Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-12-30

approaching. He had sized up Marsh
for an honest. well meaning fellow, so
he didn't hesitate to stop him.
"Oh. l say, Marsh. what time did
that gun go into the tire?"
The head draughtsman looked up
and down and everywhere but at SOM
mers' face.
IL don't know, Mr.. Sommers. eX-
= actly,' he hesitated.
Don't know" exclaimed the officer.
whats going on here anyhow? 1t
looks to me like there's something
wrong. Didn't YOU tell me that gun
went in at Is o'clock?"
Marsh was thoroughly frightened
now.
Did L say & o'clock? I've forgotten.
Mr.. Pinckney will know. III ask him."
Suspicion had become practical GER
tainty in Sommers' mind now. He
saw he, too, must be diplomatic. He
must not let these people realize what
he suspected. He shook his head ea-
gerly.
"Oh. don't bother Pinckney, Marsh.
I'll be back in a moment. just as soon
as l get on my working clothes"
And, leaving Marsh in Il cold sweat
of fear, the naval MAJ hurried into
the office. AS soon us the door had
closed after him Pinckney rushed over
to Smith.
"Now, Smith, go to it quick" he
commanded.
In IL moment the oar in the big fur
mace room had increased tremendous
ly. Smith began to below his orders.
The men realizing the important time
had come went to work with IL will.
The hugh traveller was rushed over
above the trap furnace is fast as it
could be moved. The chains We're be-
ing lowered into the trap to draw out
the gun when Marsh caught Pinckney
by the arm.
"Mr. %Pinckney, d%on't-don't try it,"
he exclaimed. "Sommers suspects"
Pinckney shook off the restraining
touch.
Let him suspect" he exclaimed on
t%emptuously. What difference does
that make! Once get that gun into
the bath without his seeing it, | can
beat him. no matter what story he
tells in Washington"
But you can't get it ill.," expostu-
lated the frightened draughtsman.
Hell be back in Il minute. He knew
you couldn't beat him or he wouldn't
have left. He's gone to put on his
working clothes"
For reply Pinckney shook himself
free and shouted to Smith:
Here, Smith, Sommers has just de
manded that you be discharged. he
says you can't handle the job. He's
gone to change his clothes, and he'll
be back in a minute to boss the job
himself"
That was enough. The drunken
foreman's rage was as fierce as one of
his OWL furnaces now
"He has, has he?" he roared above
the noise of the furnaces and the
changing steel. "If he comes in here
I'll throw him in the furnace
81 don't blame you," supplemented
Pinckney. And Smith, seeing now the
general manager was behind him in
whatever he might attempt, was ready
for desperate work.
"Herew he shouted. ''Take my sig
nal whistle. I'll go over by the dool
and wait for that guy. When he
shows up you signal the men to take
out the gun"
"When he comes NJ" exclaimed
Pinckney, amazed. GLOW can YOU
stop his seeing you?"
The foreman laughed brutally, then
STOPPING over, picked up from thu
floor a short piece of iron, alread!
blood stained at one end.
"O'Leary,' he said briefly, and
turning with the bar in his hand
lurched across. %drunkenly confident
toward the path which Sommers mus
cross Oh his way in the office to thu
trap furnaces that contained the Som
and transferred to the tempering bath
Marsh had already hurried away
Possible murder was more than III
: had counted on when he allowed
Pinckney to bully him into becoming
his fellow conspirator.
Pinckney stood ready with the whis
! tie in his hand, while the men at thei
). places waited, ready to hoist whel
the signal should be given.
The trap was laid. All was in readi
ness when P%inckney saw a ragged.
dressed girl with a shawl over he
head hurrying down the furnace ROOF
from the door through which the mel
t were accustomed to enter.
"Here!" he shouted. "What are 70,
. doing here? Who are you? Get out!
Instead Of answering the girl raj
: on until she had come facing him
Then she stopped short and threw
back the shawl from her head.
, P%inckney started back in amaze
ment, for instead of Lucy Smith, a
he expected, he looked into the blazin,
:. eyes Of Frances Durant.
r CHAPTER Y.
v TURNING A DIRTY TRICK.
t ~INCKNEY started at first. to-