the black head touched tour lied with gray disappear in the direction of the kitchen with a tearing pain at her heart tier ncr father iad had asked her to wait wait until she was nineteen nineteen had bad teemed seemed old then she had bad felt at nineteen she would have merely delayed the great joy of life for or nothing tit at nineteen she ehe would lie only so much older so much more desperately bent ix nt upon this marriage and peler was ras there then wascom waicom lug hig slid going advising and leaen lea sn if i 0 w neur so 80 accessible loving living if even then had she lut but known it if I 1 hat engagement ellit as easily and how much more warl am been with v alth peter the pro ruts lits tin tili ana 1 the sledding would have hr e li the bame anu ti her hilah t 11 ri r hov bou miter ut the rit HO 0 ill air been liblit instead 1 or of lar dar n t jo joi tal of anin deity d ralty und and u and Cont cottelit elit instead of all the of 0 reit restless less and ani doubt and disillusionment the very cry scene here with nith mrs north end and alls alix might easily have been with cherry as the wife rIfe ot of reter peter cherry as tier sisters hostess in the mountain cabin at the thought her heart suffocated tier lier slie site stood dazedly looking out of the hie old kitchen window In dow find tier her senses swam lu in a sudden spasm of pain CHAPTER XIV you and I 1 must go awny sale peter 1 I cant stand it I 1 love you yon I 1 love you so dearly cherry I 1 cant think of anything else any more its like a le fever cr its like a sickness im never happy any more unless my arms are about you will you let me take lake you somewhere where we ve citi cau be happy together cherry turned her confident childish face toward him tier her lashes allt terea but ale si 1 I love you Ic Ile lerl terl she said and the words sounding softly through the silence of 0 thu the garden Rii iden died away on the wana night bight air like music in the two weeks since the day at tile alie old house they had not chanced to be often alone and tonight for the first time cherry admitted that she could fight no longer they talked it as lovers his arm about the soft little clinging figure tier her small firm lingers fingers tight in hla his own omm ile he tied had squared about on the great log that was their seat pent so that his ardent eyes were closer to her the world held nothing but themselves it was eight so tills this Is the thing that tha t was wait waiting for us all these years cherry ever since the time you and alix used to dam dain my brook and climb my oak trees 1 I never dreamed of cherry said with wonder in tier her tone if we ne had dreamed of it pettar began and stopped ali ah it if we had it would all bo be different cherry said with a look of pain the one thing I 1 cant bear to think of I 1 cannot go back to martin Sn I 1 cant leave you I 1 cant lea fe you V 1 shall dball we go away peter asted asked simply go where she asked go anywhere he be ansu answered cred we have money enough we can call leave allm rich she will still have her cabin and tier her dogs and the life she bile loves but there are other tiny places cherry there are little cabins in hawaii there are canadian villages cherry there are thousands of places in the south of france where we might live for years and never be questioned slad and never be annoyed france she whispered and the do downcast mcart face he was watching so eagerly was thoughtful how could we go she breathed you first and aad then I 1 to meet somewhere we would have to go together he decided swiftly every one must know dear you realize that wide eyed she was staring at him as it if spellbound spell bound by some new hope I 1 now site she shrugged her shoulders in careless disdain that of any consequence you dont fiel act it so sol I 1 ire ile sat down beade her and again they locked hands not mgt that part she answered simply 1 I mind alls fhe clie added thoughtfully yes I 1 mind allx alls I 1 he admitted rut but the injury Is done to allx alix now cherry said slowly now it la Is too late to go back you and I 1 we deceive allx alix here peter cherry added and as she turned to him lie he saw tier her thin u white liate blouse inove kiive suddenly with the quick rising of tier her heart that that would be too horrible but I 1 could take this love of oars away leave everything rise else behind simply simply recognize stammered cherry her li lips ps be beginning annin g to tremble that it la Is bigger than ourselves that WP we cant help it peter id light it if I 1 could slie she lidded added ditc alte ousby rd id go away it if I 1 know that no power on earth could leep we me from frimi coining back slip she burled tier her head on his shoulder and lie put his pria about tier her and thorp there was utter silence over the great brooding mountain and in the valley brimming with soft moons ylie find and in ili he garden carrion 1 I belleve believe that even alls alix will under stand peter said after aw awhile lille she loves you und find me better than any one else in the world she Is not only everything ery thing that Is generous lint but she selfish ai slip slie la Is the busiest and the most sens sensible ble person I 1 ever kiew I 1 know of course I 1 kilo know its rotten lie broke off in sudden despair but what lint im trying to say Is that alix of all people I 1 know Is the one that will make the least fuss about it cherry was staring raptly before her now the she grasped his hand and said breathlessly oh peter fire are we talking about it are we talking about our going awny awa and belong belonging ng to each other what rise else he said quick tears in its ills eyes oli oh but ive been so unhappy ive been so starved star she whispered 1 I 1 thought I 1 wanted people cities I 1 thought I 1 wanted to go on oil the stage cut but it wils was only you I 1 wanted a tile oil peter what a life it will he be I 1 the ailt tl ff st t cottien cotti in the IN life and I 1 I 1 p a beach or to walk in ili ind aul allays il lays dalilig tal ilig ij I 1 11 iding filing always I laii in n 1 i thore way we ave ul run pet t avay dig disappear appear as it if we ue had I 1 ml k I 1 t 1 bon lir rl 1 I i aw ald kneeler kne elins befort i li if MO grab you know chui hat 1 lr rod rd aate a full iiii d 1 air lr liand hand I 1 il lier birr 0 11 its so beautiful its an a wonderful to love this way she said gald in hw her innocent little girl voice that it seems to roe me the only tiling thing in the world I 1 id come to awa peter it if it meant shame shaine rind and death and horror it menn mean that it only means a man dad and a woman settling ig down bonn where in the south of france a big quiet man who iho limps limits a little ami ana a little yellow bended woman in blue smocks smock and silly looking hats it means life of course lie fie interrupted tier the hour that makes you mine cherry will be the exquisite hour of my whole life they were silent for a while and helow below them the white moonlight deepened and brightened and swam like an enchantment thre there will be no do coming back che cherry oh I 1 know that there cant ever bo be there be youve thought of that lie he said uncertainly in the curious unreal light that flooded the world lie he saw tier her turn aud and the glearn 0 of her surprised eyes you mean children a child she file sald said why not peter she added tighten tightening ling tier her fingers finger s alint could be more wonderful woud erful than that we should have a child can you imagine a huppler happier environment for a child than that little sunshiny woodsy beach cottage cant you see tile the figure the two or three little figures scampering ahead or of us through the country roads or around the ire fire oh I 1 can said cherry tier her extraordinary voice rich end and sweet V 1 I 1 it ia le 17 I 1 her shining eyes were close with longing 1 I can that would be motherhood peter ieter that be like having a baby whose father one cue one love marriage or no ni marriage arriage and as he watched amazed at the change that loe had brought to quiet little inarticulate cherry she added earnestly allx alix will forgive us see she will allx alls 1 know her will only be sorry for me shell only think me mad bind to disgrace the good name dame of strickland shell think were both crazy perhaps shell plunge into the orphanage work or perhaps shell go on liere here gardening playing with ruck buck raising ducks blie says herself that she lias has never known what love means says say |