Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-18

questioning. He 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-
tions regarding royalty as entirely un-
necessary prying into business secret.
For a 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
sneered.
The secret service man kept his tenn
| per as he turned to Mr.. Durant, to
speak In a tone of polite regret.
You invited me here, Mr.. Durant.
to ask such questions as l saw fit to
get at the facts concerning the de-
| struction Of a gun. Do I understand
you refuse to answer the first ques-
tom"
Mr.. Durant hesitated.
But this Is a 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. Il
ask 1t only for Mr.. Marsh's informa-
tion."
What has Marsh got to do with
! what 1 pay for patents?" exclaimed
Durant ansrily.
Bradley. still unruff1ed, turned to
Marsh with smile.
Suppose you tell him, Marsh," he
suggested.
Nothing at ALL sir" the inventor
muttered hastily.
Pinckney would have broken in
again, but the detective stopped him
| sharply with a gesture.
Wait! Marsh, can you tell me
straight to my face that 1t would mean
| nothing to you to know that Mr.. Du-
rant pays a royalty for the Rhinestrom
gun of a thousand dollars an inch?"
An expression of amazement swept
over the fact Of the badgered witness.
One thousand" he gasped; then he
stopped short, looking at Pinckney
| venomously. The chief conspirator
caught the look and realized its dan
ger.
Marsh won't believe" ne cried has
tily. But again Bradley cut in, step
ping between Pinckney and the wit
ness 80 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
a royalty of a 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 hesitated. To tell the truth-what
| would that mean? 1t would mean
state prison possibly and disgrace.
And Marsh was not big enough to take
great revenge. Finally he looked
| down.
Nothing" he said at last.
"Nothing." demanded Bradley.
Again Mr.. Durant interfered.
Mr.. Bradley" he exclaimed sharply,
Il see no reason for your questions or
your attitude. can't for the life of me
see what you are getting at"
Il can," supplemented Pinckney,
| sneering. I've had experience with
Mr.. Bradley's style Of bluff
Bradley paid no attention to the gen.
eral manager. but turned, speaking to
Mr.. Durant, but looking at Marsh.
Il will explain, Mr. Durant. Lieu
tenant Sommers Is an honest man. II
is to him and the girl he loves that Mr..
Pinckney and your wife and l and
score of others owe our lives. Tomor-
| row he Is to answer in Washington for
an accident in which two men were
| killed and others MANNED and crippled
for life. One man is totally blind" A
| sharp intake of breath and gasp or
horror from Marsh made him pause,
|
phasis: One forever and ever blind,
lad of twenty, who must grope his
way through this world to the end OF
his way" Marsh was shuddering now,
for the picture brought up to him that
other lad of twenty, his own son, who
had died blind. With inexorable COOL
ness Bradley continued:
| Il know Lieutenant Sommers Is
blameless in this affair. and am here
| to find some one to answer the cry OF
Justice which comes through the tears
and sobs of the mothers. sisters and
sweethearts of those boys. And I'll
| find him, Mr.. Durant; I'll find him."
| A pitiful picture was Marsh. half
stopped, half crouched, shuddering with
horror at the thought Of what he had
| helped to do. Frances saw and COM
pletely misunderstood mis- attitude.
| Her eyes filled with tears Of sympathy.
| She stepped over and put her hand
gently on the arm of the shuddering
man.
Mr. Bradley, l beg of you not to
Il
question Mr.. Marsh any further" she
pleaded. I'm sure if Mr.. Marsh knew
anything about the forging he would
| tell you. No one knows the horrors of
that accident better than he. No one
could know He had a son who was
blinded in an accident
| Her voice grew very gentle as she
continued: Il was with him at his
boys bedside when he died. 1 know
the anguish that he felt then" She
let her arm slip gently around the old
mans shoulder. And l know if there
was anything to tell he
She got no further, for, with a shud-
dering cry of terrible anguish, the
man drew away from her arm.
Don't" ne moaned-"don't say any
more. | can't stand it. I'm going to
strip my soul naked to God and end
| this"
He stood up straight to face Brad
ley. no longer the frightened, shud-
dering coward, with a guilty secret