The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-11-11
p I=2e.s.=1II=
Agatha Penryn's Query
By EMMA J. BOWEN
copyrlght. l9lo. BY AssoeIated ILterarg POL

isn't my fault that Leon mi Masters
desires to break the engagement. =
"Desires7 What are you saying
Agatha? Declines to marry a Penryn
with the invitations all out, the bishop
invited 10 preside and with beautL
ful bride such as you will be?"
HE does," / faltered, with q sudden
determination to see Leon Masters al
once and make him tell Aunt Penny
! il was his wish 20 be free. Why had
come to the decision not 20 marry
Leon-why | had sent him a letter
breaking of the marriage at the last
moment ! could hardly explain
felt that his being younger than -
Leon was twenty-two-all at once sep
arated us, We had played together in
childhood. we had been sweethearta
in early youth, but with the weddlns
day week of felt that was taking
a mean advantage Of a child TO marry
Leon. 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. loved her
warlike spirit, but when she changed
In minute to the soldier she was,
and declared, Agatha, this shall be
looked after Immediately" / saw faT
consequences of my rash conduct
She left me with her dne eyes glow.
ing with battle light, and fed in the
limousine that had waited for me for
an hour TO the Office 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-Ive 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 It is you who decided
that it isn't bestl"
Leon looked unutterably relieved
rs that all, Agatha?" he said. Z
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 90
on, you know!"
His blunt words. his evident salts
faction with what | had done brought
the hot bushes to my face And I
had expected to find him over
whelmed with grief-had even pic
tured his efforts to win me back
So" l stammered. you really
didn't"
No, Agatha, really didn't, but
would not have caused you any-er-
embarrassmcnt-not for a kings ran
som. And dad had set his heart on
it-he thinks you are perfection,
you are. | didn't want
you ever to suspect how l had really
begun to feel about it! Dear old
Aunt Penny! or course, III see and
tell her that it is what / wished to
do!"
Worse and worse! Home went.
hot and trembling. / shut myself in
my room and would see no callers.
Toward evening, when I had reasoned
it all out, and had begun to be glad
we had both been saved from our
friends and from the great mistake.
aunt Penny came to me with a tri-
lmphant light in her eyes
Agatha, my poor lamb" she said,
Icons father has come to set
things right You must come down
and see him"
When | reached the drawing room.
where he waited, could not help
thinking how young and handsome
Icons father looked He might have
been forty-five-he had been a wild
'wer for many years. He took my
land in his
Agatha! Miss Penrynl" he said,
what can I cay to you-what can
lo?"
Sitting there with my hand in his,
told him +he whole bald, disagree
ible truth. He bent over me when
had finished
"Agatha" he whispered. "Dear!"
Love that had fed from long
ourtshlp came to me that instant
Without any courtship. loved
.eon's father, and knew 1t.
ound myself swept unresisting, into
is arms Aunt Penny came in soon,
nd we told her of the change, and
estored her to normal afterward
'here was to be a wedding on the
lay set. l would marry Icons
ather. There would be a little gos
ip, Of course, there is always
uzz Of excitement over the marriage
I an elderly man who writes checks
ometimes in seven figures,
When l went upstairs on that night
( my second betrothal glanced
long the wall at the faces of my
ncestors. They seemed to smile ap
rovaI at me, all but one. MY great
ncle, Peter PeAryn, lay face down
n the floor, perfect ruin. When
e fell, or why, l never knew. Was
e ashamed Of me, I wonder, or was
e overcome with Joy?
~4N~~~~~.~~~~~