The morning call., 1894-01-07
ROMANCE OF INVENTION.


take him outv and Mr.. Van Auken, look
ing blacker than ever. took him out, where
upon Mrs. Van Auken, reckless of every
thing except the danger TO him, waved the
butler off with the fish. crying, 'Oh, take
it away-take it awayr 1t was a lovely
fish, fried in spiralS. and | hadn't taken
two bites. did regret the fish"
81 regretted something MORE" said
Leonie, whose grim attention had not
been diluted by smile. II am sure Pat
meant to say something to you that even
ing, and he was SO dashed by that wretched
business that he didn't open his head. And
you went off to Europe the next day but
one. and weren't at home when he called,
either"
81 don't want him to propose TO me. d"
said Hester: Il shall refuse him If he
does"
II tell YOU" LeOnie insisted vaiantly.
Won don't do any kind OF justice to Pat
He has a great mInd."
Hester couldn't repress tiny gurgle Of
laughter. "Oh. laugh away; but it isn't q
man with Il little mind that will slave at
business when his father has millions. /
tell YOU. Hester BaYliSS, the heroes Of TO-
day and the great men are the men at the
head of big business concerns. OF shops
ana railways aud manufactures and news
papers. They are the rulers. A man VINO
can manage such 4 business as Fat
father left him has got to have great
mind. His father was great man
Hardly a gentleman, though, inter
rupted Hester out OF peTveTse Impulse.
Leonie's picture of Pat in this new part
of great man excited queer medley of
feeling. the oueerest Of which was an I'M
accountable pleasure. InstinCtively she
took refuge from it in her old attitude of
ppm not Judge" said Leonie; "he
was tie boss OF a plenty Of gentlemen,
though. Ills mother was iady-from
Virginia. Don't you call Pat a gentle
man"
ION. yes; but then he was a Harvard
man."
Leonie made an inarticulate but quite
Ineligible noise in her throat. We'll, [
will tell Won the truth as nearly IS | see
IT, said Hester soberly; II Go like Pat; |
like him amazingly, but - oh. IeOnie.
want 10 be in love with The man marry
| want him to thrill me-make me feel :
If could follow him TO the worlds ends :
| might be willing 10 sacrifice my art to
that"
The words faltered off her tongue: they
were not adequate; they did not half ex-
press the feeling that liz her face: that
was because they were so desperately hard
to sag.
Leonie looked at her keeniy. Then she
sighed. "Well. | did not mean to hurt you,
YOU know that" said she. II guess some
thing is the matter with me today"
with me, too. said Hester. II feel all
the while as if | were going to meet some
kind of calamity. Of course it is ridicu-
iOuS."
Let's read those Pncks." said Hester.
Lets read those Pucks we found on
the deck" said LeOnie.
She pulled one out of the shnwl-strap as
she spoke, and Hester took it; but verv
soon laid it aside She could not read :
sinister and uDruly forbOdings rose in her
thoughts as the eXhalation rose out of the
sodden landscape that whirled past them.
Leonle read the Puck. Hester looked
out of the window. The train sped through
stunted woodlands and wide marshes,
where coarse and brilliantly painted grass
hides the slime of low Tide. 1t halted for
a brief space at decorated country stations
that blaZoned their names on the grass
plats beside the rails in shells white as
chalk. Fanciful wagons and spirited horses
waited for travellers. and Hester saw many
greetings. The sght made her feel more
lonesome, more dismal than ever.
Finally the great elms, the quaint old
houses, dripping gray in the fog and the
distant GlimpseS Of the bay of WAreham
were reached. LeOnie showed her paper
into the strap; they were arrived.
There was DO one ~ meet them But
they had expected no one. They sent
their luggage by an expressman and
ploGded through the fog to their lodgings.
The landlady answered the knock. She
had been their landlady the season before.
and by right of the acquaintance hin. be-
slowed Oh each a tepid handclasp and the
remark. well, you look natural" Before
they could show proper respect in the
village and the number Of boaTders, that
year. she broke into the questions: You
got big package come to you, Miss Bay
liss 90
Most likely it is from Pat" said Leo
ME.
Mrs. Handy frightened with the curl
osity, which seems like a kiad Of pn%erty
grass. to flourish in the barest and hardest
New England lives. at was a tall gentle
man brought it." said she: 'he was a real
Incorporating, dressed all In black with a
black mustache and some gray hairs and a
little cast in one eye
at must be PATS man." said Leonie in
a low voice.
"PaXman?" the landlady intariected
NO. that wasn't the name. It was more
like Raws0n. and be said the package was
for Miss Bayiss. He'd Grape band on
his hat and looked awful MELANCHOLY"
lie always looks melancholy" was
Leonie's comment, but Hester gave little
start.
Nor it amt fruit nor flowers. the land
lady pursued. Il heited the thing and it
is lead heavy"
How interesting. Let US look at it.,
LeOnie," said Hester.
The Injun woman that does your wash
in is waitin' in the kitchen for Miss Bay
lss. l guess she'd better go out" said
Mrs. Handy.
SO it happened that Hester went ND the
narrow stairs to their little chamber under
the caves. that was not too warm in Sep
TEMPER. and examined the package alone
1t was a very large package, neatly
Grated in wood and wrapped in brown
paper. it looked almost too heavy for the
slight pine-table on which il rested Re-
moving the wrappings she twas surprised
to find a machine which she recognized to
be gTaphophOne.
The card on the package was directed in
g neat. small hand familiar to her, and an
envelope addressed by the same writer
was tied to the machine. 1t was irrational.
but the fantasy of gloom that had been
darkening Hester's mind all the afternoon
grew more somber at the sight. How
silly" she exclaimed; and she tore open
the envelope.
This is what she read:
My Dear Friend-I have so arranged
that this shall be sent you in case the OPP
Grafton Tomorrow proves fatal. RawsOn
Will carry 1t to you. lie will carry you,
also, copy OF my will. | have left you
what the law would leave my wife. be-
cause 1t has been my dearest wish to make