Show 0 W NORR A V efm 1015 CHAPTER XIII 12 f ean meanwhile while cherry Cli orry in the sick flut flu t sf f spirits that had become familiar fer er of late kept tier her dentist ap ament and at noon looked at a I 1 led ed and lovely vision in the don den ta I 1 mirror ie 10 went out into the blazing street as 0 one ne of the hot noontides noon tides of the A at t two a wild wind id spring up and send papers and flying ing but just now the heat was nd clear and still e a was carrying a parasol and she ed d it now and walked slowly to geary street she could not even ie in her thoughts the utter blank ait at 1 f the feeling that swept over nit missing an opportunity to see r t she turned and went slowly at the big bho shop windows that d the burning plaza an and d so came ie e cool grent great doorway of the st vs als inside was ans tempered light ciuch noiseless coming coining and going ipg ing and parting erry drifted into the big deep t sted ted waiting room there were women there sunk into the big er chairs watching the doors and ing at the clock when a man ili hastily in the door one woman there was a significant smile EL a aured lured greeting before the two ted lied i a luxurious chaar cherry waited certainly would not come in un anif it past jast twelve perhaps not then auly with a spring of tier her heart fen acher ther ribs site saw reters peters dark dilwith lil with its touches of iron gray boomed foniel and brushed scrupulously iB with mith the little limp yet as js dignified and erect lie he came to before her ber and she stood i up ip n belr hands met flushed and a 49 confused she followed him to rl table in a corner of tr mining nang room then the dreamlike and beauty of their hours Ts jer began again 1 you expect me ITO to meet you ailed tilled for answer lie he looked at a minute before his kace aiace lighted with a bright smile stirl lont tont think I 1 thought of your not lot althere lt liere lie he confessed 1 I was wt dl moving au all morning toward the nt of meeting lie ile watched her w with an anglety slety for a moment fit turned his attention to the bill ase but cherry was not hungry adte ad te paid small small attention to the br to the food when it came I 1 ax latently fitly they were talking again L I 1 th unger for self analysis that ja cart of new love they thrilled W iry ri word cherry raising tier lier hitting with fill eagerness to his ater ar wati liing the little down own 11 acl rt face in an agony of adoration passed two hours after inthey they were walking still with i strange tili fige sense of oneness and of ill e and still as easily as if they so er to the ferry ll Amet them in mill valley with 3 of tile the day she bail bad ari dering the brief talk with biond and was anxious to have peters 1 alnes it peter was of the opinion tunes conduct indicated very goliat she arid and justin realized ny belr case was lo lot lol L r T h youre fixed for life carry as first remark oil hay my eilf id ln in a burst lets go do down IT e d house tomorrow will you abut what it needs and how we ve to be done to make it fit rf n I 1 W flushed staring itea steadily dily at va 1 t sr I 1 and peter too was con ut lit alix saw haw nothing not liing the carried tier lier point und and I 1 knitli tier her down doan to the old erry was nas pale and fighting 1 I athey they crossed the porch and diey key in the door inside the ic air was close and stale I 1 dry pine phie walls and of un ull peter flung up a window SO walked allu aimlessly leslY about he ie familiar iet shockingly taira and tables that were all kly ly with elih dust dill Is evereth ever angl allx alix said pt t quick tour of 0 inspection escaler cater beuther streak on 31 do plaster aster of the dinong room 10 needs eeds air cleaning straight erb i gosh how it does i I 1 1 t bear ll 11 cherry t uld 6 t sick unda artone lot ho was wag rapidly recovering furn sprang upstairs with her but cherry did not 0 ie a went wem 13 1 the open trout io rid ind stool there leaning bill and gazing sadly out ibby by tangled gardt garden n that ro cad all the safety and joy OA ce e of 0 tier lier little garl days he said us its lie ile came to lo ad W elier ller tin su unhappy iylo you end it he asked it kleca an a startled start leil look foe t pod the he fritt faltered ered ea you think you a arni I 1 arave to agne every ining trung else elbe up for or me lie be asked peter said cherry hardly above a breath will you go away with me peter went on feverishly the only way nay now the only way now wilt will you go awall away go away cherrys chernys Cher rys face was ashen as she moved her ter tragic and beautiful enes ees to liis his go away where anywhere peter ansi answered ered confusedly fu sedly anywhere I 1 ile he did not meet tier her look his own on went furtively about the garden immediately lie he seemed to regain self control im talking like a fool I 1 lie he said quickly 1 I dont know what im saying half the aimel im sorry orry im sorry cherry dont mind me lue say that forgive me for or what I 1 said ile he had taken lier her hands and they were looking and soberly at each other when an unexpected noise made them atheni step quickly apart cherrys chernys Cher rys heart beat madly with terror and peter flushed deeply it was martin lloyds aunt mrs airs north their old neighbor who came about the corner of the house arid and approached them smilingly how much had she seen cherry asked herself in a panic what were ere they doing what were they saying as she appeared bearc 0 how much had their attitude betrayed them mrs north was aaa the same loud laughing cheerful woman as of old she kissed cherry and was full of queries tor for martin durango belle told me something about his going there she said how long you been here cherry ive been with alix and peter for for several weeks cherry said uneasily her eyes met peters and lie he conveyed reassurance to tier 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 peters that lie felt a fresh pang of suspicion she bad seen something why ive been rather rather kept here bere by the the lawsuit law suit snit 1 I peter cherry explained cut but I 1 ex 1 hect to go soon as it Is all settled heres allx alix slie she said gladly as allx alix rame came doNAn downstairs stairs ill bet you three are having real good fl times ures mrs north said with a curious look from one to the other you iou know what I 1 hope alix told lier ter is that cherry and martin will always keep the old place open now I 1 dont bellee cherryll ever love an 7 r 9 heres alix she said gladly as allx alix came arna downstairs other oilier place as she does the valley will you als allx alix eagerly cherry met the arm tier her sister linked around lier her halfway balfay half balf way ay arid and gave her a troubled smile and yet a few moments later cheri some quest took peter suddenly front from the group she wat clied the shabby corduroy suit the laced high boots ana the black head bend touched with ith gray disappear in the direction of the kitchen with a tearing pain ut at tier her heart her father had asked to wait wait until she was nineteen nineteen had seemed old then she had bad felt at nineteen she would have merely delaind dela cd the great joy of life for nothing at nineteen she would be only so I 1 much uch older so much more desperately tely bent upon this marriage and peter ieler was there then was coming and going advising and tensing lies liei w 0 o near so accessible loving lier her enell ceu then had she but knose it that might as easily and how much more wisely alave ilave been with peter peler the presents pie the gowns tile wedding would have beet the same came to her childish the rest liow how dif different Terent the rest won oil liae been light instead of dickin di ikin joy of pi pila arla la dignity uirl i n i ining gitlit cit lit in afton ca d or of all lie e months or of restless and doubt and disillusionment the mry cry M ry scene here with mrs north arid and alls alix night might easily have live been larn N with etli cherry ns as the felfe lie of peter clieny cherry ns as lier ter sisters hostess ITT in the mountain cabin at tile thought her heart suffocated her site she tood stood dazedly looking out of tile hie old kitchen window and her ber ynes senes in fit a sudden 0 of pain pail CHAPTER XIV you and I 1 must go awny away sald said 1 peter 1 I cant stand it I 1 love you vou 1 I boxe me ou so dearly cherry I 1 cant think of anything else any more mole its like a fever its like a sickness im never happy any more unless tny my arms are about you will you let tile me take you somewhere where we cin be happy together cherry turned her confident childish face toward him cihil tier her lashes glittered but she smiled 1 I love you peter I 1 site she said and tile the words nords goun sounding dIng softly through the silence nalence of tile the garden died away on the aarm night air like music in the two mo weeks since the day at the old oil house they had not chanced to be ortell often alone and tonight for the first time cherry admitted ad knitted that she could fight no longer they talked it as lowers his arm about the soft hott little clinging figure tier her small firm tin lingers gers tight lit in his own lie he had bad squared 1 about on the great log that was wag their seat so that his ardent ebe ees were closer to her the world held nothing but themselves it was eight so this Is tile the thing that wa was vat malting t for us all these years cherry ever since the time you and alix used to dam my brook and climb my oak trees 1 I never dreamed of it cherry said with nith wonder in tier her tone it if e had dreamed of it 21 peter began arid and stopped ali ah if we had it would all be different cherry said with a look of pain tile the one thing thine I 1 cant bear to think of I 1 cannot go back to martin I 1 cant leave you I 1 cant leave i ou shall we go away peter asked simply go where she asked go anywhere lie he answered we have money enough we can leave allx alix rich she will still have her cabin and tier her dogs and the life she loves put but there are other tiny plaes places cherry there ire are little cabins in hawaii there tire canadian villages cherry there tire are thousands of places in tile the south of france where we might live for years and never be questioned and nener neer be annoyed france she whispered and the domit downcast cast face he was va wa thing so ro eagerly was thoughtful how could we go she breathed you first arid and then I 1 to meet somewhere we would have brive to go together he decided swiftly ervery avery 0 one tie must know dear you you realize that alde e eed ed slie she vlas vias staring at ban him as if spellbound spell bound by some new hope now slie she shrugged tier her shoulders lit in c careless a d disdain 1 I a in that of any cons consequence consequent equen ce 1 you dont feel it so ile he sat don down donn n beside beltle her and again they locked hands not that part pait she simply 1 I till mind lid alls alix file lie added thou fully yes I 1 mind all alix c lie he admitted dut but the injury Is lone done to alls alix now cherry sald said slowly now it Is too lat late e to go back you and I 1 we deceive alix here heip peter ieter cherry added and as slie she turned to him lie saw her thin white blouse move suddenly cudde llly with the quick rising of her ber heart that that abat would be too horrible but I 1 could take this love of oars away leave ever tiling thing else behind simply simply recognize stammered cherry her lips beginning to tremble that it Is bigger than ourselves that we ne cant help it peter id fight it if I 1 could she added piteously id go away it if I 1 know that no power on earth could keep me from coining back 1 slip she buried tier her head on his shoulder and he put his firm arm about her and there was utter silence over the great brooding mountain and lit in the valley brimming with soft moonshine and in tile lie garden 1 I bell believe eve that even alix will understand peter still said after awhile she loves you and tie me better than any one else in the world she Is not only everything ery thing that Is generous but she selfish slie she Is the busiest and the most sensible sen ible person I 1 ever knew I 1 know of course I 1 know its rotten lie brahe oft off in sudden despair but what im trying to say Is that AUX allx of till all p people eo I 1 know Is the une one that will m make ake the least fuss about it cherry was staring raptly before tier her now slie she grasped his hand arid and said breathlessly oh peter are we talking about it are we talking about our going away and belonging to each other what else he said quick tears in bis ils ees oli oh but ive been so unhappy ive been so star starved she whispered 1 I thought I 1 wanted p people I 1 e el cities tie s I 1 thought I 1 wanted to po gloo on n the stage but it ans only you I 1 wanted oli peter ieter what a life it v will III be I 1 the lit allt cottage the simplest life and perhaps a beach or woods to walk lit in arid and always tal talking klug reading always together there some borne way we call apt awny away disappear as if we had never been cherry yi lie he said kneeling before bedfor lier her in ili tile lie et grass you know what t ili linkins lini calls ins it meas you I 1 slie she answered after sli elle slie site hil bod lie her I 1 band ali ak wd ria wr SIT buan I 1 a its so beautiful its ita an wood wonderful erful to love this vas she he said la in her bet innocent little girl voice that tt it mems M ems to me ine tile only tiling thing in the world 1 ill id come to you peter it if it meant arid and death and horror borror it d mean that it only means a man inan and a woman settling down polut somewhere where in fit the south ot of franco france a big quiet man inan who limp a little aej a little yellow headed woman in blue smocks find and silly looking I 1 hats Is t S P it means life of coursel course lie he interrupted tier her the hour that makes you mine cherry will be the exquisite hour of my whole hole life they were silent for a while and below them the white moonlight deepened and brightened arid and swam like ilka an air enchantment there will nill be no coming back cherry oil oh I 1 know that there cant eier eer be there lie be youve thought of that lie he sa said id uncertainly in the curious unreal light that flooded the world he be saw her turn and caught the gleam ot of her surprised eci you it mean ch children lidren a c hild child she said why not peter she added tightening her fingers what could be more wonderful than that we should have a child can you imagine a happier environment tor for it a child than that little sunshiny dodgy beach cottage cant you see the litt a figure the two or three little figures scampering ahead of ns through tile the country roads or around the fire oh I 1 can call said cherry her extraordinary voice rich and sweet ly her shining eyes were close NN with ith longing 1 I can caal I 1 that would be motherhood peter that be like having a baby whose hose father one one love marriage or no marriage and as lie he watched amazed at tile the change that love had brought brou glit to q quiet u let little inarticulate cherry she added earnestly alix N will III forgive us see she will I 1 alix I 1 know her will vill only be sorry for me shell only think me mad to disgrace the good ranie name of strickland kland shell think were both crazy perhaps shell plunge into the orphanage work or perhaps shell go on here gardening playing with buck raising ducks slie she says herself that she he has neier neer knon what love means says it really meaning it yet as if the whole subject was a juke joke a weakness I 1 1 I believe slie she will forgive us for she Is the mo mot most t generous worn woman n in the world peter s aid alda slowly A |