River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-28

4
| hour OF startling realization. even If
he had freed himself for the nonce
from it's controlling power. To escape
all further contemplation Of it he
would work. These letters deserved
attention. He would carry them to
Oswald, and In their consideration find
distraction for the rest Of the day, at
least. Oswald was a good fellow. If
pleasure were to be gotten from these
tokens Of goodwill, he should have
his share of it. A CLEAN of Oswald's
old spirit in Oswald's once bright eye,
would go far towards throttling one of
| those demons whose talons he had
just released rom his throat; and
if Doris responded too, he would de-
serve his fate, If he did not succeed
in gaining that mastery of himself
which would make such hours as
these episodes in life big with inter
est and potent with great emotions.
Rising with a resolute air, he made
a bundle of his papers and, with them
In hand, passed out of his room and
down the hotel stairs.
A man stood directly In his way,
as he made for the front door. 1t was
Mr.. Challoner.
| Courtesy demanded some show of
recognition between them, and Broth
erson was passing with his usual cold
bow, when a sudden impulse led him
to pause and meet the others eye,
with the sarcastic remark:
/ 7
been told, some surprise at my choice
of mechanician. A man of varied &C
complishments, Mr. Challoner, but one
for whom I have no further use. If,
therefore, you wish to call off your
watchdog, you are at liberty to do so.
| hardly think hs can be serviceable
to either of us much longer"
The older gentleman hesitated, seek
ing possibly for composure, and when
he answered it was not only without
irony but with a certain forced re-
| spect:
"Mr Sweetwater has just left for
New York, Mr.. Brotherson. He will
! carry with him, no doubt, the full
particulars of your great success"
Orlando bowed, this time with dis
tinguished grace. Not a flicker Of re-
| lief had disturbed the calm serenity
of his aspect, yet when a moment
later, he stepped among his shouting
admirers in the street, his air and
i glance betrayed a bounding Joy for
which another source must be found
than that of gratified pride. A chain
| no nirif
| though the people shrank little even
while they cheered, it was rather from
awe of his bearing and the recogni-
ton of the sense of apartness which
underlay his smile than from any per-
ception OF the mans real nature or of
the awesome purpose which at that
moment exalted it. But had they
known-could they have seen into this
tumultuous heart-what a silence
would have settled upon these noisy
streets; and in what terror and soul
confusion would each man have skunk
away from his fellows into the quiet
and solitude of his own home.
Brotherson himself was not without
a sense Of the incongruity underlying
this ovation; for, as he slowly worked
himself along, the brightness of his
look became dimmed with tinge of
sarcasm which in it's turn gave way
to an expression of extreme melan-
choly-both quite unbeftting the hero
of the hour in the first flush of his
newborn glory. Had he seen Doris
youthful figure emerge for a moment
from the vine-hung porch he was ap-
preaching, bringing with it some doubt
of the reception awaiting him? Pos
sibly, for he made stand before he
reached the house, and sent his fol-
| lowers back; after which he advanced
with an unhurrying step, SO that sew
eral minutes elapsed before he finally
drew up before Mr.. SCOTS door and
entered through the now empty porch
into his brothers. sitting-room.
He had meant to see Doris first, but
his mind had changed. If all passed
of we'll between himself and Oswald,
if he found his brother responsive
and wide-awake to the interests and
necessities of the hour, he might fore
go his interview with her till he felt
better prepared to meet it. For call IL
cowardice or simply reasonable pre-
caution, any delay seemed preferable
to him in his present mood of dis
couragement, to that final casting of
the die upon which hung so many ais
such tremendous issues. 1t was the
first moment of real halt in his whole
tumultuous life! Never, as daring ex-
perimentalist or agitator, had he
shrunk from danger seen or unseen or
from threat uttered or unuttered, as
he shrank from this young girls no;
and something of the dread he had
felt lest he should encounter her un.
aware in the hall and so be led on to
speak when his own judgment bade
him be silent, darkened his features
as he entered his brothers presence.
But Oswald was sunk in a bitter
revery of his own, and took no heed OF
these signs of depression. In the re
action following these days of great
excitement, the past had re-asserted it
self, and all was gloom in his once
generous soul This. Orlando had time
to perceive, quick as the change
came when his brother really realized
who his visitor was. The glad COR
lando!" and the forced smile did moi
deceive him, and his voice quavered g
trifie as he held out his packet with
the words:
81 have come to show you what the
world says of my invention. We viii