Part 19 (1/2)
”No, indeed, dad I'ot a bad blow on the head, but Mrs Blackford fixed me up I'm awfully sorry---”
”There, there! Now don't say another word,” interrupted Mr Swift
”It wasn't your fault It ht have happened to me I dare say it would, for those scoundrels seemed very deterood the loss they sustained on the patent motor they exploited Now they will probably try to make use of my model and papers”
”Do you think they'll do that, dad?”
”Yes They will either make a motor exactly like mine, or construct one so nearly similar that it will answer their purpose I will have no redress against theranted yet Mr
Crawford was to attend to that”
”Can't you do anything to stop the like that?”
”I don't know I must see Mr Crawford at once I wonder if he could coht be able to advise al difficulties My specialty is in other lines of work But IEvery moment is valuable I wonder who the men were?”
”I'ht--the raood look at him as the auto passed me, and I'm sure it was he Of course I didn't see who it was that struck ”
”Very likely Well, Toraph to Mr Crawford--he will be expecting you in Albany--” Mr
Swift paused o to Albany myself”
”Go to Albany, dad?”
”Yes; Ito the lawyers and then he can advise me what to do Fortunately I have some papers, duplicates of those you took, which I can show hiinals will be necessary before I can prove my claim The loss of the model is the most severe, however Without that I can do little But I will have Mr Crawford take whatever steps are possible I'll take the night train, Tom I'll have to leave you to look after uard, though, having got what they were after, I fancy those financiers, or their tools, will not bother us again”
”Very likely not,” agreed Tom, ”but I will keep my eyes open, just the sa of a tramp around here while I ay?”
”A traert She usually attends to theood meal”
The housekeeper, when consulted, said that no tramps had applied in the last few days
”Why do you ask, Tom?” inquired his father
”Because I had an experience with one, and I believe he was awho robbed me” And thereupon Tom told of his encounter with Happy Harry, and how the latter had broken the wire on the motor-cycle
”You had a narrow escape,” coers involved I would never have allowed you to take the model to Albany”