Smyrna times., 1930-07-09
Willing to Back. His
Invention
By RUBY GRUBER

blond garage mechanic.
mo, dear, must run along. You
know, mother wants me. to help her
with a dress" Mrs. Ben Howard
was tall, good-looking blond.
"You didn't hear from the motor
company?" she asked.
81 guess they are not interested.
A poor man is out of luck know
that clutch is a sure thing, and it's
all mine, but | haven't the money
to even show the right men a de-
cent model"
After Marie had gone, Ben sat
down on the running board Of the
cheap little coupe and relived
again that morning in the office of
the Hartwell Motors.
1T looks practical, Mr.. Howard,
but it's in the raw. Why not make
a working model, put it on a car,
and then show US what it will d0?"
Where could / get this done"
Ben had asked. "And bout what
would it cost?'
swell, would think the Jackson
company would fix you up for about
three thousand dollars"
Ben's numbed brain kept repeat
ing three thousand dollars. Might
as well be three million.
"Good morning, Ben" Reggy
Vandere rolled to a stop before the
open garage door. mice spring
morning." he added. He wore a
light gray suit, a rakish hat set at
jaunty angle, and lolled back
under the steering wheel of his
fashy new low-swung roadster.
Hello, Reggyl Nothing wrong
with that new car of yours?'
Nothing serious, l hope. Just a
trifie of a jerk when | start the
deuced old thing"
"Carburetor needs adjusting"
Ben raised the hood and soon the
motor was purring evenly. AS
Reggy drove away, Ben went back
to the coupe. He frightened the
brakes, and decided to tidy it up
bit as a surprise for his wife.
He removed the seat and busted
the upholstering. As he replaced
it, he found a fawn-colored glove.
He picked it up, turning it over
and over. A mans glove in their
coupe? His heart went cold as he
saw the clasp. 1t bore the initials
of r. V. "Good Cool Reggy Van
dere." He felt weak in the knees.
His hands ached to get around the
neck of Reggy. He pulled the rub
Der mat from the floor of the
coupe; he went ahead with the
cleaning. A blue cigar band fell to
the ground. fifty-cent brand.
AS he stepped on the porch that
night the door flew open. His
wife threw her arms around his
neck and kissed him. ben, I've
fixed everything; get washed and
hurry"
"Now, Marie; tell me how Reg
gy's glove got in our coupe?" He
stared down in her face, searching
her eyes. He pulled the offending
thing from his pocket and held it
before her.
"Reggy's glove? | don't know.
Ben, hurry. a man is waiting to see
your She handed the glove back
to him as though she were dis
missing it from mind. Hurry,
Ben; I've been playing checkers all
afternoon with him to keep him
here till you came home. I'm so
glad you came earlyl" She dashed
out the door.
Ben strode into the living room.
There sat a weasel-faced old man,
deeply studying his next move on
the checkerboard before him.
"Mr. Vogel, allow me to present
my husband, Ben Howard" Marie
said.
1--WE heard enough of you, young
fellow, from this pretty wife of
yours; and a good time we have
been having, too" His old wrin-
kled face broke into a friendly
smile, and he chuckled heartily.
81 told Mr.. Vogel about your in
vention," Marie said. II must be-
gin the dinneri you will stay, Mr..
Vogel?"
"rll try" Marie left the room.
"Say, who are you?" Ben asked,
a frown on his face and his tone
threatening.
"Sit down, young fellow. I'm
Robert Vogel; live next door Some
folks-most every one in fact but
your wife-think I'm crazy. She
and | planted my garden. She
took me down to my office every
day last week when my chauffeur
was sick; and now today, and lots
of other days, we've played check
ers. But I'll tell you her one
fault: She can't play checkers
worth a darn!"
"You-you are Robert Vogel of
the vogel Manufacturing shops?"
Ben's eyes were like saucers, his
adams apple moved up and down
as he swallowed.
"The same. And let me say that
what I have heard of your inven-
ton sounds good. Why don't you
put it on the market before some
one steals it?"
II haven't the money
"Oh, forget that; I've had more
honest enjoyment this spring than
I've had for years, so, to show my
appreciation, you just come down
to the factory tomorry and we will
start making that model"
But"
"No buts-do you know more
about checkers than your wife?"
That's for you to find out; let's
go" Ben began putting the check