White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-10-13

Harm the ming might 10.
l mean. In the possession Of Grim
| inal there is simply no limit to the
harm the thing might do"
How many people know about your
invention, Owen?"
up to this minute, just two of US
you and myself. I haven't talked
about 1t to anybody, partly because the
| whole thing was experimental and
didn't want to have to answer lot of
curious questions. But now, as I've
| said, I'm like the man who invented the
Frankenstein thing in Mrs. Shelley's
story. When 1 think Of all the harm
it might do in the wrong hands, feel
as If 1 ought to tie stone to the box
and pitch it into the river"
There was a thoughtful pause, and
at the end Of it, Markham said, "You
are quite sure nobody else knows
about it?'
II hope I am"
"Have you any reason to doubt it?"
| mot what you could call reason;
| no. But have worked here in the lab,
| a good many nights, sometimes until
quite late, and there have been mo-
| ments when I've had queer feeling
that 1 wasn't alone; that somebody
was spying on me. Pure auto-sugges-
ton, guess"
Markham nodded "We'l let that
| part Of it rest and pass on to the ma
terial things. You want to make some
money out of this invention Of yours,
don't you? Or are you too much Of an
inventor to look that far ahead?"
| Lands smiled. ''I'm not quite so
much of dreamer as that, Wally. IF
could only be sure the thing wouldn't
be put to evil uses"
you'd like to see some hard cash
results" Markham finished for him.
"That Is right and proper-and hui
man."
81 suppose so; while was at work
on it did think that if it should prove
q success it might help me find place
as research man with one Of the big
electric companies"
| "Too modest, as you usually are"
grunted Markham. "There's a frilly
] fortune in that box If it's properly ex-
plotted. But to make money out Of
an invention you have to spend money.
Suppose you let me talk to dad-in
strict confidence, of course"
you'd do that for me?"
"Sure would. Why not?"
There was a moment of silent en-
barrassment, and then Landis said,
half apologetically, "Give me day or
so to think about it, Wally. I want to
see If I can't fight down that feeling
about the criminal possibilities. It's
fearfully good of you to offer to step
in and L"
Markham cut the protests short.
"Take as much time as you want, Of
course. And never mind the acknowl-
edgments. We've been pretty chummy
for good many years, you and |,
of us wouldn't give the other hand
when the chance offered" Then, with
a glance at his watch. IF it wasn't
so late I'd stay bit longer and raw
hide you about another matter. But
l guess the other matter will keep"
ut isn't late for me. What have l
been doing that I ought not to have
done?"
Il was watching you tonight when
Betty Lawson was on the stage. l
guess you know good and well what
saw"
Lands flushed boyishly and looked
down.
You didn't see anything more than
you have known for good while"
Markham laughed. Nothing more
than all Carthage has known, for that
matter. But say boy-what do you
think a girl is made Of? For half
year and better you've buried yourself
in this work shack of yours, and II
you've thought anything at all about
Betty, you've taken it out in thinking.
What social pleasure she's enjoyed
she's had to forage for in other direc-