entle way that moved Walter more than any burst of passion could
have done:

"I am not a judge for you. While on the way home I suddenly thought out
the secret of the metal teeth. See! I have it here." He took out of his
pocket a paper and opening it spread it out on Walter's desk. Walter saw
in a second's glance that Bauer had discovered the working basis for the
successful light. "And I was going to work on the plan when I came back.
But all my trouble drove it away. I lost my ambition. And I understand
what you did. I might have done the same. But still, Douglas, do you
know, I don't care. I--I am hungry for a friend just like you. What you
have said does not change anything. What difference does that make? That
is not trouble, not for me."

Walter looked at him a moment and then in the reaction which was really
the taking off of the strain of weeks, he put his head between his hands
and sobbed. Bauer did not venture to say anything. When Walter could
control himself he reached out his hand. Bauer took it, and in that
grasp the two young men understood each other for life. I think each
gave as much as he took. The sacred compact they sealed in the big empty
shop that night was made with few words, but it was never disturbed nor
broken in after years. And each one of them realised something of the
depth and joy of real friendship. Do you? Does anybody? Our human
friendships, when they are real and permanent, are the finest and
richest possessions of our lives. Pity we treat them so lightly and
measure them so tamely.

That same night Bauer in his simple manner told Walter something more of
his home troubles, enough to give Walter a glimpse into the real sorrow
of his heart. Walter in his turn told in part the story of his
temptation and of his struggles and tortures to escape. To this Bauer
listened with a faint smile and with perfect understanding.

In the days that followed, they agreed to construct the lamp between
them and share in the profits from it. And when they began work on the
mechanism each found that the other had discovered little improvements
which were necessary to the best construction, finally producing a lamp
far more perfect and practical than Walter's first attempt.

The day after that memorable scene with Bauer in the shop Walter wrote
home a long and exuberant letter, a part of which we may read.

"Mother, I can't begin to tell you what a relief I have experienced
since I told Bauer all ab