Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-25

Narsh what royalty you pay this
Rhinestrom?"
The steel man looked puzzled. angry.
He did not understand the drift OF the
questioning. lie had not the slightest
suspicion that Marsh was the real in
ventor Of the Rhinestrom gun, and so,
quite naturally, he looked on the ques-
lions regarding royalty as entirely I'M
necessary prying into business secret.
For moment he did not reply. and
Bradley repeated his question. Then
Pinckney broke In angrily.
II thought Mr. Bradley came here
to inquire into the Sommers gum" he
sneercd.
The secret service man kept his tenn
per as he turned to Mr.. Durant. to
speak in tone Of polite regret.
"You invited me here. Mr.. Durant.
to ask such questions rs saw fit to
get at the facts concerning the de-
struction Of gun. Do / understand
/ ) on refuse to answer the first Ques-
tion"
| Mr.. Durant hesltoted.
Put this is private business mat
ter" he protested at last. Il see no
bearing in that question on the matter
in hand
Bradley shrugged his shoulders.
I'm sorry" he said regretfully. 81
ask 1t only for MIR. Marsh's informa-
ton
"What has Marsh got to do with
what l pay for patents?" exclaimed
Durant angrily.
Bradley. still unrutlled, turned to
Marsh with smile.
suppose You tell him. Marsh" he
suggested.
Nothing Mt all, sir" the inventor
muttered hastily.
Pinckney would have broken in
again. but the detective stopped him
sharply with gesture.
wait. Marsh. can you tell NE
straight to my face that it would mean
nothing to you to know that MIR. Du-
rant pays n royalty for the Rhinestrom
gun of thousand dollars ain inch"
An expression Of amazement swept
over the face of the badgered witness.
"One thousand" he gasped; then he
stopped short. looking at Pinckney
venomously. The chief consplrator
caught the look and realized its dan.
ger.
"Alarsh won't believe" he cried has
tily. But again Bradley cut in, step
ping between Pinckney and the wit.
ness so that neither could see the
other.
keep quiet. Mr.. Pinckney." he de.
manded sternly. II can prove what
say. Now. Marsh, what do you say to
royalty Of thousand dollars an
inch?"
The little man was past the stage OF
fear now. He saw the whole trick
He realized how he had been duped
He had only to tell the truth and ruin
both Pinckney and himself. but then
he hcsitated. To tell the truth-wha,
would that mean: 1t would mear
state prison possibly and disgrace
great revenge. Finally he looked
down.
Nothing" he said at last.
Nothing" demanded Bradley.
Again Mr.. Durant interfered.
"Mr. Bradley" he exclaimed sharp
ly. Il see no reason for your Ques
tons or your attitude ! can't for the
life Of me see what you are getting
at"
81 can" supplemented Pinckney
. sneering. I've had experience will
Mr. Bradley's style of bluff
Bradley paid no attention to the gen
eral manager. but turned. speaking II
Mr.. Durant. but looking ut Marsh.
II will explain. Mr.. Durant. Lieu
tenant Sommers Is an honest man. l
is to him and the girl he loves that Mr.
Pinckncy and your wife and | and :
.. score Of others owe our lives. Tomor
row he is to answer In Washington 70
M accident in which two men wer
killed and others MANNED and crippled
for life. One man Is totally blind"
sharp intake Of breath and n gasp o
horror from Marsh made him pause
then repeat over solemnly with en-
phasis: Zone forever and ever blind
u lad of twenty. who must grope hi
, way through this world to the end o
his way" Marsh was shuddcrlng now
for the picture brought up to him tina
other lad of twenty. his own son. VIII
= had died blind. With inexora BILE COO
ness Bradley continued;
Il know Lieutenant Sommers
blamelcss In this affair. and am her
to find some one to answer the cry o
justice which comes through the tear
). and scbs OF the mothers. sisters an
sweethearts of those boys, And II
=, find him. Mr. Durant; III find him."
" A pitiful picture was Marsh, hal
stopped, half crouched. shudderin
= with horror at the thought OF what
had helped to do. Frances saw an
completely misunderstood his attitude
, Her eyes filled with tears OF sympath!
) She stepped over and put her han
/ gently on the arm OF the shuddcrin
'" man.
= Mr.. Bradley. beg OF you not t
:, question Mt Marsh any further sll
~ pleaded. Pm sure If Mr.. Marsh kne'
=. anything about the forging he woul
~ tell you. No one knows the horrors {
:. that accident better than he No on
:, could know. He had son who wa
+. blinded In an accident
- Her voice grew very gentle as 81
=, continued: II was with him at h
~ boys bedside when he died. knO
the anguish that he felt then" ST
"a let her arm clip gently around the o.
mt nh A,,A HnI