Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-02-01

knew that any ones arm could grow
as hard as that. And is that the way
you always prepare to receive your
friendS?'
Steve colored little.
perhaps I'm overcautions," he re-
piled. But it has to be hard. 1t con-
stitutes what one of my men, Joe Nor
gan, calls accident insurance
Then her face lighted up again. The
delighted bob of her head with which
she greeted that name astonished the
man.
"Do you-why, you must have heard
of Joer' he exclaimed.
Joe Morgan" she laughed. "sFat
joe isn't it? And of course | have
heard of him. You don't realize it. but
l know more about this East Coast
work and-and the men who are do
ing it than l had any idea myself.
Why. I'll wager that you never knew,
yourself, that he once wrote in to the
officials insisting that the entry of his
name on the files be changed from Joe
Morgan, cook to Joseph Morgan, as
siStant to Chief O'Marav"
Steve's chuckle of appreciation was
answer enough.
81 want to know Joe, please! Can't
l meet him, Mr.. O'N1ara?"
But the question was unnecessary.
Joe MOrgan-Fat Joe to the river front
and the construction squad-was al
ready hustling in their direction, even
before Steve, with that slow smile tug
ging at his lips, had finished assuring
her that it was never necessary to
summon Joe into the presence of an
attractive member of the opposite sex.
He came without being called.
Morning, chief" Fat Joe saluted.
in that thin and reedy tenor which
none but fat men have.
Steve managed the presentation with
extreme punctility and left them.
When he returned, almost an hour lat
er, he heard them both laughing long
before he came into view, and on the
way back up the hill the girl detailed
for him much of her conversation with
Fat Joe.
'Why should there be any-any ele-
ment of personal danger in this work
you are doing, Mr.. O'Mara?' she final
ly asked. "And did / do wrong in
mentioning to Mr. Morgan how that
man came out of that-place and glar-
ed so at you?'
His rejoinder should have been very
reassuring.
$50 Joe has been limiting at that
mystery stuff again, has he? After
listening to him one is compelled to
believe that ] run daily veritable
gauntlet Of namelcss pcrilS.'
Barbara stood. small fists buried in
her sweater pockets. studying his
smile of amusement
81 shouldn't like to believe So" her
voice was family diindent. And you
you haven't accepted my invitation
for Friday. May | expect you? l
didn't tell you, but Archie-Archibald
Wickersham-Will be there. as well as
Garry $3.50 you won't be entirely
unacquainted."
And then at those words his face
All III OIlc uCCl SCSOlIAts III
spite of the whole mornings quick init
macy of mood and the spirit of COM
panionship which to her had seemed a
delightfully."- new yet time tried thing,
Barbara found that she could not read
an inch behind those grave gray eyes.
She found his quiet cOuntcnance as I'M
readable as that of the utmost stranger
might have been. And while she wait
ed, not entirely certain how displeased
she was at his deliberation, blacklist
of black horses scared splendidly over
a fence to the north and came carter
ing down the road. The rider tall,
bareheaded girl, lifted her crop in sa-
lutte as she caught sight of them.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEKLY