people are going to get enough to eat," Peter added, flinging
himself into a chair beside Cherry.

"He's been cooking it since breakfast!" Alix remarked, departing.
Peter laughed guiltily, and Cherry, too. It was only an
exaggeration of the simple truth. He loved to cook, and his meals
were famous.

"It's very pleasant to me to have Alix so much at home here,"
Cherry said, when Alix was gone, and the doctor wandering happily
about the garden. "I don't know what we'd do if any one ever
usurped our places here!"

She had said it deliberately; the fascination of her recent
discovery was too strong to resist. The man flushed suddenly. For
a full minute he did not speak, and Cherry was surprised to find
herself a little thrilled and even frightened by his silence.

"What put that into your head?" he asked, presently, smoking with
his eyes fixed upon the valley far below.

"Just--being here," she answered. And as he glanced over his
shoulder he met her smile.

"You've been here a thousand times without ever paying me a
compliment!" he reminded her.

Cherry considered this, her brows drawn a trifle together.

"Perhaps," she offered, presently, "it's because there are so many