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Harte, Bret, 1836-1902

"The Story of a Mine"

Mr. Wiles took his hat and turned to go. Before he
reached the door Mr. Gashwiler returned to the social level with a
chuckle:
"You say this woman, this Garcia's niece, is handsome and smart?"
"Yes."
"I can set another woman on the track that'll euchre her every time!"
Mr. Wiles was too clever to appear to notice the sudden lapse in the
Congressman's dignity, and only said, with his right eye:
"Can you?"
"By G-d, I WILL, or I don't know how to represent Remus."
Mr. Wiles thanked him with his right eye, and looked a dagger with his
left. "Good," he said, and added persuasively: "Does she live here?"
The Congressman nodded assent. "An awfully handsome woman,--a particular
friend of mine!" Mr. Gashwiler here looked as if he would not mind to
have been rallied a little over his intimacy with the fair one; but
the astute Mr. Wiles was at the same moment making up his mind, after
interpreting the Congressman's look and manner, that he must know this
fair incognita if he wished to sway Gashwiler.


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