Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-02-28

| IN the Work. Ou Know L always uy
to keep abreast of everything in which
papa is engaged"
When the outer door closed upon her
| friend Kate went back into the draw
ing-room,s and dropping into an easy
chair before the open CRATE stared with
unseeing eyes at the glowing Goals, her
hands clasped tightly in her lap, and a
pucker of pain between her drawn
brows.
| Hugh Austen's words were ringing
in her ears and pounding on her brain:
"a single flaw in the construction con-
demns the whole structure" Her heart
was throbbing heavily-each beat a
stab-and through it all she saw pref
| ty smiling face in down town store
happy, innocent face, whose posses
sor was Hugh Austen's affianced wife.
She had known of his engagement
| from the first-he himself had mention
ed it early in their acquaintance
it had never seemed a vital thing to
| her until that morning. She was doing
some shopping, and while waiting for
| her change her attention was drawn to
sweet-faced girl by overhearing one
| clerk remark to another:
Eyes, Maggie does look happy. She's
lucky girl! You know she's engaged
to Hugh Austen, the architect. He's
one of Gods noblemen; there isn't a
better man in the city. believe they're
to be married some time this winter"
"One of Gods noblemenv' Kate re-
peated the words softly to herself, then
added in a whisper, burying her burn
| ing face in her hands, ''And my kingr'
| No word Of love had ever passed be-
| tween them, but eyes have way of
| betraying secrets sometimes. She knew
his heart was hers even though his
| word was pledged to another-and she
exulted in the possession.
He was so different from the men she
met in society that he interested her
| from the first. He was quiet, with that
reserve which betokens strength Of
character as well as strength Of will.
She remembered the day she first met
| him. He was in the library when she
went in to get book, and her father IN
troduced him. He acknowledged the
introduction by curt little bow, hard
ly giving her a glance, and continued
the discussion with Mr.. Gordon as il
she had not been present. She felt
piqued and snubbed-a novel sensation
for the heiress-and she determined to
show this rude young man that she was
not altogether devoid Of intelligence
Kate was an only child, the idol of
her fathers heart She was his friend
ID l,fr
true sense Of the word. She possessed
good judgment, and had always taken
live interest in his affairs. He often
said she had better head for business
than half the men he met
Determining to understand the sub
ject thoroughly, she hunted up all the
books in the house treating on archi-
lecture, and spent her spare time in
studying and making notes.
When Mr.. Austen came again she had
the satisfaction of seeing q look of sur
prise creep into his eyes as she occa-
sionally made an apt suggestion.
He turned and looked at her several
times during the evening, when some
unusually bright remark Of hers arrested
his attention-a remark showing a clear
and intelligent understanding Of the
question under discussion. The few
women he knew were Of the domestic
order. who rarely gave a thought to
anything outside the petty round which
constituted their world. And that So
ciety belle should be able to discuss in
telligently and originally the living
issues Of the day-the vexed problems
that make life the complex thing it is
amazed him.
He had begun by feeling-if he had
any feeling at all in the matter-that
the beautiful heiress was no more to
him than any one of the many other
pieces Of bric-a-brac in his employers
house. She was beautiful statue
nothing more, nothing less. But when
the statue woke to life he discovered
that it possessed a rare and delicate
CHAIRMAN indefnable something that
attracted and held him. And gradually
the evenings he spent at her fathers
house became the bright spots in his
rather colorless existence.
Kate did not know how long she had
sat there when she heard the door open
softly and a quick, nervous step COM
ing toward her. Rising, she stood facing
him as he came up. His face was flush
ed. and there was an eager light in his
eyes.
Il could not go away without apollo
gizing to you for what l said a while
ago." he said, speaking breathlessly, as
though impelled by some inner force.
He had caught her hands in his, and
was holding them crushed together in
both of his own. Il did not mean you
there are no weak points in your na-
ture. You are good and pure and stead
fast / was thinking only of myselfr'
They stood for a full minute looking
into each others eyes-reading each
others souls. Then Kate gently with
drew her hands, and walking over to
the mantel said rather unsteadily:
I'VE cannot judge human beings by
the same standard by which we judge
inanimate things. There are weak
spots in every nature-but out of that
very weakness grows the beautiful
flower of humility"
Thank you" be murmured in a
broken whisper, and started toward tho