The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-06-25

''Tess, I've sold the patent for a lump
sum-
She glanced up hurriedly. with
frightened expression OF her face The
color deserted her lips. MiStaking it
for a false alarm. he went on. with a
smile on his lips:
Il sold it TO the Consolidated Tin
Can company for $1,000 ! made them
raise their bid $500. Isn't that glori-
Ous?"
I A cry escaped her lips. and her eyes
filled with anguish. Montrous stared
at this exhibition of emotion. unable to
4 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 Won see. l
/ might have to wait yeas for that. and
We needed the rest, the change-you
and |. And $1,000 is a good sum. 1t
will give us a vacation
She placed her hands TO her face ard
/ was sObbing softly. Muntrous ap-
preached and tried to speak steadily,
| but his voice wavered
''Tess, dear, don't you see that 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
] rFrl, 10, -. I.
titude. The blood left his face. His
/ voice was very faint
Tess, you do not love uic? You can
not care for me-in this way?'
She made no reply. but continued her
sobbing.
"Oh. Pm so sorry" she murmured
/ brokenly. You must let me think
leave me alone"
| Tess did not appear at the restaurant
d the next day nor the next On the
third Mou'rous could stand it no
! longer He interviewed the proprietor
and learned, to his challin. 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 char ed her lodg-
| ings and thus escaped him entirely. He
/ was full Of good news and anxiously
/ waited her return. She came in late.
less tagged than when he met her last.
but still with circles undo" her eyes.
"TeeS, To good tidings" he said i'm
pnlsiTolv, taking her hand. Some
! fairy godmother of mine has interccd.
ed for me. The great Tin Can heart
| has softened. | can hardly believe the
/ news TO be true. But | haze it in hlacr,
and white, and I'm forced to ac, ,pt it
She flushed prettily, and the reurn
of the old happiness in ner eye trans
formed her features
"You don't ask me what it is | have
to tell you?" he added in dsappoint.
ment. Have you lost all interest l.,
the patent? If So then my go,d 70.
tune will not interest you"
NO, no! Tell me-
i've made a new contract with tn.
Consolidated Tin Can compaIy." h,
announced abruptly. Instead of ray
ing me 5000 for the patent th # Wi,
use it in all their factories and p..y D.e
royalties. And the most wonderful
thing about it is that the proposition
came from them. Can you believe itY'
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 its mower. He was conscious of
loss which success could not reuuite.
The sadness in the corr ers of his eyes
gave him an old, wrink'ed appearance.
He glanced once at her and then his
resolution made him turn away. His
hands stra ed 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 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, baffled gaze.
TESS" he said slowly, what does
this meanT
He brushed his brow with a trem-
bling hand
How did you get this?" he contin-
ued thickly. ITS copy of my agree
ment with the company. How
where