Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-26
The Sealed Trunk
BY Henry Ktehell Webster
cspyrsra, y r.. sosss-xsrn CO. wSU ssrv.e.

"He didn't hold anything out
Martin said. There was nothing
In that trunk that You didn't find
the exact duplicate OF when you
took possession Of the laboratory.
And TO put II the other way
around. there was nothing among
the notes In the laboratory that
there wasn't an exact duplicate OF
In that trunk"
whats thatg7 cried Uncle VIII
liam. SO sharply that Forster start
ed in his chair.
Martin turned TO Rhoda. Don't
you see how IL WASP Your father
safeguarded himself against the
very thing that finally happened.
During the whole four years that
he worked In Forster's laboratory
he kept q daily record. a sort OF
log. OF everything he did. or his ex-
periments. Of his calculations, even
his guesses as they occurred TO
him He wrote them ell down In
tablets which had alternate pages
that could be torn ont, and he kept
a carbon copy OF every note and
diagram. every pencil scratch that
he made. Every night he brought
home the dated carbon copies OF
that days notes and threw them In
that trunk.
That's what he almost always
dif ninety-nlne times out Of a
hundred But once In a hundred
times Il happened that what he
brought home weren't the carbons
but the original penciled notes.
From his point OF view Il wasn't
important which he brought home.
He had with him in his personal
possession all the time an absolute
Nv complete record OF all the work
he had done. against the chance
that Forster might some time try
TO beat him out OF his dues.
awelL. he completed bis process
right up to the outline OF the last
conhrmatory experiments. He had
il right, at last. the day before be
died"
You can't prove that r Forster
snarled.
you're going 70 prove II for
me" Martin answered, within Eve
minutes Then he turned back to
Rhoda-
Forster had his process and he
didn't doubt that he was safe IN
stealing your fathers share OF it.
He made his deal and his contracts,
collected his royalties. The prob
able existence Of your fathers copy
OF their contract didn't bother him
a bit. He could say what he said
10 US Just now and there was, he
thought no proof to the contrary.
But at some time or other, not 50
very long ago ! imagine. looking
over the log that he'd found in
the laboratory. he discovered here
and there a carbon sheet In place
OF the original And then he knew
what your father had done. He
knew that IL these sheets hadn't
been destroyed and ever fell into
the hands OF any friend OF yours
who recognized what they were,
he could be forced TO an account
ing and made to pay every cent
that the contract called for. When
he realized that he began to adyer-
tise for the whereabouts OF Rhoda
Mcfarland"
Forster's face was shining with
sweat but once more he bleated
stubbornly. you cant prove itl"
Il said ycu were going TO prove
it. Martin reminded him. You
have proved II 10 my satisfaction
by coming here today. But Ill tell
You what Tn going to do. II you
insist that the process you are rs
ing isn't Professor McFarland's
process but something else, Ill pub
lish these notes OF his and make
the world a present OF them"
Forster sank back In his chair
with a groan. "All right" he said.
~Tu buy them or you How much
do you wantT"
Martin turned TO Uncle william.
y think well leave the price IN
money to the legal department"
he said But Rhoda wants some
thing more out Of Forster than
the money her father earned
He paused an instant then
turned to Forster. she isn't vim
dfcttve and abe doesn't want any
revenge. She wont prosecute you
and your nephew's wife for con-
spiracy unless rhe's forced to. But
she wants q sworn statement from