Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-28

tune had slipped through his fingers,
he was about TO accept the situation
when 1t occurred TO him that Sever
ance might have left his secret with
his daughter. After making formal in
quiries he told her that her father bad
given him all the elements OF bis com
pound but one. II he had left her the
name Of this uniting chemical she
| might yet be rich. for he (Gower). hav-
ing all the rest. with this could manu-
facture the powder
When her husband came home that
evening Fanny told him Of Covers
call and what be had said Inter on.
going to her trinkct box. she noticed
the paper her father had given her.
Taking it to her husband. she told him
Of the circumstance attending her re-
! ceiving it and asked him II he knew
what it meant. The young man look
ed at the word written on the paper.
/ It was q curious mixture Of letters,
! spelling an almost unpronounceable
word Then suddenly an idea occur
/ red to him. He told his wife that II
might be the crowning chemical used
| by her father for his compound.
Then" said Fanny excitedly. "all
we have to do is to give it to Mr.
Cover and we will yet be rich"
But William Clarke believed in the
adage MAKE haste slowly" He slept
| but little that night. thinking why. IL
this was the required substance, Sew
erance had left it. without the other
ingredients Of the compound. He
must have had a reason for doing so.
Clarke thought for hours upon this
reason. Was 1t that Cover knew the
other ingredients and IN the event Of
the inventors death could go on with
the manufacture OF the powder IN case
Fanny would give It to him. II 80 It
meant that Fanny was the real pos
SCISSOR Of the secret But why had
not Severance told her that what he
had given her was the key and what
she was TO do with 1t in case of his
death?
Fanny" said the young husband
the next morning. giving her the daily
parting kiss, "go into the laboratory
today and see what you can find
there"
Fanny took the key TO the building
and, with a shudder. going into the
laboratory, began to hunt-what for
she did not know. There was a tny
safe in the wall that interested her.
Remembering that she had fathers
keys in the house. she went for them
and, picking out an odd looking one.
slipped 1t into the lock. 1t fitted ex-
actly, and. turning II. she opened the
small door and took out several pa
pers- Selecting one. she read It and
staggered as If stricken. II read:
suspecting that my assistant. Peter
Cover. viii murder me Che thinks he Dos
sesses my secrct) I leave this paper in
case anything happens TO me. I dare not
daughter. now. but trust this action viii
insure It to her without the risk that
would occur II It left my keeping.
On another paper was q list Of the
Ingredients except one. which the writ
er said he had given to his daughter.
A horrible thought entered the young
wife's mind. Her father had prob
ably been murdered.
BLESS him. she exclaimed. kissing
the record he had made. Had IL not
been for his care a murderer would
have robbed me Of my rights
The hours dragged slowly till her
husband came home, and she told him
Of her discovery. he read the paper
and, taking his wife in his arms, said:
Sweetheart, it is our duty to avenge
your father"
"How?"
There are ways in which Cover
could have contrived an explosion. He
might have mixed substances that
would require a few minutes or a few
hours to unite chemically. He might |
have run wire underground TO the
outside OF the laboratory and ignited !
some substance within by an electric |
spark He might have tossed a bomb |
at his victims feet Whatever his |
means, he doubtless removed all evil !
dences Of it's character, for you left |
him to lock up the laboratory"
$50 / did," she said wonderingly. |
but could have done otherwise? 1 !
wouldn't have gone there myself on |
any account"
The next day Clarke took steps to /
renew the negotiations with the gov /
eminent broken OF by his father-in- /
laws death. The matter dragged, as
all matters connected with govern
ments are bound to drag. But Clarke,
who had more business ability than
the llSS1LOty staAASG hc6OhAdNAOAS wan
another country and before long had
two nations bidding against each 9th
er. The result was that he finally re-
ceived five times as much as wns Of
fered Severance.
When payment was handed to Clarke
It was in one check on the national
treasury. He took 1t home and waved
1t triumphantly over his wife's head.
exclaimiDg:
There's your dowryr
But the wife's Joy was subdued by
the sad memory Of her fathers death.
"Alas, poor fatherr' she said, with
tears In her eyes.
The next day Clarke did the more
duty OF banding the police
the paper discriminating Peter Cover.
A warrant was issued for his arrest,
and az soon as he was taken an invps-
tigation of the laboratory was made.
A tiny hole was found under a work