Oxford Democrat., 1917-01-02

party haQ agreed 70 Iurn1sn the money
needed for introduction and develop
ment. Haskins was away at the time.
Father assumed the responsibility Of
buying the right for the firm. When
Haskins returned he claimed that "a
ther had used the firms money for
his own individual purposes, which
was embezzlement. Father had taken
the preliminary steps In bis own name.
but had made the contract In the name
Of the firm In duplicate, one copy for
the firm, the other for the inventor.
Haskns got hold of the preliminary
agreement and the contract. he with
held the latter and produced the for
mer, which alone laid father liable
:riminally."
"What became Of the contract drawn
for the inventorY asked Mary.
HE died while the trouble was first
broached. Father asked his widow FOR
Il. but she fell under the influence OF
Haskins or probably was offered an
inducement to withhold It Fathers
lawyer got out q search warrant to
look for 1t, but the woman must have
been warned, because all her hus-
bands papers had been removed from
the house."
1T seems to me-" said Mary thought.
fully, "that my father had something
to do with that matter"
"Your father and mine being cousins
and very fond Of each other, It Is
quite likely. Father has told me that
your father learned where the papers
had been hidden and got possession Of
them, but he did 80 illegally and was
obliged to hide them to avoid being
prosecuted criminally. It was intend
ed that when he could do 30 in safety
they would be produced. But when
the time came they were not In the
hiding place where he had put them.
he believed that some one in Mrs.
Budlongs interest had stolen them"
"Budlongv' said Mary. II have seen
or heard that name somewhere"
Possibly you heard your father
mention It when talking Of this mat
ter"
During the rest Of Horace's visit
Mary could not get the name Budlong
out Of her head. She went to bed
that night trying to remember when
and where she had known It 30 In.
tent on 1t was she that she remained
awake till she heard the deep tones Of
a town clock strike the hour Of mid
night; then suddenly she remembered
the Budlong papers.
Throwing of the covers, she jumped
out Of bed
Mary had packed a trunk Of odds
and ends that she did not care to part
with and had carried them away with
her when she left her home. Having
now but one room, this trunk and the
one used for her clothing were kept In
II. Lighting lamp. she opened the
trunk first named and, getting out the
bundle Of papers, opened It and spread
the contents on the table. By o'clock
she had opened and read many papers.
A few minutes after / she opened one
which proved to be contract for the
sale Of certain patent rights to the
firm Of Haskins & Drummond.
Mary went back to bed, but not to
sleep. She could hardly wait for day
to come, 80 eager was she to carry the
news to Horace that she had found
the missing contract
The next morning Horace Drummond
was awakened by maid, who inform
ed him that Miss Hartwell was below
and wished to see him on q very i'm
portant matter. He arose, made a
hasty toilet and went down to the
living room. There stood Mary with
beaming eyes holding out to him a
paper. As soon as he had read enough
Of it to realize what 1t was he sprang
forward, clasped her in his arms and
covered her face with kisses.
It was some time before Horace
could bring himself to condition Of
quiet to listen to the story Of the Bud
long papers. Indeed, he only received
at the time a meager account 30 eager
was he to carry the news to his ia.
ther.
How the papers came to be in the
box In the garret, whether Mr.. Hart
well placed them there and forgot hav.
ing done 80 or whether some member
Of his family. having come upon them,
tossed them into the box, not knowing
what they were, was never explained.
Haskins was prosecuted by Drum
mond for conspiracy, but the charge
was withdrawn in settlement Of the
ownership Of the patent right three
quarters Of which went to Drummond
Horace and Mary were married, and
the groom's father settled fortune on
his son and his sons wife Jointly.
Mary says that case Of father-in-law
Ia by no means to be dreaded.
Leaves Of the Poison Ivy.
No doubt just a picture OF poison
HDvty y