Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-17

phone TO cry to o'Leary, "Oh, Joe, he
amt therer
The strength OF the bleeding man
was going fast. but grim determine
ton to do the right thing kept him up.
'Find out where he is and get him."
he commanded.
The girl turned back to the phone,
and her voice frightened as she recog
nized the person at the other end of
the wire.
ooh, is that you, Miss Frances?' she
cried. ''This is Lucy Smith. Yes,
ma am, I'm at the works. There's been
trouble here. and Mr.. Sommers must
come right away. There's something
wrong with the Sommers gun. What?
You say come up to your house?"
She looked away from the phone
moment pitifully toward her injured
sweetheart, then turned back to the re-
ceiver in response to Frances Durant's
sharp, anxious command.
Eyes, ma'am. O'Leary made me
phone. 1 want to warn Mr.. SommeRs.
They're trying to spoil his gun. No.
ma'am. 1t amt sure. We suspect"
Again she hesitated. looking pitifully
at her own wounded lover. How could
she leave him merely to save the lover
of the other woman? But discipline Is
strong about a steel works, and Fran
ces Durant was the daughter of the
owner So poor little Lucy had no al
tentative but to obey.
Eyes. ma'am." she shouted into the
receiver. "I'll come If you wish. III
get there in five minutes. III run.
Yes, ma'am, I'll ruD. Goodbye
She hung up the receiver, then hur-
ried over to O'Leary. He sank forward
in his chair and rested now partly on
the desk before it. The girl put her
arms about him.
'Oh, can't leave you If you are hurt
bad. dear" she half sobbed.
With all the strength he could com
mand O'Leary caught her arm.
Don't trouble about me. Hurry over
and do what Miss Frances tells you
and don't tell any one else"
Still the girl hesitated, but just then
Marsh entered the Office from the
works.
Marsh will take care of me-" gusped
O'Leary. Hurry Do rs l told you"
Reluctantly Lucy ran out of the Office
as the head draughtsman came over
to the injured man.
Whats happened, O'Leary7"
The assistant foreman was almost too
weak from the shock and loss OF blood
to reply, but he managed TO gasp out
family:
Smith cracked me with a hammer
when 1 wasn't looking. He's fighting
drunk. Mr.. Marsh, and running the
Sommers gun"
Marsh, experienced about the works,
was examining O'Leary's wounded
head with almost professional skill.
You've got a bad rap, boy. We
must rush you to the doctor"
He stepped to the door leading into
the works and yelled for two men,
then came back to do what he could.
Pinckney had almost at the same mo-
ment returned from his private Office.
Whats this?' he exclaimed as he
saw the bloody O'Leary half lying
across an Office table.
The workman, injured though he
was, still held to his grim determine
ton to get justice for Sommers. at
Pinckney's question he half raised
himself on the table.
Its Smith, SIR he said to the gen.
eral manager. Hes leaving that gun
too long in the furnace. 1 kicked, and
he hit me when my back was turned.
I'll fix him"
Pinckney looked at the bloody man
coldly.
You ought to have more sense than
to kick" he said Smiths in charge
of that job. He's responsible. It's
none of your business. You ought to
have kept your head shut"
OLeary stared at the manager, too
amazed to retort. He was still half
dazed from the terrific blow he had
received or his suspicious would have
been Immediately aroused. The two
men had entered from the works and
stood ready. They knew just what
to do.
"Here," ordered Pinckney, take this
fellow across to the doctor quick. Tell
him it's a works case"
The two men seized O'Leary, picked
him up in their arms and hurried with
him out of the Office.
Marsh turned to the general mana.
ger.
We've got to stop this, Mr. Pinck-
ney," he exclaimed. Smith is fight
ing drunk"
Pinckney nodded carelessly.
ooh, yes, 1 understand, but I'll see
to Smith. There's something more i'm
portant on now. I've just got a wire
from my agent in Washington"
about my gum" asked Marsh anx-
iously.
about the Rhinestrom gum" came
Pinckney's cold correction.
The head draughtsman nodded ac-
quiescence.
"Yes. that's what mean," he agreed
Pinckney took a telegram out of his
pocket.
well, there's all sorts Of trouble in
Washington" he explained. ''Tomor-
row they'll notify us not to begin on
the Rhinestrom order until the Son.
mers gun is tested"
what of thatY' asked Marsh blank