The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-02-05

bDOVo ana around Ino COucu OF may M1Co.
It was midnight when . man shot into
the open space around the cabin Ike o
missile. he ran first to the front Of the
structure, where q tarpaulin curtained
the shed for the night, and gaEed for o
moment blankly at this indication that
the hour was not one Of business. Ire
mendous haste was denoted in his every
step and gesture. He plucked twice at
the canvas as though to pull Il down.
Then he skurried around 10 the dngle
window Of Mary's apartment, whose
only door opened into the shed, and
pounded with his knuclles on the III
fitted sash, making II chatter loudly. 81
lence within followed this noise without.
"Helloi Wake up" he cried. Don't
fool for a minute. Wake upF"
There was no response, and he skipped
to and fro in his impatience. he was an
ordinary shoveler and FOUNDER, with
nothing TO distinguish him from the mass
Of manual laborers at Overlook, but un-
like the usual man with an errand ct the
Telegraph station Aourished q sc-sp Of
paper.
~ want to telegraph" be shouted. and
struck the window again. Get up.
quick! It's life and deathE'
Mary Warriner was convinced that
her services were urgently and properly
required. She peeped warily out 70 In
spect the man, estimated him TO be
merely q messenger, and then opened
wide the sash, which swung latera1ly on
hinges. Her delicate face bore the same
sort Of calm that characterised It dur
ing business hours, but the moon shone
on 1t now, the hair had got loose from
the bondage Of knot and pin, and for an
outer garment she was carelessly en-
wrapped in u white. heecy blanket. The
man did not give her time to inquire
what was wanted.
you're the telegraph girl, amt your
he exclaimed. "Well, here's something
to telegraph. It's in u hurry. hurry,
hurry. Don't lose q minute"
II couldn't send 1t tonight" Mary
said.
"You must!"
at isn't possible. There Is nobody at
the other end Of the line to receive IT,
The wire Is private-belongs to the rail.
road company-isn't operated except in
the daytime You'll have to wait until
tomorrow"
Tomorrow I'll be hundred years
old or else dead" the man almost wall
ed in despair.
"Whatg"
II was only ten years old yesterday.
Tonight I'm sixty. To-morTown be too
late. Here-here-send II tonight, miss.
Please send 1t tonight"
The mystifed girl mechanically took
the piece Of paper which he thrust into
her hands, but her eyes did not drop be-
fore they discovered the insanity In his
face, and when they did rest on the paper
they saw . scTawl. Of hieroglyphics. II
was plain that this midnight visitor was
. maniac. Against Overlook's civil and
sane men Mary had entrenched herself
confidently behind her apathy, but with
In the round Of the clock she had been
beset by agreeable sentiment, by violent
passion and now by irrational delusion.
She screamed for help.
A watchman responded almost Instant.
ly to her call He was Q stalwaFt tel-
low, employed to guard the company'a
tools and machinery against mischief Of
night, and his patrol. since Mary inhab-
tied the cabin, had brought him very fire.
quently past the place. 10 c Knced 10
have come almost there when he heard
the outcry. Upon seeing the cause Of
the girls fright he dropped al peFturba-
ton Of his own and treated the incident
as q matter Of course. The lunAtic wob-
bled like o drunken man about to col
lapse as he mumbled his request over
and over again.
Here now, Eph," I" the watchman said,
with as much Of cajolery q command,
"you mustn't bother the young lady.
Amt you ashamed to scare her this way
Get right out Of this"
The watchman took the other BY the
arm, and a. they started off-one insist
ing, one objecting-the Official looked
back to say, He won't hurt nobody,
Miss Warmer; he's Just little cranky.
that's all"
Mary watched them out Of sight. and
while she was doing 30 Gerald Heath
approached from the contrary direction.
He had heard the girls scream. Why
he was within earshot he might not have
been able to explain satisfactorily, for II
was not his habit to take midnight walks,
even when the air was 90 brightly moon
lit and 80 temporarily fine; but II cross
questioned he would doubtless have
maintained that he had sought only to
escape from the darkness and closeness
Of his shanty quarterA Besides, where
would he 90 likely wander In quest Of
good sight and breath G. to the spot
whence he could view the scenery which
be in vain asked the railway company TO
exhibit to their passengers As he turned
the corner Of the cabin he saw Eph and
the watchman departing. and compre.
hended the disturbance.
"Eph has been frightening you, Miss
Warmer" he said.
Mary screamed again, but this time II
was a low, musical little outcFy Of mod
esty. She had not observed Geralds ap-
proach. She clutched the blanket closely
around her white throat. which had been
almost as much exposed a. by an ordi-
nary cut Of frock, and drew under cover
the cleaning wrists which had all day
been barred toa greater extent By sleeves
Of handy working length. Then she
reached out one taper arm and swung
the sash around on Its hinges, 90 its
inner covering Of muslin made . screen
between her and the visitor. he did not
apologize for his intrusion, and she
pOuted little, on her safe side Of the
sash, at his failure to do %.