Mr. Grey went to the station to meet him, and Wythie, Rob, and Prue watched their approach to the little grey house from behind the muslin curtains in their chamber.
There was an air of assurance and power about the stranger which filled Wythie with fear of his judgment, and inspired Rob with confidence.
"Of course he will approve the machine if he knows what he's about," said Rob, "and he most certainly looks as though he knew."
Dinner was served at once, and Mr. Marston—by this name Mr. Grey presented his guest to his wife and daughters—Mr. Marston was enthusiastic in word and deed over his pleasure in what, he said, he never found in the city—old-fashioned, home cooking, prepared by the hands of ladies.
"You really have no business with a successful invention, Mr. Grey," said the guest—"you who are already so rich." And he smiled up into Prue's face, who had risen to remove his plate, with a look that conveyed his high sense of her value, and so embarrassed the child that she dropped his knife and fork with a clatter.
"I don't like him," Rob confided to Wythie, when their father had borne Mr. Marston away for a preliminary smoke—like his colonial ancestors dealing with the Connecticut aborigines—leaving the girls with their mother to their task of clearing away. "I don't like him—he's too good to be true—but if he only will like the machine my likings and dislikes don't matter."
Later Rob's father called her, and she went to help in displaying the invention which she almost felt was as much hers as her father's.
Silently she moved the parts of the machine, co-operating with her father as he talked, and silently the visitor watched the proceedings, stroking his mustache and letting nothing escape his keen eyes, as Rob saw, while she, in her turn, sharply, though furtively, eyed the impassive face concealing its owner's verdict on the Greys' hopes.
At last the exposition of the machine was over, and Rob busied herself with replacing the covers of the models, while her father and Mr. Marston dropped into neighboring chairs for its discussion.
"It's unquestionably a good thing, Mr. Grey," the visitor said. "The improvements are important, and, what is more, practical. I feel that I have no right to say anything definite until I have seen my partner, but I am perfectly within bounds in saying that I am thoroughly convinced as to the value of your patent, and that we shall be ready to make you an offer for it. At the same time I should be glad if you will not show it to anyone else until that offer has been made and discussed; I should like to retain an option on the machine."