"I know you have to work very hard," said the girl, her eyes on him full of affection. "Why, this is the first time I've had you up to lunch with me in months. I felt as much honored as if it had been the King of England." "That's it--I have to stay down there to keep the robbers from running off with my pile. That young fellow thought he'd get a little swipe at it, but I taught him a thing or two. He's a plunger. His only idea is to make good by doubling up--all right if the market's rising and you can double. But it's a dangerous game, especially if one tries to recoup at the faro table." "Does he play faro?" asked the girl. "He plays everything, mainly Merry H--l. I beg your pardon--I didn't mean to say that before you, but he does. And if his father didn't come to his rescue and plank up every time he goes broke, he'd have been in the bankrupt court--or jail--and that's where he'll wind up yet if he don't look out." "I don't believe you like him," laughed the girl. "Oh! yes, I do. I like him well enough--he is amusing rather, he is gay, careless, impudent--he's the main conduit through which I extract money from old Prender's coffers. He never spends anything unless you pay him two gold dollars down for one paper one on the spot. But I want him to keep away from you, that's all; I suppose I've got to lose you some time, but I'll be hanged if I want to give you up to a blackguard--a gambler--a rou--a lib--a d----d blackguard like that." "Well, you will never have that to do," said the girl; "I promise you that." "How is the strike coming on?" asked his daughter. "When I went away it was just threatening, and I read in the papers that the negotiations failed and the men were ordered out; but I haven't seen much about it in the papers since, though I have looked." "Oh! Yes--it's going on, over on the other lines across town, in a desultory sort of way," said her father wearily--"the fools! They won't listen to any reason." "Poor people!" sighed the girl. "Why did they go out?" "Poor fools!" said Mr. Leigh warmly; "they walked out for nothing more than they always have had." "I saw that they had some cause; what was it?" "Oh! they've always some cause. If they didn't have one they'd make it. Now they are talking of extending it over our lines." "Our lines! Why?" "Heaven knows. We've done everything they demanded--in reason. They talk about a sympathetic strike. I hear that a fellow has come on to bring it about. Poor fools!"