The Columbus journal., 1907-04-10

He teoksd tkcomboetabjA
II = rather lonely hesA Ny +
not wait with you until yuur frisad'
eomesr" :
-Oh-eeftainly. q you hke." /.
Then . sudden pain In her an1]e
brought the hot tears to her eyeA
II was Just waiting for . hay-waUR
-or something" I:
Ar. Hart smiled . little. unexpected;
". He looked quite nice when 10
smiled. He had lovely eyes :
II know . farmer who lives Only .
little ways from here, across the lots.
who has . team-n you Win wait loe
me-"
+: Penelope realized that he had beeu
. friend In need. and graciously. %
cepted.
!. Somehow Ghe did not seem .
society woman to him - he cat
beside her. She was Just . lovable
girl In . quaint gown. . girl whom
one could love. . girl OF whom o0e
could never tire.
!. Penelope forgot to pose. she WAS
ashamed to be otherwise than herself
with this man. They talked oe many
things. Of worlds present and to come.
OF life. death. eternity. Of people and
manners. and customs. and love-
little. only . very little. Penelope
grew strangely shy. She went IN
directly when they reached the hotel.
very quiet and subdued.
The end VA drawing near for Pen
elope Warren, the idler. The days
went swiftly now. only four more.
three more, two. one. So the last
one came. DUH and heavy and gray.
She had made her peace with Archi-
bald knight the night before. He had
apolog11ed. and she had confessed to
her poverty and I'VE weeks pretense.
He refused absolutely to believe her
Tor . time. Then he exhausted him
self in ordinations over her clever.
ness and proposed all over again.
II was . tribe dimcult mailing him
rec that she really preferred teaching
school In . two-by-four country school
house to living In luxury. - Mrs.
knight. II hurt his pride
and selfesteem, but Penelope, 1t last,
him into . half resigned
frame Of mind. He was such q boy.
Penelope almost loved him - she
bade him good-by. Indeed. she did
pull his big blond head down and Kiss
him gently, once. She was sorry she
had hurt him and she had not played
fair.
Penelope was feeling decidedly
ashamed Of herself and decidedly out
Of sorts. She shut her eyes and.
leaning against the rock, listened
sleepily to the Groom Of the waves.
Then she opened her eyes suddenly
and looked up at the minister. she
had not heard him. he came 20 quiet
". Yet she had known that he vas
there. That was . strange thing!
II must go back" she said. nerv-
ously. WAS Aunt Lawrence looking
for me? It takes 30 long to dress
for dinner. / almost have to begin
the day before"
He smiled q little and helped her
up the steep rocks.
Not that I mind II. I do love
things. pretty dresses, and
laces. and clippers. and hats. Good
ness. to be poor! It must be awful"
She faced him suddenly, defiant and
honest
1T II awful" she said. II am -
poor q . church mouse. This -
. silly masquerade, aunt and
being here this way"
She braced herself for his aston
lshment. He did not answer for .
moment.
II am glad you tell me yourself.
but I knew about It before. You
Bee your aunt told me . few days
leo."
Penelope gasped.
oh" she said, "IEl-WhAt q
goose you must think met"
Does It make any difference to you
What I think? To you who are going
be Mn. Archibald knight, and have
III these things that you love?"
His tone was . tribe bitter q tribe
"Oh, but I am not" contradicted
Penelope. cheerfully. II am goins
,ack to teach"
They were climbing down the mar
ow, rocky path to the pine grove now.
He stopped suddenly without releas-
NJ her hand.
You hate to be poor: Penelope?'
Penelope nodded.
You love pretty things. dresses.
aees. hats" He stopped. "Peoe
ope. look at me-"
But Penelope could not
Pen, I can give you none Of these.
N that / have IL . bare living. and
ny love for you. Pen-Pen-you
ould not be happy poor. I know It.
nd yet" his voice shook and he
topped.
Penelope put her hand to her ach-
ng throat. In . fash she knew what
his man meant to her, knew how
mpty everything would seem with
ut him. She would pretend no
more.
"One can never tell what one can
until one tries, you know" che
'hispered low. /,
And then anmeh0v aha MA erv