The Elbert County tribune., 1916-08-11
eleventh EPISODE
The Saving of Dan 0'Mara

Young Peggy O'Mara was troubled
In mind. She had become suspicious
of her own father On more than one
occasion of late that debt-harrled
toiler from the Applewaithe works
had been visited by a stranger who i'm
pressed the sophisticated young Peggy
as anything but attractive And an
honest man. Peggy argued with her
self. finds no need for stealing up to
house at night and closeting himself
with its owner behind the locked door
OF a cellar worlSroom. So the spindle
legged daughter of Dan OMara. watch
Ing for her chance, decided to investi-
gate
But the girls chances for 1nvesti-
cation were limited, for Peggy was
hard-driven young housekeeper with
bedridden mother to look after as best
she could. Late one night. however.
when Dan OMara had led his mystic
rious visitor into his cellar workroom
and locked the door behind him, the
girl slipped off her broken-toed shoes
and stole silently down to that under
ground chamber of mystery.
There. with her ear to the keyhole,
she overheard enough to confirm her
darkest suspicious. She waited until
the mysterious visitor had stolen out
through the house, with parcel under
his arm. and then once more made her
way down to her fathers workroom.
The door. this time. was unlocked. So
she entered noiselessly and crept over
to where Dan O'Mara sat staring at
the wall with unseeing eyes.
Pop. what're you thinkin' about?"
suddenly asked a tremulous voice
close to his shoulder.
He swung about like a shot.
What should be thinkin' about"
he demanded.
You're thinkin about that man who
was down here ten minutes ago." was
the girls answer.
What mani" equivocated the cul-
prit.
Chinatown Charlie"
And how'd you know he's called
Chinatown Charlie?" demanded rebel
lious-eyed Dan O'Mara.
II know more'n that. pop" said the
girl, with gulp. 81 know that city
crooks ropin' you in for work never
thought you'd dol"
Work? What work."
There's a bunch of opium Snug
glers got wise to the fact that the dye
works is bringiI' In tons of that Kali
SOW wood from China. And certain O.
them blocks is goin' to come in hol-
low with secret marks. and you're
goin' to dig the opium out O. them and
hide a. bara until that bop rrppar for
Chinatown Charlie comes and carries
1t away in a laundry bag!"
"Ain't your mother got to have med
tcine?" demanded her father. "Ain't
we behind in our rent? And amt the
company doclSed me ten a month since
that one-armed man had me machine
work taken away from me?"
But you'll have more'n your ma
chine taken away from you. pop.
You'll be queered with the company,
for tamperin' with stock. and then the
bulls II get wise and send you up the
river for smugglin'!"
I've thought that out. me gerll. I've
no love for goin' against the law, at
me time o. life. put guess we've got
to take chances. We've got to, or go
under for good and all! For Tm think
In your poor mother was right when
she said there was no crime SO black
as the crime o. bein' poor!"
But they'd promised to raise your
pay, over to the dye works!" she re-
minded him.
Instead O. which they took off me
machine and gave it to that one-armed
snitch who claimed I'd been workin
against the company by tryin' to in
vent chemical color that'd soon be
sendin' their old Iogwood plant t the
scrap heap!"
Silent as Peggy O'Mara remained
on the subject of her discovery. she
brooded long and darkly on this heav-
fer cloud that hung over her home and
her fathers good name. It haunted
her thoughts ss she worked 1t filed
her blind young heart with a spirit OF
revolt. 1t converted her into n d.
uinutive yet iowering-browed Ishmael.