eems　the　greatest　　of　them　all。〃
  The　two　were　seated　in　this　way　one　afternoon；　Margaret　resting　after　a　day's　work；　when　Oliver　opened　the　door。　She　had　made　a　sketch　of　Richard's　　head　that　very　morning　as　he　lay　back　in　a　big　chair；　a　strong；　vigorous　piece　of　work　which　she　afterward　finished。
  Richard　looked　up　and　his　face　broke　into　a　joyous　smile。
  〃Bring　a　chair；　my　son；〃　he　cried；　〃and　sit　by　me。　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃　When；　a　few　moments　later；　Margaret　had　left　the　room　to　give　some　directions　to　Mrs。　Mulligan；　he　added：　〃I　have　been　telling　Margaret　that　you　both　do　wrong　in　putting　off　your　marriage。　These　delays　fret　young　people's　lives　away。　She　tells　me　it　is　your　wish。　What　are　you　waiting　for？〃
  〃Only　for　money　enough　to　take　care　of　her；　father。　Madge　has　been　accustomed　to　more　comforts　　than　I　can　give　her。　She　would；　I　know；　cheerfully　　give　up　half　of　her　income；　small　as　it　is；　to　me　if　I　would　let　her；　but　that　is　not　the　way　I　want　to　make　her　happy。　Don't　worry；　dear　old　dad；　the　Fish　portrait　will　pull　us　out〃and　he　leaned　down　and　put　his　arms　about　his　father's　neck　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　a　boy。　〃I　shall　get　there　before　long。〃
  Oliver　did　not　tell　his　father　what　a　grief　it　had　been　to　him　to　keep　Madge　waiting；　nor　how　he　had　tried　to　make　it　up　to　her　in　every　way　while　he　had　made　his　fight　alone。　Nor　did　he　tell　Richard　of　the　principal　cause　of　his　waitingthat　the　mortgage　to　which　his　mother　had　pledged　her　name　and　to　which　he　had　morally　pledged　his　own　was　still　unpaid。
  Richard　listened　to　Oliver's　outburst　without　interrupting　　him。
  〃I　only　wanted　to　do　the　best　I　could　for　you　my　son；〃　he　answered；　laying　his　fingers　on　Oliver's　hand。　〃I　was　thinking　of　nothing　but　your　happiness。　　During　the　last　few　days；　since　I　have　become　assured　that　this　negotiation　would　go　through；　I　have　decided　to　carry　out　a　plan　which　has　long　been　in　my　mind　and　which；　now　that　I　know　about　Margaret；　　makes　it　all　the　more　necessary。　I　am　going　to　make　provision　for　you　immediately。　This；　I　hope；　will　be　to…morrow　or　the　next　day　at　farthest。　The　contracts　are　all　ready　for　our　signatures；　and　only　await　the　return　of　one　of　the　attorneys　who　is　out　of　town。　The　cash　sum　they　pay　for　the　control　of　the　patents　is；　as　you　know；　a　considerable　one；　then　I　get　nearly　half　of　the　capital　stock　of　the　new　company。　　I　am　going　to　give　you；　at　once；　one…third　of　the　money　and　one…third　of　the　stock。〃
  Oliver　raised　his　hand　in　protest；　but　Richard　kept　on。
  〃It　is　but　just；　my　son。　There　are　but　three　of　us　your　mother；　yourself；　and　I。　It　is　only　your　share。　I　won't　have　you　and　Margaret　waiting　until　I　am　gone〃and　he　looked　up　with　a　smile　on　his　face。
  Oliver　stood　for　a　moment　dazed　at　the　joyous　news；　his　father's　hand　in　his；　the　tears　dimming　his　eyes。　While　he　was　thanking　him；　telling　him　how　glad　he　was　that　the　struggle　was　over　and　how　proud　he　was　of　his　genius；　Margaret　stole　up　behind　him　and　put　her　hands　over　his　eyes；　bidding　him　guess　who　it　wasas　if　there　could　be　another　woman　in　the　whole　world　who　would　take　the　liberty。　Oliver　caught　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her；　whispering　in　her　ears　the　joyous　news　with　her　cheek　close　to　his；　and　Margaret　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　and　then　put　her　arms　around　Richard　and　kissed　him　without　a　wordthe　first　time　she　had　ever　dared　so　much。
  Oh；　but　there　were　joyous　times　that　followed！
  Mrs。　Mulligan；　at　a　whispered　word　from　her　mistress；　　ran　down…stairs　as　fast　as　her　old　legs　could　carry　her　and　came　back　with　her　arms　full　of　bundles；　　which　she　dumped　upon　her　small　kitchen…table。　And　Margaret　put　on　a　clean　white　apron；　white　as　snow；　and　rolled　up　her　sleeves；　showing　her　beautiful　　arms　above　her　elbowsOliver　always　vowed　that　she　had　picked　them　up　where　the　Milo　had　dropped　themand　began　emptying　the　contents　of　a　bowl　of　oysters；　one　of　Mrs。　Mulligan's　packages；　into　a　chafing…dish。　And　Oliver　wheeled　out　the　table　and　brought　out　the　cloth；　and　dear　old　Richard；　his　face　full　of　smiles；　placed　the　napkins　with　great　　precision　beside　each　plate；　puckering　them　up　into　little　sheaves；　〃just　as　Malachi　would　have　done；〃　he　said；　and　then　Margaret　whispered　to　Oliver　if　he　didn't　think　〃it　would　be　just　the　very　thing；〃　they　were　〃so　anxious　to　see　him〃and　Oliver　thought　it　wouldhe　was　cutting　bread　at　the　moment；　and　getting　it　ready　for　Mrs。　Mulligan　to　toast　on　her　cracker…box　of　a　range；　and　Margaret；　with　her　arms　and　her　cheeks　scarlet；　ran　out　in　the　hall　and　down　the　corridor；　and　came　back；　out　of　breath；　with　two　other　girlsone　in　a　calico　frock　belted　in　at　her　slender　waist；　and　the　other　in　a　black　bombazine　and　a　linen　collar。　And　Richard　looked　into　their　faces；　and　took　them　both　by　the　hand　and　told　them　how　glad　he　was　to　be　permitted　to　share　in　their　merrymakings；　and　then；　when　Oliver　had　drawn　out　the　chairsone　was　a　stool；　by　the　waythe　whole　party　sat　down；　Oliver　at　the　foot　and　Richard　on　Margaret's　right；　the　old　gentleman；　remarking；　as　he　opened　his　napkin；　that　but　one　thing　was　wanting　to　complete　his　happiness；　and　that　was　Oliver's　mother；　who　of　all　women　in　the　world　would　enjoy　the　occasion　the　most。
  But　the　happiest　time　of　all　was　over　the　soup；　or　rather　over　the　tureen；　or　rather　what　was　inside　of　itor　worse　still；　what　was　not。　This　wonderful　soup　had　been　ordered　at　the　restaurant　across　the　way；　and　was　to　be　brought　in　smoking　hot　at　the　appointed　　time　by　a　boy。　The　boy　arrived　on　the　minute；　　and　so　did　the　tureena　gayly　flowered　affair　with　a　cover；　the　whole　safely　ensconced　in　a　basket。　When　the　lid　was　lifted　and　Margaret　and　the　two　girls　looked　in；　a　merry　shout　went　up。　Not　a　drop　of　soup　was　in　the　tureen！　The　boy　craned　his　head　in　amazement；　and　Mrs。　Mulligan；　who　stood　by　with　the　plates；　and　who　had　broken　out　into　violent　gestures　　at　the　sight　was　about　to　upbraid　the　boy　for　his　stupidity；　when　Margaret's　quick　eye　discovered　a　trail　of　grease　running　down　the　table…cloth；　along　the　floor　and　out　of　the　door。　Whereupon　everybody　got　up；　including　Richard；　and　with　roars　of　laughter　followed　the　devious　trail　out　into　the　hall　and　so　on　down　the　staircase　as　far　as　they　could　see。　Only　when　Mrs。　Mulligan　on　their　return　to　the　room　held　up　the　tureen　and　pointed　to　a　leak　in　its　bottom；　was　the　mystery　explained。
  And　so　the　merry　dinner　went　on。
  Ah；　dear　old　man；　if　these　happy　days　could　only　have　gone　on　till　the　end。
  On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　following　this　joyous　nightthe　day　the　contracts　were　to　be　signed；　a　　culmination　which　would　make　everybody　happy　Margaret　hurried　up　the　stairs　of　her　building；　and　pushed　open　the　door。　She　knew　she　should　find　the　inventor　waiting　for　her；　and　she　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　get　the　glad　news　from　his　lips。　It　was　　varnishing　day　at　the　Academy；　and　she　had　gone　down　to　put　the　last　touches　on　her　big　portraitthe　one　of　〃Madame　X。〃　that　she　had　begun　in　Paris　the　year　before。
  Richard　did　not　move　when　she　entered。　He　was　leaning　back　in　the　chair　she　had　placed　for　him；　his　head　on　his　hand；　his　attitude　one　of　thoughtful　repose；　　the　light　of　the　fast…fading　twilight　making　a　silhouette　of　his　figure。　She　thought　he　was　dozing；　and　so　crept　up　behind　him　to　make　sure。
  〃Ah；　my　dear；　is　that　you？〃　he　asked。　The　voice　did　not　sound　like　Richard's。
  〃YesI　thought　you　were　asleep。〃
  〃No；　my　childI'm　only　greatly　troubled。　I'm　glad　you　have　come〃and　he　took　her　hand　and　smoothed　it　with　his　own。　〃Bring　your　stool；　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃
  Without　taking　off　her　bonnet　and　cloak；　she　took　her　place　at　his　feet。　The　tones　of　his　voice　chilled　her。　A　great　fear　rose　in　her　heart。　Why　she　could　not　tell。
  〃Has　anything　happened　to　Oliver？〃　she　asked；　eagerly。
  〃No；　nothing　so　terrible　as　that。　It　is　about　the　motor。　The　bankers　have　refused　the　loan；　and　the　attorneys　have　withdrawn　the　papers。〃
  〃Withdrawn　the　papers！　Oh；　no　it　can't　be！〃　She　had　leaned　forward　now；　her　anxious；　startled　eyes　looking　into　his。
  〃Yes；　my　dear；　a　Mr。　Gorton　from　Maine　has　perfected　　a　machine　which　not　only　accomplishes　what　I　claim　for　my　own；　but　is　much　better　in　every　way。　The　attorneys　have　been　looking　into　this　new　motor　for　a　week　past；　so　I　learn　now。　Here　is　their　letter〃　and　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　took　out　a　white　envelope。　〃They　will；　perhaps；　take　up　Mr。　Gorton's　machine　instead　of　mine。　I　made　a　hasty　examination　of　this　new　motor　this　morning　with　my　old　friend　Professor　Morse；　and　we　both　agree　that　the　invention　is　all　Mr。　Gorton　claims　for　it。　It　is　only　a　beginning；　of　course；　along　the　lines　of　galvanic　　energy；　but　it　is　a　better　beginning　than　mine；　and　I　feel　sure　it　is　all　the　inventor　claims　for　it。　I　have　so　informed　them；　and　I　have　also　written　a　letter　　to　Mr。　Gorton　congratulating　him　on　his　success。〃　　The　calmness　and　gentleness　of　his　voice　thrilled　her。
  〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　have　telegraphed　the　news　to　Mrs。　Horn；　as　I　promised；〃　he　continued；　slowly；　as　if　each　word　gave　him　pain；　〃but　I　really　had　not　the　heart；　so　I　came　up　here。　I've　been　here　all　the　afternoon　hoping　you　would　come　in。　The　room　felt　a　little　cold；　my　dear；　and　your