Page:Poor White.djvu/118

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already achieved. At the moment he thought of it in that way. " I had not thought of the use of a large wheel with the arms attached at regular intervals," he said absent-mindedly. " I will have to find money now. That'll be the next step. It will be neces- sary to make a working model of the machine now. I must find out what changes I'll have to make in my calculations." The two men returned to the telegraph office and while Hugh listened Steve made his proposal. Even then he did not understand what the machine that was to be made was to do. It was enough for him that a machine was to be made and he wanted to share in its ownership at once. As the two men walked back from the freight warehouse, his mind took hold of Hugh's remark about getting money. Again he was afraid. " There's some one in the background," he thought. " Now I must make a proposal he can't refuse. I mustn't leave until I've made a deal with him." Fairly carried away by his anxiety, Steve proposed to provide money out of his own pocket to make the model of the machine. " We'll rent the old pickle fac- tory across the track," he said, opening the door and pointing with a trembling finger. " I can get it cheap. I'll have windows and a floor put in. Then I'll get you a man to whitttle out a model of the machine. Allie Mulberry can do it. I'll get him for you. He can whittle anything if you only show him what you want. He's half crazy and won't get on to our secret. When the model is made, leave it to me, you just leave it to me."

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