Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-12-31
CHAPTER I.
JUST s%UPPosINe.

the Durant works Lieutenant
Sommers, United States navy,
looked over the city Of steel
stretched away at his feet.
He saw the acres of huge buildings.
their hundreds of chimneys belching
forth streams of black smoke; the long
streets lined with the houses Of the
workmen and here and there figures
that seemed in the distance pygmies
hurrying to and fro.
Family the roar of the furnaces. the
distant clang of the huge hammers and
the clamor of the steel came to him.
1t was a scene to stir the blood of a
man who loved action. For a few min
utes the naval man looked In silence;
then he drew a long breath and turned
to the girl at his side.
And all this will be yours some
day" he said.
Frances Durant looked up with a
rs. Il does seem Quite a lot for
one wee bit of a girl to have. doesn't
it? But l can depend upon dad to
make some arrangements for running
it. The steel works are his pride. you
know, and he is going to leave them a
monument to the name of Durant."
Lieutenant Sommers half sighed.
"Pinckney is a lucky dog" he said ir-
releyantly.
Lucky dog?" The girl arched her
eyebrows as she asked the question.
why do you say that, Mar. Sommers?
I don't understand"
Sommers smiled at her puzzled look,
though she really had a right to be
puzzled, for why a man. young. strong.
good looking and an officer In the
navy. with a medal for bravery al
ready to his credit, should call another
man lucky dog was enough to puz-
zle any girl of nineteen who was as
pretty and Independent as Frances
Durant.
81 mean," exclaimed Sommers, that
he's a lucky dog because any man who
is young and the manager of a place
like this and has the prospects ahead
of working throughout his life for you
must be a lucky dog. Can't you
see?"
The girl laughed in pleased fashion.
Every clever, Mr.. Sommers. But
just now you are twice as lucky as
Ned Pinckney. for the Durant steel
plant is working for you. turning out
the gun that is going to make you rich
and famous"
The officer shook his head, smiling
somewhat sadly.
Famous. | hope. Miss Durant," he
said, ''but not rich. | am an officer in
the navy, and whatever we navy men
do, you know. belongs to Uncle Sam.
He took us and licked is into shape,
and he gives us our chance, and We
must work for him all our lives"
"Well, anyhow, we are working for
you now,' she said with satisfaction,
land from all l can hear about the
works your gun is going to be a mar
vel. It's something to make a gun, /
tell you. but it's more to invent n e
Ned Pinckney makes them-makes lots
of them-but you've invented one. so
l think you are the lucky dog, not he."
Her admiration was so genuinely
sincere that Sommers. against his will,
had to take 1t seriously.
ut wasn't just that l meant. Miss
Durant." he said. "a naval officer has
a lot, l know. l thought he had every
thing in the world he could wish until
these last few weeks. since l came
here to superintened the casting of my
gun"
what has made you changer she
asked.
The man looked straight at her.
1--WE met you." he said.
The girl bit her lips. for she knew
her face had grown suddenly red. and
that irritated her. So she tossed her
head after the fashion of girls of nine
teen and pretended she did not under
stand.
81 don't see why that should alter
matters" she protested airily. Il