Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-03-09
ELEVENTH EPISODE
The Saving Of Dan o'Mara

Young Peggy O'Mara was troubled
IN mind. She had become suspicious
Of her W father. On more than one
occasion OF late that debt-harried
toIler from the Applewaithe works
had been visited by a stranger who i'm
pressed the sophisticated young Peggy
a. anything but attractive And an
honest man. Peggy argued with her
self, finds no need for stealing up to
a house at night and ~closeting himself
with its owner behind the locked door
OF a cellar workroom. So the spindle
legged daughter Of Dan o'Mara watch
ing for her chance, decided to investi-
gate.
But the girls chances for investi-
CATION were limited, for Peggy was a
hard-driven young housekeeper, with a
bedridden mother to look after az best
she could. Late n night, however,
when Dan O'Mara had led his mystic
rious visitor into his cellar workroom
and locked the door behind him, the
girl slipped on 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 a 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
20 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 msn?" e%quivocated the cul-
prit.
Chinatown Charlie"
"And how'd you know he's called
Chinatown Charlie7" demanded rebel
lious-eyed Dan O'Mara
Il know more'n that, pop" said the
girl, with e 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 bringin' in tons Of that Kai-
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 II here until that hop runner for
Chinatown Charlie comes and carries
II away In a laundry bag!"
"Aint your mother got to have med
Icins2" demanded her father. "Ain't
we behind In our Tentf And amt the
company locked me ten a month since
that one-armed man had me machine
work taken away FROM me2'
But youu have more'n your ma.
chine taken away from you, pop.
You'll be queered with the company,
tor tamperin' with stock. and then the
bulls n get wise and send you up the
river for smugglin'l"
1--WE thought that out ME gerll. I've
10 love for .goin' against the law, al
me time O. life. nut 1 guess we've got
to take chances. We've got TO. or 90
under for good and alli For I'm think
In your poor mother was right when
she said there was no crime so black
. the crime o. bein' poOrl"
'But they'd promised to raise your
pay. over TO the dye worksl" she re
minded him.
Instead o. which they took on me
machine and gave It to that one-armet
Bnitch who claimed I'd been workin
against the company by tryin' to in
rent a chemical color that'd soon b.
bendin' their old lOgwood plant I thu
scrap heapl"
Silent as Peggy o'Mara remained
on the subject OF her discovery, shl
brooded long and darkiy on this heav
Ter cloud that nuns over her home ant
her fathers good name. Il haunteI
her thoughts % she worked. Il fIleI
her blind yOuns heart with a spirit o
revolt. Il converted her into a d
uinutive ret lOWoring-broWed fshmao