The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-17


nut might have known better than
- zen this story to Aunt Penny. born
nghter that she was. Since I couId
remember, Aunt Penny had never
SO happy as when she was do
lne battle with some one. loved her
"arlke spirit, but when she changed
minute TO the soldier she was
ana declared, Agatha, this shall he
iooKed after immediately" | saw far
consequences Of my rash conduct
one lett me with her fine eyes glow
ing with battle light, and | fed in the
limousine that had waited for me for
an hour to the ONCE OF Leon Masters
ne mad received the letter that
morning, | knew. if the mails had
uohe their usual work. He took me
10 his inner sanctum and | hurried
my explanation:
ieon-Mr Masters-Tye told Amt
rehhy That you-that you are the
one VINO didn't wish-she is hurt
very much hurt, Leon, and angry
ana thought that perhaps you would
tel her that it is you who decided
that it isn't best!"
Leon looked unutterably relieved.
is that all, Agatha" he said. II
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 go
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 stammered. you really
digit"
No, Agatha, really didn't, but /
would not have caused you any-er-
embarrassment-not for kings ran
som. And dad had set his heart on
1.-THE thinks you are perfection
Agatha-and you are, 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 It is what wished to
dol"
Worse and worse. Home | went.
hot and trembling. 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 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 | reached the drawing room,
where he waited ! could not help
thinking how young and handsome
Icons father looked He might have
been torty-five-he had been wild.
over for many years. He took my
hand in his.
Agatha! Miss Penryn!" he said,
what can ! say to you-what can I
do?"
Sitting there with my hand in his,
| told him the whole bald, disagree.
able truth. He bent over me when
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 II.
found myself swept, unresisting, into
his arms. Aunt Penny came In soon,
and We told her OF the change, and
restored her to normal aftcrward.
There was to be wedding on the
day set would marry Icons
father. There would be 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 a mother TO Leon, after all; but
never would | dictate to him when
II came to his marriage.
When | went upstairs on that night
of my second betrothal glanced
along the wall at the faces of my
ancestors They seemed to smile ap-
proval 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, wonder, or was
he overcome with JOY?