Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09
,unterpart, and critically admired the like

counterpart, and critically admired the like
ness.
''It was an unwarranted liberty" she
said to herself, ''but he did it very we'll"
The delicate fiber of the wood had favored
to the carver's, purpose, The imitation
hand bore shade of fattery in the barely
tinted birchen white, and in the fine
grained SATIN smoothness that the keen
blade had wrought, but this was not too
much for more than a reasonable compli-
ment As to the modelling that was sincere
ly accurate, and the fingers rested on the
KEY, precisely as Mary had seen them dur
ing many hours of many days. 1t is an ex-
cessively vain girl who admires herself as
actually as she does portrait, and the
telegrapher really saw more beauty in the
blrchen hand than she had ever observed in
the live one. As she contemplated it.
Ravelli returned noiselessly behind her. II
a-wish to say something, Mees Warmer.
The italian accent of Raveli grated with
unnatural harshness on MarY's ears, and if
he had been an intruder upon her privacy,
instead of a man in a really public place,
she would not have been surprised into q
deep flush. She snatched her hand away
from its wooden counterpart, and clasped it
with its mate behind her, as she leaned her
shoulder against the carving to hide it.
ST YOU have a message to send, she
said, 81 can't get it on the wire too soon. It's
within five minutes of time to shut of. "
She started to go behind the desk. He
stopped her with touch upon her shoulder,
and she shrank away reprovingly, although
1t was solely the mans earnestneSs that had
made him do it.
''No, no, it ees not words fora ze wire Eat
/ have-a for you," he said. ''I wish-a to
tell to yourself something. Will you lees
temp"
''Yes if it is something that ought to
hear"
''Thees eez it. I am a-more than seem
here-deef-e-rent-so deterrent you would
hardly know-a me. In zis place 1 am only
a contractor for re Iaborer. 1 anna as COM
mon as my gang ina clothes-in-a manner,
too, eh? But cen one hour-een one minute
Il could-a con-veence you Eat anna some
ting finer.
Mary did not show in her perfectly re-
gained composure that she was SO much as
puzzled by the mans enigmatic talk. She
while, Mr.. Rsvelli."
"Oh, yes-I beg-a pardon for ze contra
'dic-tion-yes, it ees worth-a while Away
from-a here, Mary, would-a be SO deef-e-
rent Eat you above me-"
, "Stop, Mr.. Ravelli-stop."
The command was positive, but it was not
obeyed.
81 love-s you"
r. He caught her by one wrist as he began.
She was utterly unresistant. If she had
struggled, or cried out, he would have gone
on with his voluble, excited declaration; but
her placidity was incomprehensible to him.
''Mr. Ravelli, 4" she began after moment,
"vou understand English?"
Perfectly, Mees Warmer"
''WeI, here is plain English for you. 1
would use Italian if 1 could, so that you
mightn' mistake me. You are to let go of
my hand"
He did it.
You are to go away instantly, and never
come here again, except on business. Go at
once"
That he did not do.
For what-a did you come here, into one
camp oof men, eel"
eff didn't expect to be unsafe? I'll tell
you. 1t was a mist axe. Operator No. 9
was ordered to this post. No. 9 had been
man who had within week been discharged,
and his number given to me. By an over
sight no alteration was made in the record
to show the sex of the new No. 9. 1 couldn't
afford to lose the work. Besides"
We'll, a-besides-"
Besides, reasoned that every man at
Overlook would protect me against all the
other men, - if"
"Yes, eef-"
''Yes, if cared absolutely nothing for
any single one of them. Therefore, am
not afraid. But you must not annoy me"
Fury flashed into the mans eyes, into his
reddened face, into the sudden tension of
his gripped hands. The girls contemptu-
Gus indifference maddened him. She saw
this, and was at once alarmed, as she real
lied that here was a reckless lover-one
who heated dangerously where another
would have chilled under diSdain; but she
maintained an unshaken voice, as she said:
You may as we'll know, however, that 1
am amply protected. The night watchman
is ordered to include this combined Office
and residence of mine in every round he
makes. So 1 sleep quite unconcernedly.
In the daytime, too, shall have a defense,
If it becomes necessary"
80, have-a no alarm, Mees Warriner,"
and the mans facial expression softened
singularly as he gazed wistfully at the girl,
81 hsf said 1 love-a you." Then, with a
startling quick transition be giared menac-
ingly off III the direction that Gerald Heath
had gone. 1t seemed curious to Mary, too,
that in his rage his English was clearer
than usual, as he growled: ''It is your lover
that should be afraid of me-" He flung out
one fist in a fierce menace, and added in
Italian: ''Nel vindicarvi bisogna ch'egli mi
rende Ia sua vita"