With natural pride and excitement he called the Professor, and the pair stood watching the narrow green tape roll forth from the square brass “recorder” mounted upon its mahogany base—the strip bearing the message clearly printed. The calling-device had only responded to the one signal, “P.Y.N.”
“Congratulations, my boy,” said the old man, well pleased. “You deserve success after all that experimenting and the many hours you have given to it. I only hope it will bring you advancement and money,” he added. “It certainly should.”
“I hope so,” laughed the young man. “I was told at Marconi House only the other day that if I were successful the invention would be of inestimable value. And now it really works!”
Next day when he arrived at Chelmsford he told Peterson of his success, and that morning in the large, well-appointed luncheon-room at the Works—that bright apartment wherein the heads of the departments take their midday meal, and gossip—young Falconer was the recipient of many congratulations.
“Of course you’ll patent it at once,” said one engineer seated next to him—a man whose name is a household word in wireless.
“Yes,” laughed Geoffrey. “I suppose I ought to do so.”
“Ought to? Why, of course. It is a wonderful advance in wireless,” said another man a little further down the table.
That night he was again at Upper Brook Street, and naturally told Sylvia and her friend of his great achievement.
May Farncombe instantly grew interested, and put to him a number of questions. More than ever the clever girl showed a remarkable intelligence concerning wireless.
Mrs. Beverley had a small party that night; therefore, there was dancing, and the evening was most enjoyable. “The Wild Widow” had been a great social success in London, and to her parties flocked the people of the very best set. The penurious Lord Hendlewycke had fallen beneath a cloud, much to Sylvia’s delight, and now her mother seemed keenly on the alert for some rather better match for her daughter—with a man of title, of course. She desired at all hazards to return to Buenos Ayres as the mother-in-law of an English peer.