The Falls City tribune., 1909-10-15
PERCIVAL
WAS CLEVER

tIClOp3 CS WIZ biS 0aNh AhN
horror of the thought and her little
hand frightened within Percival's
clasp.
Suppose we had never met!" she
said in a half whisper.
Percival is sometimes a little slow
about rising to an occasion. All he
said in response was "Um-m-m-m-m,"
1t was meant to be the equivalent of
What indeed" but it was not salts
factory to Penelope.
Just SUPPOSE" she repeated.
All" rejoined Percival in the
same tone as before.
Wouldn't it have been awful, dar-
ling?" said Penelope.
1T certainly would have, sweet
heart, said Percival.
Penelope thought that over a little
and then: What would o have
done?" she asked.
Search" began Percival, and
then, becoming suddenly conscious of
the seriousness of the question,
checked himself. Searched through
the world for o until | had found
YOU he said happily.
How sweet of you!" said Pencil.
ope. But really, this isn't an answer
to my question:" she continued. "If
you had never met me, you wouldn't
have known that there was any me
to look for and consequently you
wouldn't have looked for me and you
wouldn't have found me-, don't you
see?"
And yet they say that women
aren't logical" exclaimed Percival.
But we did meet. didn't we, dear
hearth"
Yes, we did" said Penelope. But
what if we had? What would
you have done, dearest?"
Il don't know said Perciyal,
pinned down to it. II don't suppose
I'd have done anything. What would
you have done, honey bird
II wish you would keep still and
let me say what ] want to say" said
Penelope. 81 want you to tell me
what you would have done if you
hadn't met me. You would have fall
en- in love with some other girl,
wouldn't you?"
We'll" Percival admitted, 81 sup.
pose ! might have. And you would
probably have become engaged to
some other fellow"
81 would not"
What are you taking your hand
away for?"
I'm tired of keeping it in that po-
sition. Whom would you have cho-
SEM"
81 don't know" answered Percival.
Whom do you think you'd have
picked?"
Penelope's eyes flashed. 81 wouldn't
have picked anybody" she asserted
with indignation. Il told you l
wouldn't. | suppose you would have
fallen in love with Charlotte Smet-
ter"
Not in a thousand years" said
Fereiyal. emphatically.
L don't see why not. You were
calling there right along"
Not right along. l used to go
over once in a while when | didn't
have anything else in particular to
do. I told you all about that, you
know"
But you liked her"
oh, yes, ] liked her well enough.
She's all right in her way. Good
hearted girl, too" Percival spoke
with a fine assumption of indiffer-
ence.
You liked her very much-you
know you did"
Now, what's the use of going into
all that again." demonstrated Perez
val. you know there wasn't any
thing to it. I've told you so over and
over"
Please don't" said Penelope, for
biddingly. 81 wish you wouldn't do
that. Charlotte Smetter may like
that sort of thing, but I don't"
Penelope" exclaimed Percival.
ITS a pity that you didn't get en-
gagged to her" said Penelope. 81
think that you would have suited
each other very nicely. Perhaps it
isn't too late now"
why Penelope" said Percival.
Listen"
q think you've made yourself per-
fectly clear" said Penelope, coldly.
"I am q sort OF an accident. II 7
hadn't happened to strike your fancy
somebody else would have and you'd
have been just as well satisfied. If
you hadn't known me, you'd have
probably married Charlotte Smetter
and been perfectly happy, You say
yourself that you might have. You
may, if you like. I'll release you
gladly"
Now, you just listen to me-" said
Percival. when l said l might have
fallen in love with some other girl,