as expected. The girls kept close to
him, so close that Nora could have reached forth and touched his arm. The
mob of men scarcely noticed him. Indeed, few knew that the two girls had
slipped through the crowd. They were talking in half a dozen different
tongues and dialects. The effect was like a pack of dogs snarling. No
attempt was made to stop the three. They reached the door and Jefferies
entered, followed by the girls. Nora's cheeks were crimson with
embarrassment. She was trembling. Her nerves had been so wrought upon that
she was ready to cry. But that would spoil all. She must control herself.

Behind the bar was a room devoted to conferences of the leaders of the
strike. Toward the door leading to this Jefferies made his way. The men in
the bar-room stopped talking to look at the girls. It was unusual to see
women in this place.

Nora, feeling herself conspicuous, with a desire both to justify her
presence there, and to protect herself and companion, exclaimed, "My
father is in that room, Mr. Jefferies. Ask for Mr. O'Day. Tell him his
daughter has come with an important message."

The men stepped aside, leaving her way clear. Her words had carried into
the inner room. The door was flung open from within, and Dennis O'Day
stood there.

"You!" he exclaimed. "Good heavens, Nora, how did you get here at such a
time? Come here," and he drew the girls into the inner room. He dismissed
at once the half dozen men gathered there. "In half an hour," he said
significantly as they passed out. "Not a minute before that. I must see
what has brought my daughter here."

Elizabeth, drenched and with draggled skirts, sank into a chair. She had
not raised her veil. Dennis O'Day did not recognize her as the little girl
whom he had seen many times playing about the superintendent's yard. She
was so nearly exhausted that she could not stand. She let her head fall
over upon the table.

Dennis O'Day glanced from the drooping figure back to his daughter as
though asking an explanation. "My dearest friend at Exeter, father," was
the reply to the unspoken question. "No one else in the world, except
yourself, has been so kind to me." She came closer to Dennis O'Day,
touching his sleeve with her finger-tips. His little world had always
trembled in fear of him. His daughter alone stood fearless in his
presence. She was the only being in the world he loved. For an instant he
looked into her face. Her perfect features and rich coloring