her sister Mrs. Lloyd, who is visiting her," but to Cherry all the
romance seemed to have vanished from her new estate. November
passed, and Christmas came, and there was some talk of Martin's
joining them for Christmas. But he did not come; he was extremely
busy at the new mine and comfortable in a village boarding-house.

It was in early March that Alix spoke to her father about it;
spoke in her casual and vague fashion, but gave him food for
serious thought, nevertheless.

"Dad," said Alix suddenly at the lunch table one day when Cherry
happened to be shopping in the city, "were you and Mother ever
separated when you were married?"

"No--" the doctor, remembering, shook his head. "Your mother never
was happy away from her home!"

"Not even to visit her own family?" persisted Alix.

"Not ever," he answered. "We always planned a long visit in the
East--but she never would go without me. She went to your Uncle
Vincent's house in Palo Alto once, but she came home the next day-
-didn't feel comfortable away from home!"

"How long do you suppose Martin will let us have Cherry?" Alix
asked.

Her father looked quickly at her and a troubled expression crossed
his face.