The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-01-12
THE AMERICAN WAY.
by ELizAREr.l MACON.



essssssers W,trJVVSTW JWU e.SesT%sSc
"Marry an Amarican!" gasped PEN
elope. "Never!"
81 certainly shouldn't if I didn't
want to-" said the American.
"Think OF being disposed Of like so
much merchandise, walled Penelope
Its horrible"
Exactly what I said when I over
heard the plan" he said.
Tell me what they said" COM
manded Penelope.
IT'S an unpleasant thing to talk
about" pleaded the American, but
/ felt that you ought to know. 1t
seemed such pity for you to be i'm
posed upon"
ITO say nothing of YOU" Pene-
lopes mind reverted to the pretty
American girl, also guest of the
Waits, in whose company she had
first seen this young man two days
ago.
Don't consider me-" said the
American coolly. ut was this way
I came upon Mrs. Walt and your aunt
last night talking over your affairs
and l listened because-well, I list
ened, anyway. Your aunt was saying
that you had lost your father and that
-well-there was a rather large
family of you"
Exactly" murmured Penelope as
he hesitated, "and she probably men,
toned how we scrimp to get along"
"And how sad it was he pursued,
'that you were so well born that it
would be kind of disgrace for you
to marry an ordinary sort of per-
son"
"And so poor" finished Penelope,
"that no extraordinary person would
marry me anyway"
The American turned away as Pen
elope shook the tears Of indignation
from her lashes.
"And Mrs. Walt" he went on hur-
riedly, said that was the very per-
son to fill the breach. She told how
/ had made my money, and who my
people were (it's astonishing what
these ladies carry in their minds)
and between them they agreed to put
match through"
"How dreadful" walled Penelope,
crimson with modification.
Il have plan which think might
work." suggested the American, help
fully, under one condition"
Penelope looked up eagerly.
"On condition that, aside from this
scheme, you don't find me personally
Objectionable"
"Oh, no." said Penelope, with in
nocent conviction.
Then why won't 1t be WISE" said
the American, smiling down at her.
"for us to seem to humor these match
making ladies. They will see to it
that we sit next to one another at the
table and that we are thrown togeth-
er as much as possible. Now, instead
of letting it make you unhappy, you
can be as friendly as you wish to me
without the least fear of my taking
advantage Of you. The ladies will be
put in good humor, you-and will
have some very pleasant times, and
when it's over you can simply go back
home and-marry an Englishman."
How kind of you," said Penelope,
gratefully. She and the American
shook hands upon the bargain.
Two weeks at a house party Is
worth a month of ordinary meetings
for making two people friends, and
the bond which existed between Pene-
lope and the American went far to-
ward helping things out. 1t was de-
lightful to watch the movements of
the scheming ladies in their behalf,
and when they were adroitly left
alone. to laugh at these efforts to-
gether, with perfect understanding
of the whole situation. The two were
neighbors at dinner, as the American
had prophesied, and wnen the party
motored, Penelope sat beside the
American as he drove his car Little
by little, astonishing as it nay seem,
Penelope entirely forgot about the
contract. She forgot to notice the
match making ladies. And she for
got that Americans in general had
been considered Objectionable. And
she entirely forgot that on the day of
her arrival she had found the Ameri-
can and the pretty girl of his own
race apparently great friends.
But one morning, the last she was
to spend at the Waits, she had a
slight headache and did not get down
to breakfast. Later when she did
come down she found that the Ameri-
cans had gone to walk together. The
sun, which had been bright enough
before, clouded suddenly. Penelopes s
headache also began to be much
worse than she had thought it was.
She crept bacl, to her room and
locked the door. Then she sat down
before her mirror and stared at q
rather pale reflection in the glass.