The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-06-24
THE SILENT
PARTNER
BY GENEVIEVE ULMAR

loved her and wished to make her his
wife. He had come to Upton tran
silent visitor, liked the town, liked Its
neat, homelike little hotel, got ac-
quanted with and liked Alma Rivers,
and protracted his stay.
81 seem to have found the only girl
who appears to me as perfect" Blair
had soliloqulzed. 1--WE don't know
each other very well, but l will pass
muster as a reputable man with some
surplus means, honestly acquired,
While shea girl In a millionw
All that Blair had learned about Miss
Rivers, school teacher at modest
compensation, was that she was an or
phan, had a brother named Dorsey
working In the city, and that hel
father, a physician, had stood high in
the estimation of the community, but
had left an estate so involved that his
two children had to give up every
thing. The anxiety for her brother,
bright young fellow with an inven-
tive faculty, and the determination to
be sure that her fathers debts should
be liQuidated, had found Alma in n
very disturbed frame of mind when
Blair told her of his love. She very
much admired and respected this
earnest, pleading suitor, more than
she confessed and he surmised, 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
told Blair, land l 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
PerplCXities. and to possess your es-
teen would be a browning blessing of
life"
But Alma would not be moved Aft
er Blair had gone, leaving the sure
conviction that he truly loved her
and was worthy of any woman's deep
est confidence and regard, Alma
wept, realizing that pride, an exagger-
ated fear that pity for her had i'm
PEELED a sympathy mistaken for love,
had influenced her.
Some such a suggestion found foot
in the mind of Rodney Blair. He could
not give her up. He delicately sought
to learn the details Of the situation.
Blair managed to sCrape up an ac-
Dorsey Rivers. Perhaps he might be
Of assistance in that quarter? Some
how he was unable to sink into unhap-
py hopelessness. The impulse came
to him when he returned to the city
to seek out young Rivers. The latter,
he found, was employed at a meagre
salary by an electrical house, and the
penniIeSs, but brilliant young inventor
was giving all his spare time to per-
fecting a wireless device, that util-
tied practically, would advance the
science materially.
Blair managed to scrape up an ac-
quaintance with a friend of Rivers
and secured an Introduction to the
latter. In order that by no mlschance
If he became familiar with Rivers his
sister might learn of 1t and suspect
motive she would resent, her per-
SiStent sutton represented himself as
morris Dalton" and neither the
friend Of Rivers nor the young man
himself fathomed the deception.
"The day will 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 a man
can take out his watch, apply his ear
and catching the tickings from a
tuned instrument at home, receive a
message from wife or family wherey.
er he may be. Wireless telegraphy is
I'm It's mere infancy, and the device !
am pcrfectng will mean a forward
stride which brings the service many
degrees nearer to popular use and
benefit"
Within a month Rodney Blair was
as enthusiastically interested in the
invention as was its young protector
Blair watched every advancing step
with keen satisfaction. 1t became to
him a positive business proposition
He was silent partner in the enter
prise, urging forward the undertaking
with full cooperation and capital.
At last the elimination was at,
tanned the test made before a grOuT
of expert scientific men. Dorsey Rivers
had scored a mighty success. His
employers offered a small fortune for
only royalty in the manufacturing
end of the project. Beyond fOndesi
hopes he had reached safe goal, and
overwhelmed his partner with graft
tude for the financial help without
which he might have faltered OF
| failed.
He had given up work for others
had taken pretentlous Office and
of course had advised Alma. One
morning Blair appeared as much en-
Unused over a large order they re
celved as Rivers himself. A lady sal
Mt desk, but she faced about as
Rivers said:
"My dear sister, this Is the mar
who made me what ] am, whom
| hive sO often written Won obout-