The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-24

CtA
| Pericord matched 10 Nth q trhitc, drdwn
face.
| and there among the wires. Brown
stood impassive, with critical eyes.
There was sharp bur from the ma
chine Tho huge yellow wings gave q
convulsive tlap; then another; then a
third, slower and stronger, with fuller
sweep; then fourth, which filled the
barn with blast of driven air. At the
fifth the bag of bricks began to dance
upon the trestles At thesixth il sprang
into tho air and would have fallen TO
the ground, but the seventh came in
time TO save it and fluttered forward
through tho air. Slowly rising, it flap
ped heavily round in circle, like some
great clumsy bird, filling tho barn with
its buzzing and whirring. In the uncer-
tain yellow light of the single lamp it
was strange TO see the loom of the un-
gainly thing tapping off into the shad-
ows and then circling back into the mar
row zono Of light
The two men stood for awhile In ST.
lence Then Pericord threw his long
arms up into the air. ''It acts!" he
cried. Tho Brown-Pericord motor
acts!" He danced about like q mailman
in his delight. Browns eyes twinkled,
and he began to whistle.
"See how smoothly it goes, Brown"
cried the inventor. "And tho rudder-
how well it acts We must register it
tomorrow.
His comrades face darkened and set.
lit is registered he said, with fore
ed laugh.
"Registeredl' said Pericord. "Reg-
istered!" He repeated the word first in
q whisper and then in kind of scream.
"Who has dared to register my inven-
tion?''
II did it this morning. There is
nothing to be excited about. 1t is all
right"
''You registered the motor? Under
whose name?"
under my own," said Brown sui
lenly. II consider that have tho best
right to it,"
''And my name does not appear"
"No, but
"You villainr' screamed Pericord.
"You thief and villainl You would
steal my work. You would filch my
credit! will have that patent back If
have to tear your throat out. - A SOM
Der fire burned in his black eyes, and
his hands writhed themselves together
with passion. Brown was no coward,
but he shI nix back as the other advanc-
ed upon him.
Keep your hands off," he said,
drawing knife from his pocket. II
will defend myself if you attack me. "
"You threaten mep' cried Pericord,
whose face was livid with anger. "You
are bully as we'll as a cheat. Will
you give up the patent?'
''No, I will not. -
Brown, l say. give it up."
81 will not l did the work
Pericord sprang madly forward, with
blazing eyes and clutching fingers. His
companion writhed out of his grasp,
but dashed against the packing case,
over which he fell. The lamp was ex-
tinguished and the whole barn plunged
into darkness. A single ray of moon
light, shining through narrow chink,
fiickered over the great waving fans as
they came and went.
"Will you give up the patent,
Brown"
There was no answer. Twill you
give IL up?" Again no answer Not
sound save the humming and creaking
overhead. A cold pang of fear and doubt
struck through Pericord's heart. Ho
felt aimlessly about in the dark, and
his fingers closed upon hand. 1t was
cold and unresponsive. With all his
anger turned to icy horror, he struck
match, set the lamp up and lit it.
Brown lay huddled up upon the other
sido Of the packing case. Pericord seized
him in his arms. and with convulsive
strength lifted him across. Then tho
mystery of his silence was explained.
He had fallen with his right arm dou.
bled up under him, and his own weight
hrs driven tho knife deeply into his
body Ho had died without "a groan.
Tho tragedy had been sudden. horrible
and complete.
Pcricord sat silently on the edge Of
tho case, staring blankly down and shiv-
ering like on, with the aguc, whilo the
great Brown. pericord motor doomed
and hurtlcd above him. How long he
sat there can never be known. IL might
have been minutes, or it might have
been hours. a thousand mad schemes
flashed through his dazed brain. IL was
trno that no had been only the indirect
cause. But who ,.culd believe that?
Ec glanced down at his blood spattoisd
-, NJ f,..
II would be better to fly than to give
himself up relying upon his innocence.