The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-12
CHAPTER VIII.
 The Town of Omar.

%YN HE. town of Omar lay drenched
 in mist as the steamer bearing
 the representative of the Re
 view drew in at the dock. The whole region was sodden and rain soaked, yerdant with a lush growth. No summer sun shone here to bake sprouting leaves or scar tender grasses. Beneath the sheltering frs a blanket of moss extending over hill and vale, knee deep and treacherous to the foot.
 Omar itself was a mushroom city, sprung up by magic. as if the damp ness at its roots had caused it to rise overnight A sawnill shrieked com pIaininS1y; a noisy switch engine shunt- ed rows of flat cars back and forth, tocting lustily; the rattle of steam winches and the cries of stevedores from a discharging freighter echoed against the hiIlsides.
 Dan Appleton, his clothing dewy from the fog, his cheeks bronzed by expos ure, was over the rail before the ship had made fast and had Eliza in his arms. crushing her with the hug of bear.
 Come up to the house, sis, quick, he cried when the first frenzy of greet ing was your house and minep' His eyes were dancing: his face was aIight with eagerness.
 But, Danny" she laughed, squeez- ing his arm tenderly, you live with MT. O'NeI and all those other men in a horrible, crawling bunkhouse'
 Oh, do I? I'll have you know that our bunkheuses don't crawl And, be sides But waitI It's s'priser'
 "A s'prise? she queried eagerly. For me9'
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 TelI me what it is, quick. You know I never could wait for s'prises' 's
 Well, it's a brand new ultra stylish residence for just you and me. When the chief heard you were coming he had cottage built.''
 Danny! It was only five. days ago that cabaed .youv'
 That's really ten days for us. for. you see, we never sleep. It is finished and waiting, and your room is in white and the paint will be dry tomorrow. He's a. wonder!''
 Remembering the nature of her mis- sion. Eliza demurred I'm afraid 1 can't live there, Dan. You know''- z she hesitated-ssI may have to write some rather dreadful things about hiu.''
 ''What3" Dams face fell "You are going to attack the chief. had no idea of that. He looked genuinely distressed and a little stern z
 She laid a pleading hand upon his arm. Forgive me, Dan,' she said. q knew how you would feel, and, to tell the truth, don't like that part of it one bit. But it was my big chance the sort of thing have been waiting years for. I couldn't bear to miss it'' There was suspicion of tears in her eyes. 'I cidn't think it all out I just came. Things get awfully mixed, don't they? Of course wouldn't attack him unfairly, but I do believe in .conserva- tion-and what could I do but come here to you?"
 Dan smiled to reassure her. 4Per- haps you won't feel like excoriating him when you learn more about things know you wouldn't be unfair You'd funk the job first. Wait till you talk to him. But you can't refuse his kind ness, for a time at least. There's no where else for you to stay and Mur- ray would pick you up and put you into the cottage, muckrake and all, if I didn't. He had to go out on the work this morning or he'd have been here to welcome you. He sent apologies and said 8 lot of nice things which I've forgotten"
 "Wen"-Eliza still looked troubled ''a1l right. But wait!r' she cried, with a swift change of mood. tErve made a little friend, the dearest, the most useless creature! We shared the same stateroom, and we're sisters. She ac-- tually says I'm pretty, so of course I'm her slave for life" She hurried away in the midst of Dams loyal protesta- tions that she was pretty-mere beau tifuI than the stars. more pleasing to the eye than the orchids of Brazil. A moment later she reappeared to pre- sent Natalie Gerard.