Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-06-15
His
WOman-PrOOf
Heart
By JOANNA SINGLE

Things began to happen in John
DORIS hitherto quiet life. He had
been head draughtsman ten years
Then, one June morning, Foster, the
senior partner, called him to the In
ner office. Tauton, the other firm
member, was grinning in his happy
fashion.
You're junior partner, Dorr, from
this time forth! How do you like it?''
Both older men rose and shook
hands with him. Their friendliness
was personal as we'll as In business.
DORIS steady dark eyes lighted
happily. He was probably thirty
three or four, of the slowgoing but
absolutely sure sort He said nothing
could be better. And then they dis
cussed the financial side. An hour
later he was leaving them. when
Tauton stopped him jocularly.
We've only one fault to find with
you, John. You're not quite human
with that woman-proot heart Of
yours You seem never to even see
girl-and they all see you! Marry
and be one of us. and have some real
life in that little cottage OF yours.
Eh?"
Dorr laughed. but his reserve was
not broken. Some marry, like you;
some, like me-do not consider
myself a successful bachelor" He
left them, not saying that love had
seemed to pass him by. He would
marry, If ever, because love came
and found him. not because other
men married.
The next astounding thing hap
pened the next morning. Miss Gray
always at her desk early, was wait
ing for him. No one else was down
yet, and she followed him to the in
ner room and closed the door. In
the year she had been in the office
she had spoken to nobody there save
on business, and almost never to
Dorr. Now she laid a shining hand
full of jewelry on the desk before
him, and stood, tall and slender, her
face grave, her gray eyes serious
She spoke as if comforting rather
than asking a favor
Gould I get-$200 on these? I
know nothing about pawning things"
Through his amazement he noted
the depth of her clear eyes, the way
her fine, smooth brown hair framed
her face, the little lines at her tenn
pies. She could not have been much
under thirty. He examined the heavy
old watch of fine gold, two diamond
rings, one very good; a little sap
phire, like blue eye, and other
trinkets.
should think so. Why not let
us-the frm-advance the money!"
She shook her head firmly. That
would not-do. And l need the money
this afternoon. too. l thought you
could tell me the best place to 60"
They are all-horrible places.
Properly managed, some of them
might lend it. Tll-go for you. You
couldn't go to place like that"
She turned as If the matter were
settled. Thank you very much, she
said pleasantly and went back to her
desk.
He liked it that she did not ex-
plain, that If she had troubles she
did not mention them, and that, what
ever it was, she came to her own
firm. But it set his thoughts upon
her How came she to have such ex-
pensive things? Why did she need
money? She had a good salary, lived
very quietly, and inexpensively-he
knew where she boarded, and had a
vague idea that all her people were
dead. He thought he would-why,
he would quietly keep her jewels and
give her the money himself! Then
he knew she would not accept It. He
was driven to deceit He pawned the
watch only, as less personal, and
when he gave her the envelope of
bill merely showed her the ticket,
explaining that he would keep 1t and
get the things when the 60 days were
up.
But the matter disturbed him, and
he wished 1t had not occurred. He
furtively studied her. She was
lady. The quietness of her dress and
manner, the perfection of her toilet,
above all, her reserve, showed that.
Her voice was cultivated, and her
work showed the grasp and accuracy
Of trained mind
AS the hot June days passed he
saw a change in her. Miss Taylor,
the bookkeeper, had gone on her va
cation, and as business was light,
Miss Gray did her work In her abb
sence. Was it too much for her?
Dorr noted that for the first time
since he had known her, she seemed
worried. Her eyes were shadowed,
her face pale. He spoke to her about
It one Saturday noon after the others
had left and were not to return. She
was bending over a ledger.
Miss Gray, it's pretty hot in here.
You'd better not stay-let It go until
Monday. Shall I work at It for an
hour? I can"
She seemed to shrink from him,
and protested.
NO" she said, '1et me do II I'm
learning-you know I'm not an ex-
perienced bookkeeper-I'l get along
all right"