Amador ledger., 1908-07-10

waver when they looked a crisis in
the face.
Then there was sudden strident
ringing, a crash, and shower of
sparks, and one end of the glowing
band held fast while the slack of it
closed in on them. SO far as Agatha
could see, there was only a little
| pivoted roller TO prevent them being
sawn in two. She also saw the man
who drove the big engine suddenly
grasp lever, and then glance at Tav-
isdale, who made little sign. Some
body behind them shouted In alarm,
there was CHATTER of running work
mems feet, and the secretary's voice
came through the roar of the gr hiding
rolls. Tavisdale flashed glance at
his companion, and his voice, which
she heard family, bad a curious ring.
elf pull the engine up IN going
to have trouble. How much do you
trust me?" he said.
It was only for moment she met his
eyes, but she knew all he meant.
There was in them the vague CON
tempt of the toiIer for the class she
sprang from, class immune from the
hazards the rank and file must run;
the distrust which had, however,
made an exception of her; and the
demand for an equal courage in the
woman he had chosen as his mate.
She knew that he had chosen her,
and she would match her strength
with his, pride of station with pride
Of manhood. She flung up her head
with little laugh that reached him
through the rumbling of the mill.
care you afraid to put me to the
test, " she said.
ravisdale said nothing, but he signed
again to the engineer, while the dark
blood crept into his face, and the girl
caught her breath as the great ma
chine pounded faster. and the fiery
band ran in on them. She never quite
forgot that moment, for all her con-
another harsh cracking and a blaze
of sparks; and the band, relaxing
once more, recoiled wide behind them
on the floors. They stood within Its
blood red loops unframed, until the
last of it vanished with crash. Then
very quietly Tavisdale turned to her ::
"Thank you'll" he said. 81 do not
think any man or woman has ever
shown so much faith in me before.
Still, there was no danger L had
guarded against such an emergency.
Before the hem of your dress was
singed l would have wrecked the
mill"
Then the others clustered about them
with questions and congratulations on
their escape, and Agatha Leslie stood
silent, little paler than usual, but
, with CLEAN in her eyes, while ravis-
dale explained how he had provided
against any disaster resulting from a
premature cooling of the steel.
The eminent engineer once more
nodded approvlngly.
"The plant" he said, "is, at least,
as efficient in operation as 1t is bold
in conception.
The director, however, looked at
Miss Leslie with little smile.
"There are" he said, women who
might envy your nerves."
Tavisdale now said nothing at all.
He stopped down and quietly {. did
something to standard with a piv-
oted wheel on it that rose from an
opening in the iron floor, but when
some twenty minutes later he sat face
to face With the man who ruled that
great concern he spoke a few very
plain words tersely, and the secretary
found it difficult to check a little
gasp of establishment and anger.
"But we bought up all your patent,
and all it's rightsl" he said.
"You did," said Tavisdale grimIy.
"rhat is, one of them. know now
that there are people in Sheffield who
would have given me four times as
much as you did, and you are natur-
ally aware of it. There are, however,
two patents, and the one you did not
buy can be used without the other,
while you can easily estimate what
it will costsyou on every ton of stuff
you roll. l have. been asked to sell it
to the Sheffield people. Although it
does not affect the question, | may
point out that if you had given me a
reasonable share of the profit of my
invention | might have been content