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 delighted him. He was glad that she was beautiful.
“Well, Nora, what is it that has brought you to Bitumen at this of all times?” he asked, putting his arm about her and drawing her close to him.
“The strike.”
“The strike! It is just the reason that you shouldn’t be here. I’ve a notion to cart-whip Jefferies for bringing you. You might have been shot by the miners.”
“So I might. But Jefferies wasn’t asked anything about it, daddy. I told him he had to bring me here before morning, and if he killed the horses by hard driving, you’d pay for them.”