Evening star., 1934-12-20
CHAPTER XXI.

Exactly as OSBORNE
had stated" Sir Will
liam answered IT needn't bother you
with a lot of technical details, but
both as far as lightness and strength
were concerned it was incomparably
superior to any other metal in ex-
istence. Applied to the manufacture
of airplanes, for instance, it would
increase their efficiency by at least
rs per cent.
"The possibilities it opened up were
obviously so enormous that no ques-
ton as to whether Osborne was the
actual inventor or not could be per-
mitted to stand in the way. I gave
him a check for $4,000 on account
and agreed that he should have the
rest as soon as I had examined the
formula.
1.-The arrangement was that he was
to bring it to my Office at 10 o'clock
on the morning of August the 4th.
AS you have reason to know, the ap-
pointment was never kept. At that
hour he was lying dead in his study,
with the safe open and his papers
missing"
The slow, deliberate voice ceased
speaking and for moment or two
sat silent.
II am much obliged to you for
telling me all this" I said, but I
should have been still more grateful
if you had come forward a little
earlier. 1t might have saved me a
good deal of discomfort"
Sir William nodded compoSedly.
THAT was an omission for which I
must ask your forgiveness. I con-
sidered the matter very carefully and
I decided that it would be wiser to
wait until had heard the case against
you. With such important interests
at stake. I was anxious to avoid any
unnecessary publicity"
But Supposing they had found me
guilty?" I persisted. Were you going
to stand quietly by and see me
hanged?"
He shook his head. I'm that case
I should have felt it my duty to place
the facts before your solicitors. With
the new evidence that I was in a
position to supply they would have
had no difficulty in securing fresh
trial"
There was cool frankness about
Sir Williams admission that, in spite
Of my resentment, made me more dis
posed to trust him. After all, he had
told me the truth, and if he were
prepared to be honest on a point like
this the odds were that I could rely
on the rest of his story.
He was obviously man who did
not allow any delicate scruples to in
terfere with the course of business,
but, on the other hand, he appeared
to have treated Osborne with strict
fairness, and I saw no reason for
doubling that he would be equally
straightforward with US.
I hesitated for an instant, then
decided to take the plunge.
We'll, you've carried out your side
of the bargain" I observed, "and now
propose to do the same. Before
begin there's just one point I'd like
to be clear about. I assume from what
you've said that you're anxious to take
an unfair advantage of any one. If
Osborne did steal the formula, and if
the rightful owner of it happened to
turn Up"
Il should be delighted to meet him."
he interrupted. IF such person ex-
lists, and he is prepared to do business,
I can assure you that he will get better
terms from me than from any other
firm in the world
1 pushed aside my plate. Then
hsten!" I said.
1t was longish task had in front
of me, and I made no effort to hurry
over it. Once I started to tell my
story I felt that half measures would
be worse than useless. If were going
to trust my companion the job would
have to be done thoroughly, so with
out attempting to keep anything back,
settled down to let him have the
fac,
1t must have taken the best part
of half an hour before I reached the
end, and all the time was talking
Sir William maintained an unbroken
silence. He sat there, solid and
massive, like an expressionless stone
Buddha, his keen eyes alone betraying
the intense interest with which he was
following my narrative.
At the conclusion he very delib-
erately lighted cigar.
Thank you, Mr.. Trench" he said.
pushing across the box. II am glad
you've had the good sense to take me
into your confidence. It's an extraor-
dinary affair and congratulate you
on the admirable way in which you
have kept your head"
What do you make of it alp" /
inquired. do you suppose those
chaps, Steelman and Dimitri, followed
Miss O'Brien from New Orleans?"