The Washington times., 1922-07-23

back, pursed his lips, looked know
ing, but finally shook his head.
"My dear girl, work is the ard
est thing in the world to get. Nat
rally, the men," said Mr.. Lukas,
tapping his narrow chest, "steps
into all the luc'ertive jobs. But,
vile you're ere lookin' abaht, I
'ope-that is to s'y, it would be a
great pleasure, / sure you, if you
would allow me to entertain you
sometimes in the evenin's. An
all, or a pl'y-I never miss a Mel
vile ply-or droppin' into .
restaurant after supper, to listen
to the moosick, and ave a port
wine or a cup Of coffee"
"I'll think about it." said she.
Mrs. Jason, entering here, in
,terrupted the tete-a-tete, remark
ing, with a brightness commend
able in such drab surroundings,
that she had know 'ow 'twould
be. Throw young gentleman and
a young lady together, and they
didn't need no Introduction.
Uttering these admirable senti-
ments, the lady sat down and ate
and drank what the dodgers had
left, while Meg Morton smiled with
an ache at her heart, and Mr..
Lukas lighted a "Honeysuckle,"
saying:
81 don't mind you eatin' whilst
/ smoke"
"That 'im," said Mrs. Jason,
pointing Mr.. Lukas out to Miss
Morton with her forefnger-"sl-
ways bright, and always the slime.
And as e told. yer, miss, as 'e's
a INVENTOR"
Receiving denial, Mrs. Jason pro-
ceeded:
mo, e wouldn't-'e's too mod
dest. Always 'iding under .
bushel, like a candle. But one d'y,
miss, wen you knows i'm better,
arsk i'm to show yer what 'e's got
upstairs"
"Some day." said Mr.. Lukas, ex-
panding with a little pardonable
pomp at these tributes, 81 shall be
pleased to show Miss Morton the
little invention what I've got up
stairs"
Days passed, of sickening anxiety
for Meg Morton. She haunted the
public libraries early in the morn
ings, and, after jotting down ad-
dresses and requirements, proceed
ed in person to answer them.
She could not have afforded post
age stamps for all her appeals.
She met with rebuff after rebuff.
Her shoes began to wear out. Her
lean purse frightened, and she was
faced by the imminence of next
weeks rent in advance and after
that-she dared not think, but she
tried to hope desperately.
When she had been in Maxwell
street nearly a week it occurred
to Meg to ask Mr.. Lukas about
the invention which he kept in his
room. Having been anticipating
the request with much pride and
impatience, he answered by invit-
ing her to walk in and see it.
She went into Mr.. Lukas's un-
tidy little room, Uttered with ties,
boots, cigarette ends, and what not,
and smelling vilely of stale smoke.
On a small table lay two or
three sheets of drawing paper COW
cred with designs, and on them
stood a tiny model of something
like a cylinder erected on straight
legs: :,
Lukas simply.
He stood and looked at it, his
sharp eyes adoring, his hands on
his hips. In a moment he began
pointing out to her the designs
on the paper, and to explain the
idea.
"It came to me quite easy.
IhatS 8 OW i Set luedS' III Inat
sort of feller. See, the safes
shaped like a big cylinder? That's
more by way Of havin' something
new-the roundness isn't the i'm
portant idea. And do you see how
it looks as if it'd got four doors
all round it? There's little key
hole, and lock and all to each.
Well, they amt doors, nor locks.
They're dummies. The real en-
trance is at the top, and I've got
a new lock for that-something
like a Yale. But the trick /
haven't mastered yet, and don't
think l ever shall. I've bin tryin'
two years, and / declare I'd sell
the thing down for a song to any
body, if I could get rid of it in
complete. But I don't believe as
I could. The tricks not done,
y'see."
"What is the trick"
He grew excited, even to the
rumpling, of his anointed head,
whereby his fingers were rendered