Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-10-29
6he Signal Gun.
IOlginal.l |

'i'e anu went W NNl" 10 iH''ouuee
typewriting machine, intending also tC
do copying. / hired small room II
st. Petersburg and advertised.
One morning Il young woman came
to my office and room and asked for en-
poyment, saying that she was Il type
writer. She was about twenty three
years old. comcly. but shabbily dress
ed. She seemed eager for work and
offered in lieu Of wages to take Il com.
mission on what work she would bring
In herself. If there was not much in
this for me to gain there was certainly
nothing to lose. engaged her.
The next morning she came to the
office with manuscript sufficient 70
keep her busy for a week. She didn't
ask wha: intended to charge for the
copy. but sat down at the machine and
went to work. found at once that she
knew very little about typewriting.
AS to this she had deceived me, and
had mind to send her away. but
didn't wish to lose the job she had
brought in, and, as she said there was
plenty Of time In which to do it, bore
with her, showing her how to manage
the machine, which was new to her.
| While doing this noticed the white
ness, roundness and delcacy of her
| hands. l complimented her on them
and noticed afterward that she per-
sisted in getting them smeared with
the ink Of the ribbon and the dust and
oil of the machine. From her hands
was led to notice her complexion, her
figure and especially her foot, which
was very dainty. Her ears, too, were
small, a reliable token of breeding Be
sides these features, there was a re-
| tinement of manner about her that did
not accord with her cheap clothing. l
| told her she looked too aristocratic for
her dress, and was much puzzled at
the way she received the comment. In
stead Of being pleased she seemed dis
tressed.
Since she said there was more copy
ready for her l worked evenings my
self on the manuscript and at the end
of the week it was finished. made
the charge 20 rubles, which she gave
me before taking it away, and hand
ed her back ten of them. She seemed
perfectly satisfied and the next morn
ing was ready with more work.
She said she wished to work nights
oil
room in the same building as mine.
in which she put a cot and a little
cheap furniture. She cooked her meals
in her room and after once being es-
tabliShed there never left the building
except at night.
One morning while I was typewrit-
ing | came upon Il paper between the
leaves of the manuscript | handed it
to the girl, and as l did so the blood
left her cheeks, and she gave little
frightened gasp. She went on with
her work without word, but present
ly turned to me and said:
you expect an explanation about
the note. There is none. The secret
is mine, but | am going to ask you to
refrain from any mention Of me or it
to any one. Will you:"
"Certainly.' | said.
On another occasion she said she
had headache and went to her room.
She had not been gone five minutes be-
fore, wishing to ask her something
about a manuscript I was copying,
followed her. | turned the knob, but
found it locked. l raped, and after
some time she opened the door. She
was white as sheet. | did not ask
for an explanation, and she offered
none.
| used to talk with her about the
tyranny of the Russian government
America. She said that there was as
much liberty in Russia as the people |
were fitted for and did not seem in
terested in American freedom. But |
one evening when we were together a
complete change came over her.
You have been very kind to me-"
she said, "and am going to give you
for you are an American. Besides,
you have no reason to betray me.
Leave this country as quickly as pos
sible. \ terrible struggle is about to
begin which will last for many years.
You cannot succeed here in what you
have attempted. All these manu-
scripts | have brought are mine or my
and | have paid for every one
Of them. My father. Il noble, is in
Siberia, and my mother died of grief
at his Imprisonment. | am one Of the
workers in the revolution about to be
and the police are search
ing the city for me. Within Il week
the car will bless the waters of the
Neva. At that ceremony the signal for
he coming strife will be given. Pack
up your machines and ship them away
1t once and follow yourself as soon as
possible. You must wait for a remit
ance? Don't wait for anything. Here
S money to get you out of this country
hat will soon run with blood"
Thrusting her hand into her bosom,
she drew out a roll of bills and gave
hem to me. l was too much appalled,
o even take them, but she put them in
ny hand and sped away. AS soon as
could recover from my astonishment