The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16

TIE EVENING TELEGRAM. LAKE
IN early youth. but with the weddIns
uay week OF felt that I was takine
d mean advantage of a child to marry
Leon. did not love him.
But might have known better than
- uei this story to Aunt Penny. born
hshter that she was. Since | could
remember, Aunt Penny had never
peeh SO happy as when she was do.
ing battle with some one. loved her
"arhKe spirit, but when she changed
IN minute to the soldier she was.
ana declared, Agatha, this shall be
iooked after immediately" | saw far
consequences Of my rash conduct
sne left me with her fine eyes glow.
,ns with battle light, and I fed in the
limousine that had waited for me for
an nour to the ONCE of Leon Masters
he had received the letter that
morning, knew, If the mails had
oone their usual work. He took me
10 his inner sanctum and I hurried
my explanation:
Leon-Mr. Masters-I'ye told Aunt
fenny 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 It isn't best!"
Leon looked unutterably relieved
is that all. Agatha?" he said. 81
was afraid-very much afraid-thai
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 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-
embarrassment-not for a kings ran.
som. And dad had set his heart on
1.-THE thinks you are perfection
Agatha-and you are. I didn't want
you ever to suspect how | had really
begun to feel about it, Dear old
Aunt Penny! OF course, I'll see and
tell her that 1t is what | wished to
dol"
Worse and worse! Home went
hot and trembling. l shut myself in
my room and would see no callers.
Toward evening, when had reasoned
1t 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.
umphant 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 I 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.
over for many years. He took my
hand in his.
Agatha! Miss Penryn!" he said
what can 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 when
I 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 1t.
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 Icons
father. There would be a little Cos,
sip, of course. there is always q
buzz of excitement over the marriage
Of an elderly man who writes checks
sometimes In seven figures; but
there would be no scandal. would
be q mother to Leon, after all: but
never would dictate to him when
1t came to his marriage.
When l went upstairs on that night
of my second betrothal glanced
along the wall at the faces of my
ancestors. They seemed to smile ap-
prevail at me, all but one. My great
uncle, Peter Penryn. lay face down
on the floor, perfect ruin. When
he fell, or why, never knew. Was
he ashamed OF me, I wonder, or was
he ayaroo,,,a ,x,ffh iOu1