Evening star., 1901-05-25

as my own BY and by she went away,
and / followed her after l had quartered
down my samples and made them ready
for the furnace At the back of the mill,
where the tin-lined cases of cyanide of
potassium were stored, 1 her weighing
out the white and deadly Stuff-handling II
as though it We're so much chalk or plas-
ter Healy up on the ore platform
watching the crusher man shoveling some
prize rock into the hopper. When he
caught sight of me he leaped down into
the roadway and descended to where l was
standing
What do you think of the new expert
by this time?' | inquired
shes a wonder he declared.
Have you spoken to Trutties?"
just nailed him while he was hanging
up the stamps. and told him I'd fire him
ii he ever said anything stronger than
Great Scott while Miss Grafton was
around"
''Ordered your clawhammer coat yet?'
He gave me a keen look and flushed a
tri!ie as he answered:
Drop that, I.ettingwen I'm wondering
il she heard what l said just before she
announced herself at the door,
And that was the Way it began. Little
Miss Grafton had made a complete con-
quest of the big and handsome super.
! read the signs correctly and knew, In
general way, what going to come
for had l not little romance of my own
locked up in those pink envelopes with
the perpendicular writing? Miss Grafton
slipped into the groove left vacant by the
preceding expert with an ease that be-
came the talk of the entire Winnifred dis
trict. The expert did not seem to notice
or care for the interest she was exciting
She had no thought, apparently, for any
thing but the business in hand and she
went her ways with unfaiing ardor and
clocklike regularity.
Healy's growing prediction for Miss
Grafton. hardly acknowledged by himself
perhaps, but which was plain enough to
q n hon hatrr
ly now would he indulge in raillery con-
corning the writer of the perpendicular
hand and the pink letters-proof positive
that he was inscribing his name on the
fyleaf of his own particular copy Of the
old, old story. / am sure that for almost
two months no answering flash of the di-
vine spark had been struck from the blue
eyes of Miss Grafton. That, OF course, was
what made the super moody, for moody he
was until that incident which involved
Manuel. In the abstract 1t was a small
thing, but in the concrete its Importance
was Weighty.
Miss Grafton's entire charge, Manuel was
the one least to be relied on. He hated
work-what Mexican does not?-and 1
think he felt, when he found that a wo-
man was to be In charge that fine oppor-
tunity for soldering" was In prospect.
He must have had a rude awakening, for
Miss Grafton's predecessor had never
planned the labors, nor called for the ef-
forts, that she did. Disappointment soured
| Manuel. He started in recklessly to To-
ment trouble, and one day, on the plank
walk that crossed the tops of the tanks,
Miss Grafton demonstrated with him for
not wheeling larger loads. That was the
! cue the Mexican had been sullenly await
| Ing. With a malediction in his native
| tongue he flung his load. wheelbarrow and
all, to the bottom of the tank and stood
glaring and defiant.
The stamps in both batteries were hung
| up'-i. e., out Of action-and, as 1 was
| looking through the laboratory window, 1
| could both see and hear all that was TAX
| ing place.
/ Manuel muy major exclaimed Miss
| barrow. Sabe?''
| The huge Mexican scowled but did not
| move an inch. Miss Grafton took time
| book and pencil from her pocket.
! "Since last pay day you have worked
| three days and three hours" said she, con-
I sulting the book and holding up three Of
| her small gloved fingers twice in success
! sion. Get the wheelbarrow, Manuel, or
| take your time"
| One would have thought she was discuss
| ing some pleasant subject at a reception,
! her manner was 50 self-possessed, her voice
| SO perfectly under control. I could see
! Manuel clench his big brown hands as he
| looked at her and then, suddenly. his ran
| corous feelings broke all bounds. He re-
| membered only that this woman had made
| his side ever since dispelling his Illusion
| that she would allow him to do as he
| pleased He leaped toward her. I dropped
| the parting flask I held in my hand and
| ran for the door Of the mill, coming out
| around the lower tier Of tanks Just In time
to see Healy clasp Manuel In his sinewy
arms They were both large and muscular,