The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-27
(Continued.)
Novelized by Thompson Buchanan From [
 Successful Play of the Same Name
Dy WHNVIIELL oTHIII III, TNEDENIN THOMPSON and PAUL ARMSTRONG

(Contlnued.) Well, it's aDout time you're getting i busy with that line of conversation, I think. Don't do to trust any of these steel hands Two weeks is long enough for any girl to be engaged. I'll get out now and leave you alone" she ended as O'Leary, astonishment and worry showing on his begrimed face, entered the office. What's the matter, Lucy ?'' he asked anxiously. The girl turned to him with eager ness.
 sTts about father. Is he very bad ?" The man hesitated.
 '*Well, he's got a few drinks in," he confessed at last. "But there hasn't been much trouble up to date.'' Hes pretty ugly, ain't he?" asked the girl.
 O'Leary laughed grimly. You know what your dad is when he's drunk, Lucy. He's tried to pick one or two scraps tonight, but the men are keeping away from him. I'll do my best to keep down trouble, you know that. Lucy.'
 The girl nodded.
 "Yes, I, know, Joe, you're mighty good," she said, "but if anything hap pens tonight you know he'll lose his job sure I'm awful afraid, and moth CTS worse than am, so I just came over to get you to look out for him. Is he doing has work all right?''
 O'Leary shook his head regretfully.
 That's what bothers me-" he con- fessed. .The Sommers gun 's been in the fire too long now. If it don't come out of the furnace soon the gun Il be no good at all"
 The girl made hopeless gesture.
 "What do you think of that!'' she complained. And he's the best man over here when he's sober. Can't you do anything, Joe?"
 "I am doing all can," he urged, as though in justification, "but if that gun s put in the oil bath after being too long in the fire the tempertng will be bad"
 Lucy wrung her hands despairingly.
 Let's get MT. Marsh" she begged. 'sMr. Pinckney ain't here, but MT. keep him from running everything. Sommers is such nice man, too, and Miss Frances likes him. Oh, what are we going to do, Joe?"
 O'Leary looked at her blankly. The situation was too much for him to manage.
 .tMarsh's acting funny, too," he com plained. "He must know how Smith Is, but he keeps away and don't say nothing to him. Guess he's afraid"
 Maybe I could go in and beg him. Couldn't do that, JoeT' pleaded the girl.
 She turned and started for the door which led into the works, but before she could reach it the door was push ed open and Smith, drunker and more enraged than ever, lurched into the office At sight of Lucy and O'Leary together he strengthened up, caught hold of the door a moment for sup port, then burst on them with tor rent of anger.
 What are you doing here?'' he roar ed. "Why did you come in this of flee, Lucy? What business you got here, O'Leary? Ain't 1 seeing you hanging around my house enough without getting that girl in the officer
 live got your dinner, father. brought it over to you" faltered Lucy.
 And why didn't you bring it to me right?" he shouted. "And why do you let this fellow in the office here be talking to youT
 "Joe's all right, father" the girl urged. "Hs don't want you to make no mistake with the Sommers gun, that's alb
 The drunken foreman turned on his assistant with fury.
 "Oh, you don't, don't youv Look here, you keep that mug of yours out of my affairs or I'll break it. Do you hearY'
 But Joe O'Leary did not come of the race that could be bluffed As Smith lurched toward him the assistant strengthened into a position of de- fense. waiting for him.
 "Don't waste your breath trying to scare me, Smith," he shouted. You'd better be getting that gun out of the fire before it spoils.'
 The sudden opposition sobered the drunken man for moment
 ''I got fine assistant, ain't I?", he ohSSASos ALy1AS lO ISl1 Lac luy DuSI- ness. know what you're up to. You sneaked in here to talk to her; that's what you did. Now. you keep away from her after this. I tell you. Don't you come near her or I'll break you in two.'
 OLeary looked the larger man up and down with fine Irish scorn.
 Break me in twor' he sneered. eff you was to break me in two either piece of me would get up and knock your block off. l tell you. if you ever lay hand on me I'll kill you.''
 In wild fury Smith rushed un- steadily. O'Leary landed once, stag gering the big man. and then Lucy rushed in between them.
 "Father! Joe! Don't.' she begged "You'll both be discharged"
 The jarring. staggering blow had knocked little of the fight out of the bully. He still had sense enough to know that in an even battle his young, I strong assistant would have a good chance. and. like most bullies, he