seriously--he had said.

Poor Alix--she was taking life seriously enough to-night, Peter
thought, as he watched her.

"Tell me about Cherry," he said.

"Cherry is well, but just a little thin, and heart-broken now, of
course. Martin never seems to stay at any one place very long, so
I keep hoping--"

"Doesn't make good!" Peter said, shaking his head.

"Doesn't seem to! It's partly Cherry, I think," Alix said
honestly. "She was too young, really. She never quite settles
down, or takes life in earnest. But he's got a contract now for
three years, and so she seems to be resigning herself, and she has
a maid, I believe."

"She must love him," Peter submitted. Alix looked surprised.

"Why not?" she smiled. "I suppose when you've had ups and downs
with a man, and been rich and poor, and sick and well, and have
lived in half-a-dozen different places, you rather take him for
granted!" she added.

"Oh, you think it works that way?" Peter asked, with a keen look.

"Well, don't you think so? Aren't lots of marriages like that?"