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"Well," exclaimed Doctor Morani, "let us hear all about the witch." "You know, all of you," said Pasqualina, "what bad fits my sister had, and how she was cured by the miraculous Madonna del Laghetto. So my sister had no more fits, till Madalena, a spiteful old woman, and whom everybody in the village knows to be a witch, mumbled some of her spells and "
Koppy dragged his away and spoke: "You three, you go to boss " Werner gave a startled exclamation. "Meeting for that," Koppy went on relentlessly. "We send you three to talk to boss " "I never was no talker, Koppy, you know that," protested Werner. But Morani continued to whet his knife with smiling unction. "You see boss," said Koppy, "and demand we boss ourselves that I boss or job stops.
If you doubt it, refer to Werner and Morani." Koppowski coughed. "Indian strong man. Indian save your life. Godd! But he hurt my men. Indian look out. They never forget. You tell him?" "Tell him yourself," jerked the contractor. "And I'd like to be around when you're at it. I fancy he can look after himself." "Indian need to," said Koppy from the darkness.
Presently Adrian and two others gathered before the contractor, where they seemed to confer a long time. One, Tressa knew, would be Koppowski; the other must be one of his friends, Werner probably, or Morani, or Heppel. They alone of the five hundred possessed intelligence enough to justify consultation.
Werner, having recovered his senses, had joined Morani and was circling the room for a chance to strike at the boss's back, in the meantime throwing chairs, books, loose parts of the stove, anything that came to his hand. A flower pot on the elbow brought a howl from Torrance, and for a moment he pulled himself together.
You let him escape." Werner saw difficulties accumulating beyond his oft-tried powers of evasion. He stammered a disconnected tale of bad luck, wiping his face repeatedly. Koppy waved it aside. "Morani," he ordered solemnly, "watch him. If he tries to escape " A swift downward stroke completed the command. "We'll settle with him later." Werner paled.
With set teeth, steadier than he had ever been, he thrust the rifle out again along the branch. At that instant Werner clambered up the grade and close behind him Morani. Koppy gasped. A flash of pride at the unexpected temerity of two of his lieutenants. But it faded swiftly before two driving fears. Torrance had risen to meet them; and Koppy knew the force of that great fist.
Morani had never a chance. Lifted clear of the trestle, he pitched headlong into the chasm. But in the effort Torrance's foot slipped. He tried to drop to save himself, but too late. Clawing at the ends of the sleepers, he fell over the way Morani had gone. The breath in a hundred throats held. Mahon closed his eyes.
Morani went and had a long conversation with the poor dying fellow, and then Padre Michele of the Capuchin Convent was sent for. It was some time before the good monk could be found, and then it took still longer, he being old and very infirm, before he could get to the hospital. When he did, it was too late; poor Hans was dead.
But if his own men won! Koppy had a vision of vanished glory of lost leadership. Morani and Werner had taken their lives in their hands to accomplish that which he was failing to do from the protection of a tree. Snapping his teeth together, he put his eye coolly to the rear sight. If his own men were in the way well, that was their lookout. He was aiming at Torrance. A hush fell over the forest.
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