The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-08-20
ONLY AN EPISODE.
BY cARLorTA MORTON.

By cARLorTA MoRroN.
From the Evening Telegram.
s'Say, Frank, for sweet PHYS sake, tell
me who she is"
Certainly my dear fellow, with pleas
ure; only tell me to which particular
she you refer"
ssWhy, that magnificent blonde in sold
gold hair. There, she's going to waltz
with Captain EMnger. Lucky dog-Td
like to stand in his shoes. Are you ever
going to tell me who she is, or don't you
know"
..Oh, yes, I know her. She is rather
nice.''
Rather NIGEL Zounds, man, if you
don't introduce me as soon as the waltz
is ended, I'll challenge you before day
light.
stOh, I'll introduce you, Will, but I
feel it my duty to warn you in advance
that she has no more heart than an egg
shell, and, besides, she has been mar
ried."
"a widow, eh? Well, you old Pick
wick, don't care if she's forty widows.
just introduce me-
Ten minutes later Frank was bending
over the stold gold" hair, whispering:
winnie, want you to help me play q
little joke on Will Kenneth. He is crazy
to be introduced to you, and hasn't the
remotest idea who you are. I've made
him believe you are widow. Play the
role, and we'll have some fun with him.
He doesn't possess such thing as q
heart, SO you need have no conscientious
scruples."
ssGood gracious! Frank, what prank
will you be playing next?"
But Frank had vanished, and mo-
ment later returned, and introduced Mr..
Kenneth to ssMrs. Winnie"
.'What an odd namer' thought Ken
meth. But the next instant he forgot all
about the name, for the purple pansy"
eyes were lifted to his, and their first
smiling glance thrilled him as no other
eyes had ever done, albeit he had viewed
the beauties of both hemispheres, and
considered himself thoroughly bl0se
man of the world.
IT trust your card is not yet full, Mrs.
Vinnie?" he murmured, as he seated
himself beside her.
ssNo; there are three vacancies yet"
And she smiled bewitchingly, as he
coolly filed up the said vacancies with
his own name.
.sYou are stranger in P I think,
Mr.. Kenneth, are you not2'
ST have been absent in the East for
nearly eight years, and find the place SO
changed that I scarcely recognize it. I
only returned yesterday, and SO far I
have met but few familiar faces. Were
it not for Frank Gaines-bless his kind
heart-I should feel like stranger in
deed.
The long lashes dropped, as she inno-
Gently inquired:
ssAre you and Mr.. Gaines old friends,
then?"
..Oh, yes; we used to be inseparable,
but he tells me he is married now, and
that, suppose, will interfere, to some
extent, with our intimacy. By the way,
are you acquainted with Mrs. Gaines?"
.sNo- -yes-that is, have met her q
few times.
esAnd do you not like her?"
From what source do you draw that
inference?"
s'From your constraint in speaking of
her, and, to tell you the truth, Mrs.
Winnie, Frank always did display
execrable taste in that line"
ssIn what liner" she asked, demurely.
s'In the selection of his lady friends. :"
ssOhp'
And the magnificent blonde smiled
softly to herself, and subsided into
silence.
stI'L make you retract that before I
have done with you," was the mental
VOW that arose and trembled on the
ruby lips, but remained there, un-
uttered.
And then the inspiring strains of
beautiful waltz foated around them, and
Kenneth had the coveted pleasure of
drifting around with the living tide, with
that lovely golden head nesting de-
liciously close to his shoulder.
"What an enhancing little witch she
is, he mentally soliloquized.
At last they paused for moment, close
by the draperies of a bay window; and
Frank Gaines, standing behind the cur
tains, reached out and softly pinched the
'slittle witch's" arm, to which delicate
compliment she promptly responded with
q little feminine shrek. and an involun-
tary glance at the curtains.
sWhat is it? What startled you?"
asked Kenneth, anxiously.
'sOh, nothing; only thought i'm
agined some one touched me from the
alcove; but of course it was all imagi-
nation"
He parted The curtains and glanced
through, but no one was there, and, as
they waltzed once more around t he
room, they passed Frank, evidently
deeply engrossed in conversation with
lady, but there was twinkle of fun in
his black eyes that was not lost on Mrs.
Winnie" and she, being one of those
splendid women that all men admire, and
most men love, forthwith gave herself
up to the pleasant task of bewitching the
invincible Will Kenneth.
Tt is so warm in here, come out on
the balcony" he whispered when the
waltz was over.
Out on the balcony, in the pale moon
light, with the heavy fragrance of honey
suckles falling around, and sweet,
dreamy fragments of music
dying away on the evening air.
With such surroundings, is it strange
that Kenneth allowed his heart to throb
as tumultuously as it chose, and gave
himself up to the irresistible spell of the
sweet, low voice and velyety blue eyes?
And with such surroundings, is it so
very strange that, for the time being, his.
companion allowed herself to forget
well, some things that she ought to have
remembered?
It was nearly an hour later that Frank
stepped out on the balcony and, bowling