The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1910-12-01


day a week on | felt that / was taking
q mean advantage Of Z child to marry
Leon. I did not love him.
But might have known better than
to tell this story to Aunt Penny, born
fighter that she was. Since could
remember. Aunt Penny had never
been SO happy as when she was do.
Ing battle with some one. i loved her
warlike spirit. but when she changed
In q minute to the soldier she was.
and declared. Agatha, this shall be
looked after immediately" l saw far
consequences Of my rash conduct
She left me with her fine eyes glow.
Ing with battle light, and LIED In the
limousine that had waited for me for
an hour to the once Of Leon Masters
He had received the letter that
morning. ! knew, ii the mails had
done their usual work. He took me
to his inner sanctum and I hurried
my explanations:
"Leon-Mr. Masters-I've told Aunt
Penny that you-that you are the
one who didn't wish--she is hurt,
very much hurt, Leon, and angry
and thought that perhaps you would
tell her that 1t is you who decided
that 1t isn't best!"
Leon looked unutterably relieved
rs that all, Agatha?" he said. 81
was afraid-very much afraid-that
you did not mean-that you might
have reconsidered your .letter-that
you were not-that you wanted to &c
on, you know"
His blunt words. his evident salts
faction with what had done brought
| the hot bushes to my face. And
had expected to md him over
whelmed with grief-had even pic
tured his efforts to win me back!
So" ! stammered, you really
didn't"
mo. Agatha, l really didn't, but
would not have caused you any-er-
embarrassment-not for a kings ran
som. And dad had set his heart or
the thinks you are perfection
Agatha-and you are. didn't want
you ever to suspect how I had Really
begun to feel about it! Dear, old
Aunt Penny! OF course, I'll see and
tell her that It is what I wished to
dol"
Worse and worse! Home went
hot and trembling. l shut myself ir
my room and would see no callers
Toward evening, when 1 had reasoned
1t all out, and had begun to be GLAD
We had both been saved from on,
friends and from the great mistake
Aunt Penny came to me with tri
umphant light in her eyes.
agatha, my poor lamb" she said
Icons father has come to Sc,
things right. You must come down
and see him."
When ! reached the drawing room
where he waited, could not hell
thinking how young and handsome
Icons father looked. He might have
been forty-ive-he had been wild
over for many years. He took my
hand in his.
Agatha! Miss Penryn!" he said
what can I say to you-what can
do?"
Sitting there with my hand in his
told him the whole bald, disagree
able truth. He bent over me wher
had finished.
"Agatha!" he whispered. "Dear!'
Love that had fed from long
courtship came to me that instant
without any courtship. loved
Icons father. and knew it.
found myself swept. unresisting, into
his arms. Aunt Penny came In soon
and we told her of the change, and
restored her to normal afterward
There was to be wedding on the
day set. would marry. Leon,
father. There would be little COS
sip, of course. there is always 6
buzz Of excitement over the marriage
of an elderly man who writes check.
sometimes in seven figures: bu
there would he no scandal. would
be mother to Leon. after all; bu
never would dictate to him wher
it came to his marriage.
When went upstairs on that might
of my second betrothal I glanced
along the wall at the faces of m,
ancestors. They seemed to smile ap
proval at me, all but one. My grea
uncle, Peter Penryn. lay face dowr
on the floor. perfect ruin. Wher
he fell, or why, never knew. Wa.
he ashamed Of me, wonder, or wa,
he overcome with Joy? m