The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-19

1t was bright morning in late
spring, and Beryl Mainwaring was
standing in the hall of the Royal hotel
at FALMOUTH, studying the local time
table and considering the possibilities
of trip with her aunt to an interest
ing ruin afew miles away. She was
pretty girl, just 81, and looked partic-
ularly fresh and dainty in a close-fit
ting dress of blue serge.
The door of the coffee room hap
pened to be open a few inches, and,
as she turned over the leaves of the
book the sound of voices caught her
ears.
The girl outside heard deep laugh.
81 own up! Try as 1 can, can't
get a genuine holiday, and even in this
precious week 1 must combine bust
ness with pleasure. Fact is, | want to
see an engineer on one of the ships
and fix up something with him. I'm
writing to arrange an interview for
tomorrow morning, after Which-hey,
for the DorsetShire lanes!"
'Well, I'm ashamed to confess it,
but I'm never tired of making money,
and this particular engineer has taken
out a patent for new boiler. He
offered it to the admiralty, and, being
a good thing, they, Of course, refused
it. He has now submitted it to us, and
I want to buy it outright from him.
I shall offer him five hundred for it,"
cot course, business is the last thing
in the world to interest me!' said the
mild voice. But just as an outsider,
mind, doesn't it seem rather small
sum for good thing in the boiler
line ?"
st said I would offer five hundred for
it'll" replied the man with the deep
10 oh, n piUa
thing up to twenty thousand for it.
I've come to the conclusion there's a
fortune in it. My hope is that, the
admiralty having refused to take 1t up,
he is unaware of it's value,
The drawing room looked out across
the garden of the hotel to the bay
beyond, brilliant scene, with it's two
lines of stately battleships cleaning in
the morning sunshine.
Beryl sat herself in a chair by the
open window Here she was destined
to overhear Internationally another
conversation, for presently some
voices reached her ears; they came
from the other side of the bay Win
dow and she could not see the speak,
ers. One had evidently just met the
other
"eHullo, Brandon, didn't know you
were going on shore this morning!
What are you doing?" he was say
ing.
"Oh, I'm biking-keep the machine
in the stables here whilst we're in the
bay-saves taking it off in the boat
every day. Suppose you're going to
spend a useful morning In the billiard
room?" returned the other man.
wrong, my generous minded boyl"
replied Logan. I'm just going to call
on charming lady and her still more
charming niece, who, have reason to
believe are in the hotel. And I'm 60
ing to invite her and the aunt on board
to tea this afternoon-and I want you
to help out with It,"
"Ill be hanged if I dol" retorted
Brandon.
"Why not, my prematurely sober en-
gineer7" asked the Irishman
Cant talk to 'em. Don't know
their subjects-dances, third-rate now
els, and tenor singers. And they don't
know mine,"
"Well. you can hardly expect pat
ent boiler to be a general topic" said
the doctor amusingly.
Beryl gave little start. It seemed
curious coincidence that both her
overheard conversations should in
clude a reference to boiler.
Beryl hoard the scrunch of footsteps
on the gravel path, then tall figure
passed the window swiftly. Before ii
vanished she caught glimpse of q
somewhat grave-looking young man
with handsome features and a tanned
complexion.
| Her aunt Joined her, and, in another
| minute, DIR. Logan was announced
| His antics were entirely successful
] and he did not leave until he had ex.