"Whom could we have taken into confidence? Van Shaw or Anderson? But I don't feel like giving up. Why can't we contest our rights? There are cases in the courts every day over patents and inventions."
"But it takes a lot of money to hire a lawyer and go to law," said Bauer with real Teutonic caution. "And I haven't a dollar to spare. According to Anderson, it's as good as settled that Gambrich has the legal right to the lamps."
Walter stared at the arc gloomily. He felt the disappointment with deep bitterness. Not only was his pride smitten at the thought of others who were working out his ideas, but the thought of the money he might have made, and the relief that money might have brought him, rankled deepest in his mind.
Bauer took the affair more philosophically. He went over to Walter and put a hand on his shoulder.
"When we are beaten we might as well accept it and make something else.
I don't like to see you take the thing so hard."
"What else can we make?" Walter said after a moment. "I've lost my ambition."
"Oh, no you haven't; not for good and all. Why, we might invent a typewriter telegraph."
"It's too late, that's already been done."
"I'll tell you what would bring us fame and money," said Bauer with his usual slow manner and his friendly smile. "What the world needs is a letter writer that will take letters at dictation, first hand."
Walter stared at Bauer gloomily. "What's that?"