Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-02-16


come to terms"
"Do you mean 1t reallyT salo ''u
Sam eagerly
mot TO invest in 1t, so to speak, 1
don't think Its chances are strong
enough for that But If you'd care to
sell the patent outright and aren't too
ambitions we might make dicker.
What d you say?"
"why, yes" said Graham' ouiVerihs
with anticipation. yes 1ndeeo' III
"Wen?"
"Ir Won really think it's worth any
thing. cir"
Rurnham laughed doubtingly and
said:
"well. as say, there's no telling.
but was thinking about 1t at dinner,
and sort of concluded I'd like to own
that burner, 80 | made out little bill
Of sale. and says to myself, says ].
II Graham will take $500 for that
patent I'll give him spot cash, right In
his hand says l."
With this Burnham tipped back In
his chair and brought forth wallet
from which he drew a sheet Of paper
and several bills.
give hundred dollars" repeated
Graham, thunderstruck by this munifl.
cence.
"Yes, sir. five hundred. cash. To tell
you the truth-guess you don't know
i'll heard at the bank that they
didn't intend to extend the time on
that note OF yours, and | thought this
FIVE hundred would come in handy and
kind of wanted to help you out Now,
what do you say?"
He 6ourished the bills under Ora.
hams nose and waited. entirely at
ease as to his answer
well" said the old man, lit is kind
Of you. sir-very kind Everybodys
been good to me recently, or else I'm
drea min"
Then It's bargainT'
why. | hope 1t won't lose anS
money for you. Mr. Burnham." Sam
hesitated. with his ineradicable sense
of fairness and square dealing. Max
ing gas from crude oil ought to-
Duncan never heard the end Of that
speech For some moments he had
been listening intently. trying to recol
lect something The name Of Burn
ham pucked string on the instru-
ment of his memory. He knew he
had heard It some place. some time in
Che past. but how or when or In re-
=
his mind 1t had required Sans ref
erence to gas and crude oil to close
the circuit Then he remembered Kel.
logg had mentioned a man by the
name of Burnham who was ION the
track Of an important invention for
making gas from crude oil. This must
be the man Burnhnm. the tracker, and
poor old Graham must be the tracked.
Without warning Duncan ran round
and made himself an unlimited third
to the conference
"Mr. Graham. one moment" he beg
ged, excited rs this patent Of yours
on a process of making gas from crude
oil"
Burnham looked up impatiently
frowninG at the interruption. but Ora
ham was all good humor
why. yes" he started to explain
ITS that burner over there that
But | wouldn't sell 1t just yet If I
were you" said Nat. ut may be
worth a good deal'-
Now. look here" Burnham got to
his feet in anger. What business
have you got butting into this?" he
demanded putting himself between
! Duncan and the inventor,
| Me-? Duncan qucried simply
only just because I'm a business
man If you don't believe it ask Mr.
Graham"
Hes got perfect right to advise
me. Mr. Burnham." interposed Ora
ham, rising
well. but-but what objection We
you got TO his making little money
out Of this PATENT" Burnham blus
tered
None. only want to look into ths
matter first. think it might be-ah-
advisable"
manded Burnham, his tone whitening
We'll" said Nat with an effort sum
moning his faculties to cope with {
matter OF strict business. Its thi:
way I've got an idea" he said. polk
Ing at Rurnham with the forefngel
which had proved so effective witt
Pete Willing that you wouldn't offel
500 iron men for this burner unless
you expected to make something BIZ
out Of 1t. and it ought to be wortl
just as much to Mr. Graham as T.
you
"Ah. You don't know what You're
talking about"
II know that" Nat admitted simply
"but | do happen to know you're pro
noting scheme for making gas from
crude oil. and If Mr. Graham will lis
ten to me you won't get his patent I'm
Ill I've consulted my friend Henry
Kellogg"
kellogg"
Yes You know-of l.. J. Bartlett 4
Co" Mats forofnger continued to d.
deadly work. Burnham backed ava!
from It as from fiery brand.
"Oh, WELL" he said dashed III your
representing Kellogg" and Nat tool
care not to refute the implication"
l don't want to interfere, Only III
pursued at random In his discontinue
Il can't see why he sent you here"
I'D be ashamed to tell you" Nat re
| turned with an omen smile Bette