The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-08-05
THE SILENT
PARTNER
BY oENEvIEvE uLMAR


loved her aud wished to make her his
wife. He had come to Upton n tran
sieDt visitor, liked the town. liked It's
neat, hOmelike little hotel. got ac-
quainted with and liked Alma Rivers.
and protrncted his stay.
IL seem to have found the only girl
who appears TO me az perfect" Blair
had sollloqulzed. "We don't know
each other very well. hut viii pass
muster as reputable man with some
surplus means. honestly acquired.
while shea girl In millioni"
All that Blair had learned about Miss
Rivers, school teacher at n modest
compensation, was that she was an or
phan had q brother named Dorsey
working in the city, and that her
father, a physician. had stood high In
the estimation OF the community, but
had left an estate 80 involved that his
two children had TO give up every
thing. The anxiety for her brother,
q bright young fellow with an lnven-
tive faculty, and the determination to
be sure that her fathers debts should
be liquidated. had found Alma In a
very disturbed frame OF mind when
Blair told her OF his love. She very
much admired and respected this
earnest. pleading sultor. more than
she confessed aud he surmlsed, but
she kindly. but firmly asked him to
dismiss the subject, while thanking
him for the honor he had shown her.
81 have responsibilities which
must work out myself. SOLELY" she
ioid Blair. "and I could not consent
to burden another with them"
"Let me know your troubles. Miss
Rivers" appealed Blair. 81 would ask
no greater boon than TO share your
perplexties. nnd to possess your es-
teen would be a GROWING blessing OF
life"
But Alma would not be moved. Aft
er Blair had gone leaving the SIRE
conviction that he truly loved her
and was worthy of any womnn's deep
est confidence and regard. Alma
wept, realizing that pride, an exagger.
uted fear that pity for her had inn
PEELED sympathy mistaken for love,
had influenced her.
Some such suggestion found foot
In the mind Of Rodney Blair. He could
not give her up. He uellcately sough.
to learn the details Of the situation.
Blair managed TO scrape up an ac-
Dorsey Rivers. Perhaps he might he
Of assistance in that quarter? Some
how he vas unable 70 sink into unhap.
ny hopelessness. The Impulse came
to him when he returned t6 The city
to seek out young Rivers. The latter
he found, was employed at a meagre
salary by an electrical house, and the
penniless, but brilliant young inventor
was giving all his spare time to per-
fcctihe n !wireless device, that utli-
lied practically, would advance the
science materially. re--->
Blair managed to scrape up nm ac-
quaintance with a friend OF Rivers
and secured an introduction 10 the
latter. In order that by no mlschance
II he became familiar with Rivers his
sister might learn of Il and suspect
a motive she would resent, her per-
sistent suitor represented himself as
Morris Dalton" and neither the
friend OF Rivers nor the young man
himself fathomed the deception.
"The day viii come" Rivers declared
TO Blair after the latter had become
a pretty steady visitor to his room and
workshop evenings, "when by means
OF new electrical contrivance u man
can take out his watch. apply his ear
and catching the ticklngs from
tuned instrument nc home, receive a
message from wife or family wherev-
er he may be. Wireless telegraphy is
In It's mere infancy. and the device
am perfecting will mean a forward
stride which brings the service many
degrees nearer TO popular use and
| benefit"
Within month Rodney Blair was
as enthusiastically Interested IN the
invention az was its yonng protector.
Blair watched every advancing step
with keen satisfaction. II became to
him a positive business proposition.
He was a silent partner In the enter
PRISE, urging forward the undertaking
with full corporation and capital.
At last the elimination was at
tained, the test made before a group
OF expert scientific men. Dorsey Rivers
had scored mighty success. His
employers offered a small fortune for
only a royalty In the manufacturing
end Of the project Beyond fondest
bopes he had reached a safe goal. az 8
overwhelmed his partner with graft
tBde for the financial help without
which be might have faltered or
failed.
He had given up work for others,
bad taken q. pretentious office and
Of course bnd ndyised Alma. One
morning Biar appeared ms much en-
thused over large order they re-
ceived ss Rivers himself. A lady SAT-
nt desk, but she faced about as
Rivers said:
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