h now? Why not let him remain in
ignorance of the purpose to steal his ideas? Nothing had been done so
far to really wrong him. The lamp was destroyed. Walter would not make
another, and the basis of a possible friendship, such as Bauer needed,
could be established without any explanation or foolish confession.

But somehow Walter could not rest with that suggestion. He felt that if
Bauer had his friendship it must rest on truth and a frank outspoken
revelation of the character of the soul he was appealing to for help.

It was very still in the big shop when Walter finally looked up and said
to Bauer:

"I am not worthy of your friendship. I am not what you think I am."

"Not worthy? Not------" Bauer looked at him in amazement.

"No, not worthy. Look!" Walter spoke fast now as if afraid he might fail
in courage. "Open your locker! Here! here is the key! You left it with
me."

He thrust the key at Bauer, and Bauer turned around, and under the
pressure of Walter's look and voice opened his locker and stood in front
of it holding on to the door.

"There! That paper! Your plan, your drawing of the lamp! Open it. Let me
show------"

Bauer obeyed mechanically. Walter got up and stood by Bauer's table.
Bauer slowly unfolded the paper. His look showed he had almost forgotten
it.

"There! See! You were on the right track! The soft metal teeth coupled
to the electrode! Don't you see?" Bauer's face began to glow for the
first time that evening, for he, too, like Walter, had the inventor's
sensitive hunger. "You left the paper here the night you were called
home. I saw it and copied it before I put it back. I made the model and
it works. That is it there," and Walter pointed to the stuff on the
table and in the refuse box. "Do you understand? I stole your plans. I
was going to get out the lamp without telling you if you had not come
back. And I am the person you want for a friend. Am I worthy? Do you
understand now?"

A dull red spot began to creep up into the German student's face. He was
still holding the locker door with one hand. His eye travelled from the
diagram to Walter and then back again. Walter stood very erect, his head
thrown back almost defiantly now that he had made his confession, and he
was absolutely in the dark as to the effect of it on Bauer. He would and
could not blame him for being angry. And he was angry for a moment. But
only a moment. Then his great brown eyes softened and he said in a
quiet, g