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

tI, tHpn. tnP SlTnt
Of L. - talking to pinckuey
in ihr : le'are all the men en-
ragged i.i;. ii h the bar in his hand
he lurchrd Gn#n The long room.
Hey. there" he shouted when he
had come close, What do YOU mean
talking to this fellow? Haven't / told
you didn't want YOU hanging around
the works and not to talk to him?
Now, you get out of here quick
Frances turned. and Smith stepped
back aghast.
Miss Durant." he exclaimed. Eek
Lucy
THAT'S all right. Smith," exclaimed
P%inckney hastily. "No trouble now.
remember" And he turned back to
Frances. "Come to the office. Frances.
Come away from here. l will explain
everything to you fully"
Puzzled and a bit uncertain as to
Pinck0ey's real attitude, the girl ODE
diently followed him up a short flight
of steps and into Il little overseer's
office that jutted out into the furnace
o linckney closed the door after
him.
MIR. Sommers' gun is just going
into the tempering bath" he said.
He is here experimenting it. SO you
understand all must be right. Just
wait here Il few moments. and then
you can see Sommers himself"
The suggestion seemed reasonable.
Frances nodded acQuiescence.
"-All right. | will wait" she said.
Outside in the furnace room a ru-
riouS hustle followed the closing of
the little office door. Smith gave the
signal, and the big gun, caught in the
chains from the traveller. began TO
rise slowly out of the trap furnace
and hung suspended, a huge mass of
white hot steel.
Hustle it up, quick, into the BATH
yelled Smith. for already Sommers
had appeared at the end of the Ions
furnace room and was coming quickly
toward him.
Tho men. driven on by their drunk
vi poo'' NolhCd desperately liSl. i IN
huge traveller carrying the Sommer:
gun moved slowly toward the waiting
oil bath. 1t was halfway there whel
Smith. the iron bar still in his hand
met Sommers.
S you're coming to take charge o
this job. are you?" he sneered.
The naval officer tried to push by
but Smith got in front of him.
"See here" exclaimed Sommers an
grily. wait until you are sober before
you talk to me. Now, get away ant
attend to your work."
The order enraged Smith all tn,
more.
who are you giving orders to-" HI
yelled. Come on, now; get out o
here! You'd better beat it up in TIL
Office" He jerked his thumb towart
the little overseeing office. Get il
there and talk to P%inckney. He's lock
ed up there with a lady friend o
yours"
Sommers' quick temper had begun
to flare at the insolence of the fore
man. he had not come out from tn
office in time, and he did not know
that it was his gun which the travele
was slowly bearing to the waitin;
oil bath. He saw only in front of hin
IN insolent, drunken workman. VIII
should be discharged for coming OF
duty in such condition.
"Iou drunken backyard! I'll Sc
Pinckney, aud if he doesn't discharg
you I'll kick you out of here myself!.'
He flung the foreman aside and, run
ming up the steps to the office. trie,
the door. 1t was locked, and his knoc1
brought no response.
Down below the men looked at eacl
other and. taking the cue from Smith
laughed at the navy man. Slowl
Sommers came down the steps. Wha
was wrong? He could not make on
exactly. He saw Marsh. who ha
been standing uneasily far in the back
{ ground. and motioned to him.
The head craftsman came slowly
He knew how important it was t
keep Sommers diverted from the mai
t object and was nerved to play hi
part until the u should be dispose,
of.
/ 81 wouldn't go in there if l wer