San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-09
APPLIED SCIENCE.
BY CHARLES BARNARD.


he laid the instrument Oh the dining table.
he said:
IL am very sorry, uncle, that did any
thing about this matter. II was done in
mere sport, and wish had said nothing
concerning 1t. Iwould not had not Mr..
Bedford used the language he did"
Mr.. Denny ran his eye over the figures
in the book, and then, with a panied eX-
preston, ne said briefly:
Everything seems to be correct"
'Damnation I'll break his head for
him, the intermeddling fool" This Ian
guage was not actually used by Mr. Bel
ford, but he thought as much. His
eyes flashed and he clenched his fists
under the table. Alma's presence
alone restrained him from something
more violent. He appeared calm, but
inwardly he was angry. This unex.
pected announcement concerning the
chimney he had built cast heavy shadow
over him, and his conscience awoke with
a sudden smart
Alma was greatly disturbed, and ready
to cry for shame and veXatiOn. She did
not, for she felt sure this was only the be-
ginning Of a new trouble, and she well
knew that heavy sorrow had already in
Mr.. Franklin glanced from one to an
other in alarm. He saw that he was
treading upon uncertain ground and he
wisely held his peace. After a brief and
awkward pause Mr. Bedford rose, and,
pleading the calls of business, went out
and the unhappy interview came to an
end.
Il was a strange room. Its belongings
stranger still. A large square chamber,
with windows on three sides and door
and fireplace on the other. Just now
the fireplace had fallen from its high es-
tate and had become a catch all for the
wrecks of much unpacking, There was
small single bed, two chairs and an in
definite number of tables. Impossible to
say how many, for they were half OBJ
scured by numberless things scientific;
microscopes, a retort, small furnace, two
cameras, galvanic battery, coils of wire
and rubber tubing, magic lantern, books,
photographs and papers; on a small desk
y confused pile of papers; on the walls
great number Of pictures and photographs.
The very den of a student of science.
Hardly room to walk among the wilder
ness of traps, boxes and trunks. At the
window, the young man, just dressed,
and taking a view Of the mill and its new
chimney.
"Gad how mad the fellow was over my
little measurements. Wonder what it all
means? The girls in trouble, the father
has grief and the clerk-I can make
nothing of him. What matter? My
duty is with my books, that may pursue
pure science. The moment things become
practical l drop EN-"
Then he turned and looked out Of the
next window.
Fine view of the river. / must have
another try at it with the camera"
He crossed the room, and staining in
the bright morning sunshine he looked
about TO examine the other L that had
been thrown out from the back of the
main building.
'"That's Alma's room, and the next is
the clerks, the chimney man. The win
dow is open, and the place looks as dark
as cave. I've mind to light it up"
So saying he took small hand mirror
from table near by. Holding it in the
full sunlight he moved it slowly about till
the dancing spot of reflected light fell
upon the open window and leaped in upon
the opposite wall of the room. The OBJ
server, with steady hand, moved the spot
Of light about till he had probed the room
and found all II contained, which was
nothing save bed and two chairs.
applied science reports the man is fit
for treason, spoils and and that sort Of
thing. He has no pictures. His room is
sleeping den. The man is "a Halo!
Steady therer'
The door in the room opened, and the
student of applied science turned quickly
away with his back to the wall beside his
window. Cautiously raising the mirror,
he held it near the window in such a way
that in it he could see all that went on in
the other room, without being himself
seen.
Suddenly he saw something in the glass.
Some one appeared at the window, looked
out as If watching for something, and then
withdrew into the bare little sleeping
room. Then the figure in the mirror
went to the bed and carefully turned all
the clothes back. The student of science
watched the mirror intently. The figure
bent over the uncovered mattress and
quietly opened the sacking and took some
thing out. 1t sat down on the edge Of
the disordered bed and proceeded to
examine the box or bundle, whatever it
might be, that it had found in the bed.
\ Just here there was the sound of