The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-09-02
CHAPTER III.
The Higher Service.

"IIE dinner gong sounding in the
llan postponed for Wendell fur
Their need of offering reassur-
ance. 1t also prevented him
from pursuing further the purpose
which had led him to show the bomb
to Jim. He delayed only to put the
shoe box and its contents in a secure
place before he joined the rest Of the
family at the table.
1--WE landed a job for you, Robert,
said Nathan Ashby, the father of the
family. HAS Nellie told you?'
Wendell looked up, his lips pressed
tight together; then lie smiled. why.
no. he replied quietly. You haven't
told me. have you. Helen:' he appeal
ed to his wife.
II guess you'd manage to keep it OF
your mind if she had" Ashby return.
ed heavily. It'll be worth $1,000 next
year if the navy hasn't always got you
SO used to loating and being paid for
it that you can't do any real work at
all. It'll allow YOU a drawing account
Of $1,000 right away to start"
Bob's lips parted. then pressed to
gether again without speaking I'm.
der the tablecloth hand of Nellie's
caught his hand and squeezed 1t tight
"You were very good to take that
trouble for me-" Wendell said 10 Ma.
than Ashby: but, since all negotia-
tions have been with you, would you
mind replying that cannot take ity'
In 1ic yoCr f1,s. Mn I'm,
Ashby was still more insulting. There
was silence in the room when the
maid entered trembling and said:
1.-The telephone, Mr. Ashby. It's the
Waterman at the factory. He says
Mr.. Ingouf and Enloe want to get III
TO do some work in the laboratory to.
night. He wants to know whether he
should let them inf it's all right"
"Of course IFS al! right" Nathan
Ashb? dismissed the matter violently
What harm could they 'lo:"
The Asllby Brass company. like
many manufacturing concerns. had
the laboratory for the trying out OF
! new processes or devices and mel
who were experimenting with new
device worked there also in the even
ing. Ingouf and Enloe were ma
chinists who had been working to
gcthcr on new type of valve. Jim
| Ashby knew. Indeed. his father re
Gently had relieved them Of their reg
ular tasks TO give all their days. al
the comIEny's expense. TO perfettin.
the valve. II was not strange, there
fore, that they wished to use the labo
ratory that evening. But, as jim
heard the request, he started. III
could not see Bob's face ut that mo
ment. and the next Wendell was on,
Of the room with Nellie.
Jim had told Agnes that lie would
call that evening; and. since lie hat
been engaged, he usually had hurried
direct TO her home after dinner; hui
now, when lie left the house, he tool
his car OIL the road toward the factory
Bob's bomb was all foOlishness, OF
course. There could be no such or
ganization Of spies in America ever
| If there was to be Il war, and there
was not 10 be any war. The evening
bulletins were perfectly definite abOu
! that The bOmb-if it were bomb
had been made partly out of meta
cast at the .Ashby works. but any Ont
might have procured the casting, ant
the contraption must be the work OF
some crazy crank. He was going Il
the works 10 prove that.
He knew perfectly well that Bob.
bomb never was made at the factory
when he was there. The only posi-
bility was that it might have beer
made in the laboratory after hours
But would it be made by Ingouf ant
Enloe? Foreigners, to be sure, bu
two Of the steadiest and most depend
able men IN the place and the bes
workmen.) AS Jim entered the factory
the idea was SO absurd that he fell
like q fool when he looked into tn,
laboratory where the two machinisti
were working together at lathe re
shaping some part Of their valve. jim
made an excuse for coming in, wen
to his Office as though he had for
gotten something, and, leaving tn,
building, he hurried away by another
road toward the Wares place.
| A youth Of eighteen was coming on
Of the house as Jim left hia car anf