The herald., 1920-12-16


Ak1x&& ole German h a d
lived through youth
and maturity, marriage and parent
NOD 50 that the future held nothing
|, s,ore for him except what he had
,ut into it; ard of ali life's riches he
nod held 10 one thing only after his
wife had died.
That was his chemical researches.
interest had attached itself to him
4 srst because he was suspected OF
Ming eounterfeiter. He had, in fact.
w, honored with a visit from the
Asf Of detectives when he first took
m his abode in the ramshackle old
Noe five years before. But Herr
N,yo had speedily convinced his call
Ar uat he was only a harmless crank,
nsssed on some obstruse and appar-
siy insoluble problem.
But the problem happened to be
ous toward whose solution a thousand
bzins we're just then concentrated in
Ryeral hundred laboratories. 1t was,
n fact the manufacture of synthetic
rubber. To this end, which would
mean fabulous wealth for the discov-
ger, Herr Mayo bent all his energies.
A tiny patrimony supported him mean
While Once he had been well-to-do,
md had had friends; that was when
be was lecturer at the Imperial uni
versiC Of Bonn, and before his reck-
less marriage with a notorious actress
shocked and scandaliZed the puritani-
cal society-but why should he be
recalling this now, as he bent over
hh test tubes and weighed out imper-
ceptble quantities of compounds
ron bis tiny measuring scales? That
vas Herr Mayo's one chivalrous act,
md be had paid in honor and wealth
md friends when he plunged into the
iretrieyable because love proved
stronger than prudence. And they
hd always been happy until she died,
I'VE years before, though often the
lean hunger wolf howled against the
6eshold But then there was their
ID, Ida, and she, too had become
snenor and nothing remained ex-
eaN the bubbling test tube and the
Spreading color beneath the surface
Nef Of gold.
The old German shook his memories
away and smiled at the changing
naud What was past was past, but
nsfs was always the future. and just
nov be felt very sure that he was on
N rack Of his discovery. Then hon.
Z and wealth would be his.
uee in a million times the seeker
aHnthetic compounds may hit upon
~ soal BY chance. But almost uni
'ssally It Is process of elimination,
endless working round and round
asad an objective point which seems
fsceoe the more elusively as one
Troaehes It. Nine hundred and for
"'malae he had written down in
microscopic figures upon a large fold
= 'aeet OF paper, and these we're COM
= r'nas Of but single form of carbon
aese seven and twenty were the
= sM Promising, and he had grouped
aen together
WV why am I thinking of Minna !
=. 80" growled the old man impa- |
rising and pushing back the .
ap nair from his furrowed forehead. /
s1 ae was not thinking of Minna, J
!. ~ indirectly. He was thinking Of
!. 'asf daughter. 1t was five years
as wife had died, and almost
I ae nrst anniversary of her death
Il - driven his daughter from his
4. Nnen In her agony and despair
\. Sulessed to him that she had sui
~ ~ name she bore. She had mar
! - eietiy a worthless fellow who,
~ ea Out, had a wife living. He
n " s'su since. but he could not forget
4 ~. sma- The Mayos had been of
~ sunker families. who had held
ln 'Oe records in East Prussia. He,
M y Aao lost caste when he mar
y. e actress, but that, at least,
~. eslumate union. And now. his
l,'a rails !, Involuntary offense would
pn~ uem both forever should he
~, Win his discovery, to seek
\. iecognition in his native land.
w Oh ostracism and loneliness,
M sueemed at the end by this tri-
: M au made the old man very bit
1, n "nen Ida left him the last link
b, ua MIN to humanity seemed to
4 happed. He often told himself
Z !. - was glad she was gone. He
sAor,. e very thought of her away;
! ~ not rise up now.
~ sp,ns sounded at the door. and
~ n. ~ YEARLY to open it. Outside
,ans !. postman. He was very late
| p,v y was the holiday season and
large. The old man gave
M = -, weekly sum to bring his
Nh, ~, - AIS apartment instead Of /
1us.-m IN the box beneath. His
eence was too nrec,ou. inst