The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-06-19
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
Al Slade turned from the fright
ened, Insignificant figure OF his hee-
ing wife, he saw a woman of perfect
poise and queenly carriage. woman
a trife naughty and insolent In her
youth and beauty and assured COM
mand Of all the intricacies OF social
grace and charm. Her wide. full eyes
met his with an engaging. frank curl
osity to see this new factor In the po-
litical world. Her gown was tri-
umph Of soft, shimmering silk and
aIluring chiffon-a gown that empha-
si1ed the charm of her proud, statu-
esQue figure. She was the sort OF
woman that makes man glow with
pride to present as his wife or daugh-
ter. She was all that Mary Slade was
not.
Slade stood looking at her. fasci-
mated. forgetting for the moment the
man she was with, remembering moth
ing but the magnetic personality of
the woman whose reputation for do
ready known to him-a womun whose
eyes meeting his gave back tn for
flash and understanding for under
standing.
Almost mechanically Slade found
himself acknowledging Senator Strick-
lands formal presentation Of his
daughter. Hesitatingly he offered his
hand, which the girl, perfectly at
ease. grasped with cordial, sympa-
thetic pressure. Her eyes were look
ing critically into his, much as II she
were trying to read him through and
through and take his measure for fu-
ture use.
Her easy, graceful acceptance Of the
Mrs. SHADES health, prompted by we'll
bred sympathy rather than any curl
GUS interest, and the cultured modula-
ton Of her splendid voice. charmed
him as no woman had ever done be-
fore.
There was nothing of the shy, retir-
ing ingenue In Katherine Strickland's
makeup. She was woman Of splen-
did physique and wonderful mental de-
velopment. Her appeal to man was
that Of dominant intellect as much
as Of lovely woman. She immedi-
ately impressed Slade as being keen
witted,. strong-minded and clever. His
admiration displayed itself in his shin
ing eyes and his unusually affable, at
tentive manner.
Suddenly he found himself compar.
ing his own little old-fashioned wife
with this handsome. selfpossessed
woman before him. What wife Kath-
crime Strickland would be for the gov
ernor of q state! What picture she
would make presiding at the head Of
q millionaire's dinner tables! How
wonderfully such woman would
adorn the richly furnished rooms Of
his newly built mansion! Instead of
the work-worn fingers of his wife, con-
tinuously fumhung with darning
threads, he saw, In q mental vision,
this woman's lovely hands constantly
engaged in unwinding the threads Of
problematic political tangles. Here
was q woman who would be a mans
wife and comrade-the very antithesis
OF the household drudge his own wife
was content to be, with no interest
outside of the four walls of her home
and no desire for anything bigger in
life than the daily routine Of break
fast, dinner and supper, washing on
Monday, ironing on Tuesday, and SO
on to the end OF the week-week after
week In the same deadly rut. Here
was q woman who would "go along
with q man"-possibly a step ahead,
blazing the way for new and greater
glories and recognizing no limit.
Slade brought his reflections to a
sudden halt as he remembered the
girls father.
why, what has happened to you.
senator? Your face looks different
than 1t did this afternoon
Her fault" replied the senator.
with a smile Of tolerant affection, in
dicating his daughter. "She made me
cut my beard this way. It's French"
Katherine laughed q delightful,
throaty little laugh.
Nonsense, father" she protested
-'Of course, like the West, but
don't believe in being absolutely typ
ical. I was Mortified when l got back
and found you so blatantly the typi-
cal, much-cartooned Westerner."
Mr. Slade," resumed Strickland. "a
few influential men from different
parts of our state are having a meet
ing In town tomorrow, and want you
to meet them. I'm arranging little
impromptu dinner. and thought Kath-
crime might be able to persuade Mrs.
Slade and yourself to join u.s."
''Oh, father. tell the truth" Kath-
crime interrupted. These gentlemen
want to meet you. Mr.. Slade. I hear
we're to expect great things of you.