The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-12-13

are mad or drunk. perhaps both. Leave
this room at once. and II you come
here again with your ridiculous insinu-
atoms will have you turned out OF
the factory by policeman" In one
awful instant of Illumination the truth
forced itself Into John Steele's brain.
The man who stood before him had
played him subtle and disgraceful
trick. and he had fallen into the trap
with abrupt swiftness.
"You scoundrelr' he breathed hoarse-
~ MS he swayed toward his employer.
"Give me back my invention or Will
kill you where you stnnd."
Headstone leaped back with quick
movement and rang his bell. A mo-
ment later the two men were strug-
Cling in deadly combat. but the arrival
of the office boy who answered the bell
and who promptly departed for assist
ance put an end to the encounter.
Steele was plnIoned by couple OF
stalwart fellow workmen. and con-
stable was summoned from the street.
81 give this man In charge for as
saulting me-" cried Philip Headstone
as he brushed from his clothes the dust
that the struggle on the floor had
brought there. Take him away"
The blue coated official shook his
head. There amt been no bloodshed
as can see. sir" he replied stolldly.
"and your only remedy Is to summon
this man for the assault. can see I'm
of the premises if that's what you
want. but nothin' else"
only take him out Of my sight. and
/ don't care what you do with him."
cried Headstone angrily. And look
here. my man." he added. turning TO
Steele. who. white to the lips. stood
rigid and silent, eli ever you show
your face in these works again I'll
have you kicked out. Now be on aud
thank your lucky stars IL l don't prose-
cute you"
John Steele raised his head and faced
his lctrayer.
"ATr. Hcadstone." he said in a voice
which trembled with passion. "it Is
your turn today. but mine will come In
the future. and then take heed to your
self, for will have no mercy on you"
The policeman laid heavy hand on
the speakers shoulder.
Come, my lad. no threats" he said
quietly. You'd best go before you
make matters worse"
Steele went down the stairs like
man in dream. The invention which
was as dear to him as his lifeblood had
been stolen from him by the man
WHOM he had trusted. and 1t seemed to
him as he stood motionlcss in the gray
strcet that there was no possibility of
unmusklng the thief He had never
mentioned the invention to his &c
ouaintarccs. He had not IL single PROOF
ut his disposal to point to the owner
shin OF the same. and. after all, In
court Of law 1t would simply be II case
of his own word against the word OF
Philip Headstone. Possession was nine
points OF the law. and Headstone pos
sessed the all important documents.
There was nothing to he done-nothins
to be done.
When lie reach . his lodgings. he
found there lc::er from a solicitor
saving that his urcie had passed away
IN Liverpool ar,l had left him the sum
of $500. He tossed aside the communi-
cation with n bitter laugh.
.If that note had come two days
aco." he muttered, II should not have
gone to Philip Hcadstone for help In
bringing out the dynamo. Now 1t is too
late. and fate is mocking me with this
legacy"
Three weeks passed slowly. Three
months later the electric Journals
teemed with descriptions OF the new
"Headstone" dynamo, and Steele's In
vention was lauded to the skies. Enor-
nous sums were offered by American
and foreign firms for the patent rights,
and the miserable victim OF the fraud
ground his teeth in impotent rage MS he
realized that the fame and fortune
which should have belonged to him
had gone instead to the scoundrel VINO
had stolen his Invention.
And even us he read the glowing
words In the journals there came upon
him an Overwhelming desire for re-
venge upon his betraycr, and, falling
upon his knees, he besought the Al
mighty to give his enemy into his
hands.
vengeance. vengeance. vengeance!
he sobbed. "Give me vengeance. o
God, upon this man. and will thank
thee all the days Of my life"
But Headstone had gone abroad. and,
although Steele did all In his power to
trace his whereabouts. his efforts were
doomed to failure. The firm of course
refused to give up the directors adj
dress, and it seemed to Steele that
nothing but miracle would bring him
face to face with the missing man.
1t was about this period that The
Daily Telephone. paper which circu-
lated In all parts of the globe, began to