Show 7 ID yge FTH E M WORKS 0 OY KATHLEEN NORRIS northis W WN U It release ilAl CHAPTER I 1 that the child that cherry S sister star seraphim Seraph me said in her serene voice her hands hand were crossed and oil hidden within her wide ande sleeves but a motion of her and coifed head indicated a certain girl among the milling mosses masses and the man who was her companion looked at the girl keenly the tables tableaux and the play were over but many of the girls still wore their makeup make up and a theatrical excia excitement eme t possessed the hot crow crowded d ad hall it was not a large hall just now it was filled with sputa spectators w rs nuns and per performers formen mixed ad indiscriminately bright lights flooded auditori auditorium tim and stage groups formed and reformed the man watched the girl he had identified for a few in minutes utes and thought that she was a vital young creature anyway she was not a bad looking young creature anyway anay she seemed popular enough anyway obviously she was the center of everything that went on As the daughter of an indian chief she h had d taken the leading part in the pl play ay that had concluded the program and tied had appeared also in more are t than han one a of the tableaux table that preceded it ju judson adson marshbanks saw her questioned kissed and congratulated saw aw her drop her proudly feathered head more than once in a deprecating g fashion as if she were abarra embarrassed ed by praise after some fifteen minutes of this post performance bedlam when some ot of the audience were already drifting a an ay a nun nue drew her quietly aside the girl a laughing expression changed as she glanced in his direction she joined him immediately cherry this is judge marshbanks said sister seraphine Seraph me and the judge watched her dar dark eyes eye brighten suddenly and it f felt I 1 t th the touch b of her warm young quickly extended hand all she said was a somewhat shy how do you d do but her look added what she he d did d not ot say 1 I 1 know your name I 1 know something about 1 you i well so GO you led the pioneers out of dringer danger 9 judson marshbanks asked amiably color showed under her indian brown and he thought with satisfaction alI alin that she was a handsome glowing sort of girl who ought not to have too much trouble getting along it was a silly sort of play I 1 the a girl said quickly he remembered that she had written it and smiled come came over ever her here and sit down ch cherry erry I 1 want to talk to you a m minute te he said 1 I II 11 not keep you long ng im joining a friend who is fl flying yin g his plane down to san francisco tonight char cherry looked dazed with e excitement te and sur surprise prise A man coming t to see her who had not averaged a caller her a yes year in all 11 her twenty ye years or and d coming just now when she was still flushed and breathless from the evenings evening s thrills created a situation that silenced her er she sat down and looked at her companion to on expectantly and could not speak I 1 thought it was a very good P play y said the judge I 1 und understand t n t that hat you wrote it if it we was sort art of ac allegory gry a pageant it ita W well e 11 they all have to be pageants a because of having to get at all the girls in cherry answered in a shy voice oh h you have to get all the girls in he a as asked k ed aloud oh yes last halloween we had only fifteen girls so that so hard I 1 cou could I 1 d have used morel more 1 I see A and nd do you always write the plays well 1 11 usually yes yea I 1 guess al w ways ays and who wrote the song that madeleine sanga she h sing that beautifully suit sister cl claude de cherry went on suddenly warming ming to confidence went to opera once you know real opera 1 I 1 I didt think suit sisters did aoh oh b but u t this was before she anred entered tc red t the be girl reassured him and for the first time he heard her rena resonant flie r joyous laugh you wrote the words to the song as too oh well yes cherry said carelessly and she said sister claude did that madeleine sang like lik the prima donna sh she said so really you acted the leading part too the th man said aid yes I 1 he had d to 1 mine miriam poster we was twenty and so she had to go home we thought shed she d be lacre 1 until to at least christmas but her mother sent for her so I 1 took her part some same of the girls here have mothers then cherry cherryl 7 his too tune a had chang changed it it had dropped to a per personal dional note of something like pity an and tenderness and he saw her flush brightly again as she faced him realizing perhaps with a little tear fear that they reached their own affairs ir s P now w ay yes some e he have she he said al 1 most inaudibly nd bl and vou von know knew that you lost your a when hen you were very small a 7 yi aly czi f 1 I 1 her head west w en t suddenly down on an the table she covered her face act with ali hers her hands the T he judge cleared his throat my dear seven she said unsteadily 1 I remember her and living III the country you came here at seven tho thirteen years but they been unhappy years have they cherry no been heavenly years she e said loyally after a moment nt but B t of course co of f course I 1 ve wanted someone of my own someone some e he her head went suddenly sold dardy down on the table she covered her face with wi th her hands the judge cleared his bis throat of course Y you have a ol 01 1 c course you haw have he said a little thickly 1 I in ve very ry sorry she said corn com poci edly in the voice and manner of agner a much older woman 1 I c dont an t cry in much I 1 do don it know what started me we ve been decorating and rehearsing until fit I 1 suppose I 1 in tired but 11 of 1 course they tha cy 1 t been unhappy unsaid hap years yc she said aid sensibly se bly sister seraphine raphine Sc said that you were the most influential girl in the th a school 11 the man put in oh that couldn coulden t have been sis S ter seraphine she never praises an yonel cherry smiled with wet eyes it was though she said aid they would be sorry ry to lose you sr S sorrier r r than over losing almost any other th r girl did she say that cherry had p pushed u shed off her headdress now and ad he saw that her hair was a warm tany tamy mixture of tan and brown the significance of his I 1 last t phrase came to her budde suddenly n Y S sorry to in zil lose me she repeated rep aled the color r leaving leav g her face you mean me im going go n gout outa you re twenty aren t you youa lint that the age when girls are are launched from saint dorothea baroth all s yes but yes but she whispered his and stopped ID dont nt you want toll to dont you axis want a 1 look k at something outside III four walls the judge questioned why yes the at others h h have but I 1 never thought of it A as my tural the girl said and I 1 have been out you know she reminded him in the city I 1 mean I 1 taught the last three terms term at the kindergarten kd her face a cc was waa streaked with soot as she spoke her eyebrows had melted and her cheeks check we were pat pale but she was giving no thought he perceived to her appearance she was absorbed ui in the stunning news of 0 the approaching change m her life would it be to go to san frion fran el ciscon she bilked ked eagerly like a child 1 I dt dont suppose you would rather make ake it somewhere else he asked in return ret what I 1 had to suggest was at a secretarial position 9 ti in san francisco A secretarial position 7 she asked flustered 1 I don t think I 1 c could d take a position that is except copt in a kindergarten 1 I 1 can typewrite and I 1 m getting better at stenography no and I 1 speak a little french and some spanish we have two sisters here from belgium and ad t two w aster from am madrid but would that be enough P plenty I 1 enty at t first later it if you wanted to study anything specifically I 1 the judge said anything a at ing like jar well library work or nursing nurs ing or going g on with kindergarten work we could find out what the requirements are and I 1 don on t think there d be any trouble 1 but her pale tear streaked and paint streaked face reddened suddenly but haw have I 1 any money she asked hesitatingly and then with a little ittle trembling return to emotion 14 you see I 1 don t know much about myself my sell I 1 know my mothers mother 8 dead and I 1 suppose my father and w we some e of the girls be here have told me about themselves bud and ive thought ive suspected that that was true of me too ox I 1 mean that perhaps I 1 haver t any right to my father a name perhaps you could tell me that her voice faltered but sh she a held it as firm film as she he could and looked straight into his eyes 1 I cant tell you very much cherry said aid the judge with a straightforwardness as simple as her own and a it with a great ache at his heart I 1 know now that we ive had in al our family for many years a fine housekeeper named emma she h a was a trained nurse II took lack car care of my brother and me when we were boys and aft afterward I 1 of my father she was a silent alent creature but very cap capable we and reliable some years ago agi well perhaps almost twenty she gave up her job to live with a mrs bawling who was ill emmal emma I 1 said cherry with a brightening face 1 I remember her berl she took care of my mother and m me a yes that same emma after your mothers death quite a sum of money was left for you emma came to me about it you were to be bam sent seat here she said well you were sent herel here your yaw own mother chose the place she would know about my m y mother emma the girl said sa id she could t teu eu me a she h tell y you 0 u she has another ther position now nm h housekeeper 1 keeper to a very lovely old 1 lady dy I 1 dont see emma r mma a often fl ten but during these thirteen years when you ve been ill you were ill once you youa the judge broke off to say speaking peaking c comfortably overta ably as it if the subject presented ted no d difficulties bult and it smiling with the a question ti 1 I had scarlet fever and then I 1 broke my leg falling alling out of a tree cherry supplied well about things like that she he would consult me your mother made me your you joint guardian with emma guardian for what the girl asked as k ad quickly A sum of money for all your ex for far your you education edu ed U but emma the girl said quickly and proudly gasn wasn t paying that she was she was only my mother a nurse no it had been left with her for you and she put it into my hands through emma that account had taken care ot of you all alff these years and even now naw I 1 know there is a enough left to help you into any profession profess fess ion Y you 0 u choose C cherry h erry considered this thin bright eyed and thoughtful emma got in touch with me ten days ago the man said to remind roe me that you would be twenty this week she was the one to get you this position you know my other mother the girl asked with a t steady look 1 I never saw her emma never said anything of my father 1 I know t that he is dead 1 I think cherry said aid ive always eye thought abe t that I 1 was an unwanted baby and that I 1 caused my mother great trouble and that emma w was a friend who came to stand by h her at the end why ghant you think that your an other mother had been widowed and was as happy m having you as any oth other mother TO BE CONTINUED |