Nils, the blacksmith had just finished fixin' a wagon wheel for Pete, one of our town folks.  He rolled it over to the wagon and he and Pete tried to lift the wagon so they could put the wheel on it, but it was way to heavy for them to lift.  They were just getting ready to unload the wagon when a stranger approached them.  "Allow me gentleman.....please."  He lifted the wagon by himself.  Nils and Pete were so surprised by this, they just stood there looking in amazement.  He told them not to just stand there, but put the wheel on.  "I've heard people say that most of my brains are in my arms and my back.....you know something, I'm forever trying to prove they are correct," said the stranger.  After joking around with the two men he went over to get his horse that was where Micah was standing.  "You know that was quite a compliment coming from a blacksmith," said Micah.  "Oh.....thank you sir, that comes from lifting stones to find enough sod underneath them to plant potatoes," said the stranger.  "Am I right in thinking it's the sod of County Down you're referring to?" Asked Micah.  "Yes you are sir, yes indeed! Yes, I'm a County Down man.....Dennis O'Flarrety is the name."  Micah then introduced himself.  Dennis thought it to be a good omen that the first man that he met was an Irishmen and a better omen that he was the law too.  He asked Micah about the sign on the hotel—Mallory House.  He asked if the owner could be a red haired, green eyed Irish girl of more then passing beauty.  Micah asked him if he was a friend of Lou's.  He told Micah he was and was eager to see her.  Micah said he wouldn't detain him and Dennis went over to Lou's.                       

Dennis walked into the hotel, he threw his bag onto the desk and as he rang the bell he noticed the bar.  When he walked up to the bar, the bartender asked him beer or whiskey.  Dennis told him that was a poor thing to offer him, being that he had been twenty days on the road.  When the bartender mentioned 'Irish Whiskey,' that was more to his liking.  Just then Lou noticed Dennis's bag on the desk, she walked into the bar to ask Larsen about it but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Dennis.  Lou was surprised to see Dennis, but not at all glad to see him.  He then made a toast to the health of the future Mrs. Dennis O'Flarrety, yes he meant Lou.  He told her he was going to write and tell her he was coming but chose to surprise her, and that he did!  As they talked about things changing he made sure to mention Lou's father's promise of marriage to Dennis.  He liked what he saw and he liked what all Lou had built for herself here in North Fork.  If he would marry Lou he would be entitled to wealth. 

I was in town and thought I'd stop by and say hello to Lou.  I didn't see her in the lobby of the hotel when I walked in.  I called out her name.  "In here Lucas," said Lou.  I didn't know she had company and I apologized for interrupting and started to leave.  She said I wasn't interrupting and she introduced me to Dennis.  As we shook hands Lou said....."Lucas is my dearest friend here in North Fork."  She told me that Dennis came from the same part of Ireland as she did and that they had joining farms.  Dennis said since I was her dearest friend that I should be the best man at their wedding.  That sure did surprise me.  Lou then left with Dennis to get his room ready, but yelled she would be right back and too wait.

I didn't wait for Lou instead I headed over to Micah's to see if he knew was going on.  I told Micah what Dennis had said about he and Lou's getting married and told him they might even ask him to give the bride away.  "What are you going to do about it?" Asked Micah. When I told him nothing, he was shocked.  I told him when Dennis made the announcement she didn't deny it.  That she was a grown woman and if she got it into her head to get married, that was her right.  He said he couldn't argue that with me but he sorta figured.....I didn't let him finish, I told him to start refiguring things.  He said none of it made any sense.  I told him I had to get back to the ranch.  He said I should at least talk to her before leaving.  I told him I would probably be seeing her the next time I came to town.. 

Just as I was leaving Lou walked into Micah's.  "I asked you to wait for me!" Said Lou.  "I know.....but you were involved," I said.  "Don't you want an explanation?" Asked Lou.  "You don't have to explain anything to me Lou!"  "Ohhhhh Lucas.....will you please stop acting so contrary!"  "Contrary! I thought I was being a gentleman!" I exclaimed.  "Then would you please stop being a gentleman and listen to me?" Asked Lou.  "Alright.....I'll listen, what is it?"  "When I was eight my mother died. And there was my father with six children and me the oldest. He was a sick man as well. So Dennis agreed to help on our farm and see that we had clothes. He kept us alive during the drought and bad crops and before my father died he offered to give Dennis our farm."  "Sounds like to me, he had earned it," I said.  "He did," said Lou.  "But he refused it. He wanted something else.....my father agreed. It was a debt of honor. That's right.....me! They shook hands and with his last breathe he promised me to Dennis."  "Well you were only a child.....nobody has the right to give you away," I said.  Lou told me I didn't understand the ways of the old world and that a father had the right to pledge his daughter in marriage. I told her she was in America now, not Ireland.  She said her birth ties go deeper, especially when a pledge is a dying pledge, given in bond for a rightful debt.  She thought I should have something to say about it.  "Good luck Lou," I said as I walked out of Micah's office and headed home.

Dennis sure was taking advantage of Lou.  He was drinking up her best Irish Whiskey and charging things all over town to her.  He even had his eye on her business.  If he married Lou he sure would be gaining a lot.  Dennis even asked the bartender what people do in North Fork and Larsen told him about Sweeney's place and the Pharaoh games Sweeney had going on over there.  Larsen mentioned to Dennis that Lou didn't have an account there.  "Well, she will!" Said Dennis.

Mark and I were having supper when I told him about Lou getting married.  Mark had told me about the talk in town.  I told him not to pay any attention to it.  Mark didn't understand, he said he wouldn't want to marry someone that he didn't want to.  I told him that people see things differently in different parts of the world and how some of them have a lot of old fashion customs, like Lou for example.  I told him it was like paying off your debts, Dennis did a lot for their family and now there was a debt to be paid.  He asked if that was why his mother and I got married.  I told him no and that we were in love and wanted to be together and we were as long as God left us.  Mark thought of it as a business deal.  I told him it wasn't a business deal, there were still two people getting married but I wasn't saying this was right or wrong; it's just the custom of her country.  He said he was satisfied if I was.

The next day I went into town, I stopped by Micah's before going to see Lou.  I asked him what he thought of Lou's situation.  He told me he felt that when St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland he may have overlooked one or two.  I agreed with him.  This just wasn't right.  I had to talk to Lou and see what she had to say again.  Is this what she really wanted?  I owed it to myself and to her to find out.

Lou was upset with Dennis when she saw the stack of bills that Dennis had ran up and had charged to her. She went to confront him with it.  She told him that a lot of hard work and sweat went into everything she had and she wasn't going to stand back and watch him waste it away.  He told her that the man is supposed to worry about the money.  Lou said she left the old country because she didn't want to be a drudge for a husband.  He told her that if he wanted her to be a Queen she would be and the same went to her being a drudge.  She said she wasn't the little girl she use to be and he couldn't scare her with his threats and his bulling.  He told her she would come around to his way of thinking and with that he started squeezing her wrist.  He reminded her of the promise and her not appreciating what he had done for her family and reminded her what was hers was his and what was good for him was good for her.  He kept hurting her.  Larsen walked in from the stock room and saw Dennis was hurting Lou and he told Dennis to leave her alone.   Dennis then grabbed Larsen, punched him in the stomach and had a neck hold on him.  "Stop! I won't fight you!" Said Lou.  Dennis then left Larsen go.  He knew she would see it his way.  She couldn't let Dennis hurt any of her friends, no matter what.

                I went to see Lou.  She was in the dining area of the hotel checking the stock to the bar.  I told her we could still talk, but she said it was a bad time.  I asked her how O'Flarrety was?  She got upset and asked me why I couldn't call him by his first name.  I told her I was surprised when I heard she was getting married.  Lou thought that it didn't seem to bother me.  I told her that I had told Mark about O'Flarrety.  Again she got upset by not calling Dennis by his first name.  She was really on edge.  I kept reminding her that she was getting riled but she denied it.  I told her that Mark felt he was a friend of hers and he had her best interest at heart.  Lou said that she's not in the habit of discussing her affairs with Mark.  She told me to stay away from Dennis.  "Please Lucas.....you don't know anything about him, he'll do anything to anybody who gets in his way."  "Then send him packing!" I said.  "I can't!" Said Lou.  "You can if you want too!" I said.  She said it was enough with one man telling her what to do she didn't need another one giving her orders.  I told her I was trying to help.  She told me she didn't want my help or any man's help anymore.  I asked her if she was in trouble.  As we we're talking Dennis stood in the doorway.  "Well if your so interested.....why don't you just come in," I said to Dennis.  "I'm just standing here quietly protecting my property," said Dennis.  "Is that what she is to you?" I asked.  He told me it was none of my business and it was an arrogant question and called for an apology.  "That my friend is a matter of opinion!" I said as I started towards him.  Lou stopped me, she told me Dennis was right, what was between them was their business.  She asked me to leave and said it was none of my business.  I guess I got the answer I came for.  I told her good bye and I left.  Dennis told Lou she did really good.  She was afraid of what he might do to me, so she wasn't taking any chances.

That night at the ranch I was sitting in my chair reading when Mark started to tell me about the talk in town.  He said it wasn't old woman talkin' this time, it was Nils and Sweeney.  I told him to forget about it and pay attention to his studies.  "Pa.....Lou is our friend! How come we're not doin' anything? And I mean doin' and not talkin'!"  "I was told it was none of my business Mark."  "Everyone knows he's just bleedin' her dry. Buying things and paying for them with her money."  "Is that all you kids do is listen to some old women's gossip?"  "Well if it was me and I was a doin' friend and not a talkin' friend, I'd saddle up and go do something it!" Said Mark.  I knew Mark was right.  I got up out of my chair and put on my hat and started out of the door.  I turned to Mark and said....."Thanks for some good fatherly advice."         

          Dennis was on his way to Sweeney's for a night cap and a game of cards.  He told Lou to go to bed like he had told her and she'd wake up feeling like a queen.  This was the chance Lou was waiting for, she was getting out of this situation no matter what!  Even if it meant she had to leave behind everything she had worked so hard for.  She hurried up to her bedroom and got her already packed bags out of the closet, and hurried down the steps.  She then headed for the back door, but to her surprise when she opened the door, there stood Dennis.  "Well, there you are my love. What is it we've got here? Traveling bags, are you going some place? An over night trip perhaps.....huh?" Asked Dennis as he picked up her luggage and tossed it aside.  He startled her; she had not expected him to be outside the door.  She was afraid of what he might do knowing she was going to leave. He asked her why she looked so frightened.  Lou then told him she wasn't going to marry him.  She told him that if her father were alive today and would know Dennis as he is today, he would not hold her to that promise.  He grabbed her and told her to promise him she would never try and run away again.  He told her she would never be lonely with him there.  Just as he started to embrace her I walked in.   

Dennis released Lou and told me I was just in time to help celebrate their forth coming nuptials.  He scurried around getting us a drink of Irish Whiskey.  Lou and I just stood there looking at each other.  I was trying to read the expression on her face.  When Dennis finished his drink he sucker punched me and I fell to the floor.  I got up and took a swing at him.  We just kept hitting each other harder and harder.  We fought though the hotel lobby and then I knocked him through the window of the lobby and out into the street.  As we kept fighting, Dennis knocked me through the window into the gunsmith's shop. We fought out into the street again then I hit Dennis and he fell into the water trough.  He got back up and we kept fighting and ended up across the street into Sweeney's.  That's where Dennis finally had enough, he collapsed.  I was exhausted; I sure had taken a beating.  I slowly walked back to the hotel; Lou was standing in the doorway.  "You said it was none of my business, so I guess you'll want me to pay for some of the damages," I said to Lou.  Lou just stood there laughing. 

Lou and I had gone back to the ranch; we wanted to let Mark know what was going on.  Mark asked Lou if she would have been able to run away, would that mean we would have never seen her again.  She wasn't sure of the answer because she knew running away wouldn't have solved any problems but at the time that was all she could think of.  She told us that getting rid of some of the old worldly customs she grew up with was easier said then done.  "Well.....it's all over now," I said as I knocked on wood.  She said that's what she had been talking about.  Lou explained that one of the Irish customs was to knock on wood to thank the Leprechauns for your good luck.   Lou, Mark and I all ended up knocking on the table, laughing.