The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-10-02
A CURIOUS COURTSHIP
By W. T. NICHOLS

l A diplomatic inquiry or two had | brought him before a house, old fash
 toned, rambling, hospitable. Taking station near the gate. he studied the | place more closely. l The crunch of gravel interrupted his meditations. The gate swung and
 and a plump figure appeared. l He stepped forward briskly and put out his hand. l My dear Mrs. Dunton,' he said
 suavely, this is delightful! What a l happy chance this isl And you are
 well, I trust, and so is Miss Marga-
 ret?'
 The lady addressed gave a start of
 surprise.
 l Mercy on us! but you here?" She
 said. "Of all the tmpu-''
 Penney, naturally disappointed at | the reception of his overtures. still | contrived to grin amtcab bly,.
 q must apologize most humbly,' ''
 he said. Tt was atrocious of me l to break that luncheon engagement l I beg pardon a thousand times over.'' l ~It was downright mean" remark | ed the lady with unwonted briskness. And then that letter came today. You ought to be ashamed of your
 self.''
 "But am-thcroughly ashamed" i And poor, dear, broken-hearted I Margaret! It's a marvel how she bears up as well as she does!" Penney felt like a pilot groping his way along a foggy channel Indeed!
 I hope, though, she is not-ah-ah-
 not seriously indisposed.'' 1 ''Indfsposed!"
 You might we'll choose better | word-you who write such lettersu" l tWal1 ,,,
 afraid. But I wasn't speaking SC
 much of the letter as of my failure | to meet you at luncheon, You know ! TU-''
 q know this much; the letter ex-
 plained why you didn't come to 1un- i cheon and a lot besides.'' 1 "Yes?" Querried Penney encourag-
 tngly.
 1 Don't you remember what you said? Do you want to be reminded |? Do you want to see that awful letter ?'' | "Very much. Mrs. Dunton," said
 Penney. promptly and respectfully. i "Come with me, then" she com 1 manded; and the young man followed her to the house. Mrs. Dunton fumbled among some papers.
 Here it is-the poisonous thing." she said. ''No wonder you've tried to
  1 look at it again, here it is.'' Penney took the letter ana read it from beginning to end. | My Dear Margaret: 1T find myself confronted by a most | distressful duty.s What I have to say l is not to be broken gently. ask you to relieve me from any engageme enr,
 into which you may regard me as hav- | ing entered with yourself. -if, 1 that trust you will have no difficulty | in viewing it in the same light. Youth l full folly must not be suffered to lead to consequences we both might m ost deeply repent. There Is too great a discrepancy in the lots Providence has assigned us in life to permit 8 marriage to be regarded by the world as other than a mesalIiance. I realize l that Mrs. Dunton with high generosity has accorded you a daughters place in her househo hold. and I lament that
 this-if you will pardon the express sion-does not enable you to meet what I may call the acid test of the class among whom are my acqua1nr- ances and friends. ''The decision to tell you this has been taking form in my mind Tor some months. Intentionally I failed to join you at luncheon. Another I4tSSL4hS5 SdWs cOu1u DS put cruel kindness to either of us. Will you be so good as to convey to Mrs. Dunton an expression of my esteem and regret that we may not improve our acquaintance? And so in profound sorrow that Fate has in terposed an insurm bor be- | tween us. I subscribe myself your s1n- cere friend.
 Hubert Penney looked up, to find Mrs Dun ton watching him with pathetic eagerness. Mrs. Dunton dabbed eyes with an end of the white shawl ''Why-why don't you say some thing?" she quavered "Of course you can't deny you wrote 1.-the writ ing's just like that of all other letters Margaret's shown me, but you might | at least admit you felt the stirr1ngs of shamei''
 TT am ashamed-of that letter HIt's beastly letter-come 10 rean it over, you understand" But you don't try to deny it's yours. There wouldn't be any use I-Fd recognize your hand wherever I saw it.''
 "Yes. it is not a common hand, I admit" said Penney.
 He heard a step in the hall, ana turned toward the door. The girl was standing there, her face as white as the dress she wore.