Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-05-07

smile on his lips:
II sold it to the Consolidated Tin
Can company for $4,000. l made them
raise their bid $500. Isn't that glori.
ous?"
A cry escaped her lips. and her ewes
filed with anguish. Montrous stared
at this exhibition of emotion. unable Ia
explain it.
"And the royalties?" she gasped.
"There will be no royalties"
But you said there would be a for.
tune in royalties and that you would
never sell it outright"
The light in his eyes made her SILVER.
"But Tess, little girl, don't you see.
might have to wait years for that, and
We needed the rest, the change-you
and l. And $4,000 is a good sum. 1t
Will give us a vacation
She placed her hands to her face and
was sobbing softly. Montrous ap-
preached and tried to speak steadily,
but his voice wavered.
"Tess, dear, don't you see that l love
you and that we can-can go away for
a time? When we are married we"-
She stepped back. still holding her
hands before her eyes. The movement
brought Montrous to a sudden stiff at
titude. The blood left his face. His
voice was very faint.
"Tess, you do not love me? You can
not care for me-in this way?"
She made no reply, but continued her
sobbing.
ooh, I'm so sorry" she murmured
brokenly. You must let me think
leave me alone!'
Tess did not appear at the restaurant
the next day nor the next. On the
third Montrous could stand it no
longer. He interviewed the proprietor
and learned. to his chagrin. that the
new waitress had left.
Tess was out when he called at her
boarding house. but he was relieved to
find that she had not changed her lodg-
ings and thus escaped him entirely. He
was full of good news and a%nxiously
waited her return. She came in late,
less tagged than when he met her last,
but still with circles under her eyes.
"Tess, I've good tidings," he said i'm
pulsively. taking her hand. "Some
fairy godmother of mine has interced-
ed for me. The great Tin Can heart
has softened. l can hardly believe the
news to be true. But 1 have it in black
and white. and I'm forced to accept it."
She flushed prettily. and the return
Of the old happiness in her eyes trans
formed her features.
You don't ask me what it is have
to tell you" he added in disappoint-
ment. Have you lost all interest in
the patent? If so, then my good for
tune will not interest you"
"No, no! Tell mel"
give made a new contract with the
Consolidated Tin Can company" he
announced abruptly. Instead of pay
ing me $1,000 for the patent they will
use it in all their factories and Jay me
royalties. And the most wonderful
thing about it is that the proposition
came from them. Can you believe it?''
"No!" she answered family.
DO you know what that means to
me? he added. why, it will make
me rich-rich enough to go on with my
work and to take a vacation when |
wish. It's a sure income of many
thousands, and"-
Then he stopped. The remembrance
Of their last interview flashed over
him. The joy of the present suddenly
lost it's power. He was conscious of a
loss which success could not requite.
The sadness in the corners of his eyes
gave him an old, wrinkled appearance.
He glanced one at her. and then his
resolution made him turn away His
hands strayed idly among the papers
and magazines on the table. She had
brought a bundle of them in with her,
and they lay close to his finger tips.
| While his eyes roamed from one print
ed word to another the slow abstrac-
ton changed to sudden new interest.
He picked a paper from the table and
studied it closely. The paper was neat
ly typed, and the words had a familiar
look. Increasing surprise and wonder
grew in his face, transfixing him SO
that he was scarcely conscious of her
presence.
With uncomprehending eyes she
watched the slow change dawning in
his face. The awkward silence at
tracted her attention. and her eyes fell
upon the paper in his hands. There
was a cry of dismay from her, and
with sudden alarm she glided toward
him and snatched the fatal document.
With cheeks flushed and eyes ~lustrous
with fear she glanced up, hoping fear
fully that her secret was still safe.
But in that instant she read the mean
ing Of his dull, bafied gaze.
TESS" he said slowly. what does
this mean?'
He brushed his brow with a trem-
bling hand.
How did you get this?" he contin-
ued thickiy. TITS a copy Of my agree
ment with the company. How
where
She did not meet his eyes. but wa
vered uncertainty. holding the paper in
her hands. The light Of comprehen-