"It's all right--Cherry--" Marilyn breathed softly, "It's all right--I
understand! Don't think any more about it!"
The eyes opened fiercely again, a faint determination shadowed round
the little mouth: "You gotta know--!" she broke forth again with effort. "He was good to
me--when I was a little kid, and when he found I was in trouble--" the
breath came pitifully in gasps--"he--offered--to--marry me!"
Marilyn's fingers trembled but she held the little cold hand warmly and
tried to keep back the tears that trembled in her eyes.
"He--didn't--want to--! He--just--done it to be kind! But
I--couldn't--see--it--! That's--what--we--argued--!" Her voice
grew fainter again. Marilyn with gentle controlled voice pressed the
little cold hand again: "Never mind, Cherry dear--it's all right!"
Cherry's eyes opened with renewed effort, anxiously: "You won't--blame--Mark--? He never--did--nothin'--wrong--!" He's--
your--friend!"
"No, Cherry! It's all right!"
The girl seemed to have lost consciousness again, and Marilyn wondered
if she ought not to call the doctor, but suddenly Cherry screamed out: "There he is again! He's come for me! Oh--I'm--a--gon' ta--
die! An' I'm afrrrr-aid!"
Cherry clutched at Marilyn's arm, and looked up with far off gaze in
which terror seemed frozen.
The minister's daughter leaned farther over and gathered the fragile
form of the sick girl in her arms tenderly, speaking in a soothing
voice: "Listen Cherry. Don't be afraid. Jesus is here. He'll go with you!"
"But I'm afraid of Jesus!" the sharp little voice pierced out with a
shudder, "I haven't been--good!"
"Then tell Him you are sorry. You are sorry, aren't you?"
"Oh, yes!" the weak voice moaned. "I--never--meant--no--
harm! I only--wanted--a little--good time--!"
The eyes had closed again and she was almost gone. The doctor had come
in and he now gave her another spoonful of medicine. Marilyn knew the
time was short.
"Listen, Cherry, say these words after me!" Cherry's eyes opened again
and fastened on her face, eagerly: "Jesus, I'm sorry--!"
"Jesus--I'm--sor-ry--!" repeated the weak voice in almost a whisper.
"Please forgive me," said Marilyn slowly, distinctly.
"Please--for--give--!" the slow voice repeated.
"And save me."
"--save--!" the voice was scarcely audible.
The doctor came and stood close by the bed, looking down keenly, but
Cherry roused once more and looked at them, her sharp little voice
stabbing out into the silence piercingly, "Is that--all?"
"That is all," said Marilyn with a ring in her voice, "Jesus died to
take care of all the rest! You can just rest on Him!"