The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-09-13

der. and they began to look at the
Sketches.
They were heads, most of them, i'm
pressionistic studies in pencil or pastel,
with now and then pen-and-ink bear
ing evidence of more painstakins
after-work They were made on bits
OF map paper, the backs of old letters,
and not few on leaves torn from an
engineers note book
They don't count for much in an
artistic way" said Adams. with the
| brutal frankness of friendly critic,
! but they will serve to show you that
| wasn't all kinds of an embroiderer
| when ! was telling you about Winton's
/ procliyities the other day"
Il shouldn't apologize for that, if
/ were YOU" she retOrted. 1t is well
! past apology, don't you Think" And
! then: What is this one?"
They had come to the last of the
| sketches, which was a rude map. 1t
/ was penciled on the leaf of memo
randum, and Adams recognized st as
the outline Winton had made and used
In explaining the right-of-way entau-
clement.
"It is a map" ne said, zone that
Jack drew day before yesterday when
he was trying to make me understand
the situation mp here. / wonder ny
he kept It? Is there anything on the
other side?"
She turned the leaf, and they both
went speeChless for the moment. The
reverse of the scrap of cross-ruled pa
per held 4 very fair likeness OF a face
which Nirginia's mirror had oftenest
portrayed; sketch setting forth in
few vigorous strokes of the pencil
the imprcssionist's ideal of the god
dess fresh from the bath"
BY Joye." exclaimed Adams, when
he could find the word for his sur
prise. Then he tried to turn it off
lightly. There is i good bit more
of the artist in Jack than l have been
giving him credit for. Don't you know,
he must have got the notion for that
between two INSTRUMENTATION you
recognized me on the platform at Kan
sas City. It's wonderful"
so very wonderful that | think I
shall keep it," she rejoined, not with
out touch of austerity. Then she
added: Mr. Winton will probably
never miss it. If he does, you will
have to explain the best way you can"
And Adams could only say by Jove."
again, and busy himself with pouring
the tea which All Foo had brought in.
In the nature of things the tea
drinking in the stuffy 'dinkey" draw
1ng-rOom was not prolonged Time
WIS flying. Nirginia's errand of mercy
was not yet accomplished, and Aunt
Martha in her capacity of anxious
chaperon' was not to be forgotten.
Also, Miss Carteret had 4 feeling that
under his well-bred exterior Mr.. Nor
ton F. Adams was chatting like any
l.,V .,1 ton, t,,.I
warrantable intrusion and Interrupt
ton.
So presently they all forthfared into
the sun-bright, binding out-of-
door world, and Virginia gathered up
her courage and took her dilemma by
the horns.
Il believe I have seen everything
now except that tent-place up there"
she asserted, cropping purposefully for
her opening.
Adams called up another smile of
acquiescence. THAT is our telegraph
Office. Would you care to see it?" The
technoloSian was OF those who shirk
all or shirk nothing.
Il don't know why should care to.
but l do" she replied, with charmir q
and childlike willfulness; so the three
OF them trudged up the slippery path
W lhe operators den on the slope.
Not to evade his hospitab!e duty in
any part, Adams explained the use and
need of front wire, and Miss Car
teret was properly interested.
How convenient" she commented
And you can come up here and talk
to anybody you like-just as if it were
a telephone?"
To anyone in the company $ sorry
/ Ice" amended Adams. 1T is not a
commercial wire"
Then let us send a message to Mr.
Winton,' she suggested. playing the
part OF the capricious ingenue to the
/ very upcast of a pair of mischieyous
/ eyes. I'm write it and YOU NAV SIGN
/ it."
Adams stretched his complaisence
! the necessary additional inch and
gave her pencil and a pad of blanks
! She wrote rapidly:
Miss Carteret has been here admirf,, .
. your drawings. She took one of them away
/ With her. and couldn't stop her yyitbrIt
being rude. You shouldn't have dom, :,
/ without asking her permission. Sho
I says" ""'
oh, dear! 1 am making it awru1Iy
long Does it cost so much n word ?''
No. said Adams. not without an
effort. He was beginning to be dis
rnctly disappointed in Miss Virginia
and was wondering in the inner dentb =
rot MI,