The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-18
ing across his friends gay humor, and the

and suspicious of the distrust of others, Ever
EFT was less blind. Something is going seri-
ously wrong with Tratton," he decided with
quiet certainty, and set himself the task Of
finding out the cause.
everett leaves town tomorrow" wrote
Mark to Ruth one day "a sudden cali of bust
ness ray be absent indefinitely. scarcely
dare to think how much shall miss him.
At last Marks great work was done. The
model was complete and stood before him the
Child of his own brain, perfect in adaptation,
faultless in working
All other emotions seemed swallowed up in
the full assurance OF victory, and the thought
OF what that victory would be 10 the faithful
heart that had waited and loved and trusted
SO long. Nothing now remained but to Sc
cure bis patent. and the road to fame and for
tune-nay, better far, to home and love-
seemed open. Having taken the necessary
steps through friend at Washington toward
presenting his claim at the Patent once, he
still remained in the city awaiting in'th IN
formation. One night there came leiesraiii'
brief but comprehensive:
"You are too late. A patent was granted
only two weeks ago to James Eyerett-model
almost identical with yours. Cialm was rush
ed through.
Mark never knew how long he sat without
word or motion. Even the power of thought
seemed leaving him. He was conscious of but
two emotions, the utter desolation of having
been betrayed by his friend, and an intense
longing Tor Ruth. At last he RISE mechani-
cally, and went out. He moved on aimlessly,
turning corner after corner, until suddenly he
heard the dizzy rush OF fire-engine past him,
and found himself confused with crowd sur
rounding burning building. There was
cry of 'The roof! the roofp and the throng
surged backward, las the whole structure fell
in with crash, throwing its blazing timbers
out into the street. Mark heard something
hiss toward him through the air, and fell
blackened and bleeding under the feet of the
| people.
Where am | ?" 1t was Mark who spoke,
looking about him feebly and uncertainty, as
| If cropping for the lost thread of reason and
| memory
Here, Mark-at home"
"Oh, Ruth! is it you?1 and at sight of her
tender face bending over him, the past rushed
| upon him like flood, and his Scared face
contracted in spasm OF pain.
1T is l, Marx, dear! but you must not talk
you are too weak"
But tell me how came here. Twas hurt
I remember. Where did you find me,
Ruth?"
"In the hospital dear. You were carried
| there, and we found it out by the newspaper.
| So we went for you, brother John and l. You
were very wild then, and the surgeons thought
| you would never be any better; but knew
that mother and l could nurse you. And
now you are so much better-almost well p
She spoke eagerly, as if trying to persuade
| herself also.
| Now, Mark, not one word more!' she
said, as he essayed to speak; "yeu must try
to Sleep"
"You won't leave me, Ruth?'
| 81 never leave your with look more elo-
quent than words. He lay for long time
with closed eyes; then he said weakly" Ruth y
"Yes, Mark
you know about it ?"
Yes, dear; found the dispatch in your
| pocket. But you must not think OF it now ~
"But L nust!" he answered with sudden
energy. Ruth, it's all gone! Your money
| my faith in humanity-our home that was to
| bew
"No, no! Never say il Markw What
subtle magnetism infused itself into his tired
brain from the tender touches of her finger
tips! "Not gone! my love! We have all these
and more in our trust in God and in each
other. Let that man take your work-it does
not make it his! The victory is yours-God
gave it to you, and with it that larger patent
| which He grants to His nobilityw
Marks conyalescence, so long delayed, was
now proportionally rapid. His disease had
been more the result of extreme mental ex-
4 Cuc puySlcdl eject OF the
| blow which was its immediate cause. The
healthful tone once re-established, he steadily
| gained strength. As he became able to think
| connectedly, his mind was constantly occupied
with the question of the possibility of success
| fully contesting his claim with his false friend
| One plan after another was entertained and
| rejected for want of some necessary link in
the chain of. evidence. He was astonished
now at his own lack of foresight in neglecting
| fn file q HcUrpOf - which hox,a
| him as partial protection. He determined,
| at last so soon as he should be able, to lay the
| Whole matter before a competent attorney,
and abide byhis decision of the possibilities Of
| the case.
There was sharp rap at the door one even
| ing, and when Ruth opened it, Will traitor
stood there and asked anxiously for Mark.
| She showed him into the inner room, and left
| the two alone. Marks surprise at Trafton's
| unexpected visit was more than equalled by
his wonder at the change visible in him. In
| deed, he scarcely recognized him at first, so
utterly worn and haggard was his face, and
every gesture so eloquent of disbursement
mingled with desperate determination to
brave the worst. He would not take Marks
| proffered hand.
mo, mop he said, 'if you kney all. Won
would not offer it. I've been periured trail
tor at heart, though 1 am glad for your sake,
Mark, that have not gone too far to turn
| back. Mark, God knows that when I first
brought Everett to see you thought he was
| an honest man. l believed in him lust as
| freely as you afterwards did. l never had
suspicion OF what he meant to do until"
"Why, Will!' interrupted Mark, II never
blamed you!'
"Hear me cut! / had taken to bad wavs-
| was always SO powerless against tempta-
tionw he groaned. u lived beyond nv sal
airy, and when everything was on the brink
| OF an exposure that would have lost me nv
situation and sent me away diseraced, Ey
| erett gained my confidence aud saved me. II
happened more than once, and at last, when
was deeply in debt to him, and could not
| pay, and was almost wholly in his power in
other ways, he sprung this vllainous plan of
his upon me, and by dint Of promises and
threats made me pledge myself, in case YOU
should contest the patent, to help him oy
! giving such testimony as he should dictate.
There, Mark! you know it now, and never
can tell you what tortures / have suffered for
| it" He buried his face in his hands with a
| great sob; then he lifted it again, and went
ON with nervous eagerhess: "But, Mark, your
case can be made clear as day. In the first
place, you can prove by some one here how
| long ago you began work on your first plan.
| can't you"
"Yes, by Ruth and Others"
| "Well, there's Bill Chevy, the ianitor of
| the building where you were, who will swear
to Eyeretts being in your room so much.
| Better than that, found out by accident.
| where Everett had his model made. If was
at some works in Philadelphia. l had to 90
| there the other day on some business for Mr..
| Brown, and went to see the man who made
| it, l suppose you will call 1t a providence.
| Mark, that in an old waste basket we foupd
sheet of written instructions in your o,rp
| hdndlcriting, which Everett had given him.
| Then add my testimony to all the rest, az d
there car be no possibility OF failure"
Mark was weak yet. and the shock was al
most too great for him. A few tears, which
he was lot ashamed to shed, rolled down his
| cheeks. He held out both hands to VIII. who
took them now with an entreaty for forgive
| ness, which was met before half uttered
There Is little need to tell what the reader
has guessed already; how the commissioner
OF patents tried the case, deciding it in favor
OF the inventor; how the proceeds of Marks
first sale were devoted, in part to annihiIat-
ing the batfied Everett's last hold upon viii
Irafton, who emerged from the terrible shad-
ow OF his temptations and failures, having
learned lesson which would make him ali
his life stronger and better man: how
there was wedding in the country church.
where all the town crowded to see, and Judge
Markham gave away the bride; how NOT
lew who sneered at the inventor while the
issue OF his experiments trembled in the bal
nee, now ask his counsel and patronage; how
wealth. mas been to him no excuse for vain
glorious idlenesS but the nrosnerons bo,,,,