Evening star., 1934-12-19

"Now, in your own mind" he went
on, apart from anything that IS
brought out at the trial, have you the
least suspicion why Osborne was MUIR
dered?"
II looked him squarely in the face
EYES," said. while he was in Amer
lea he got hold Of very valuable in
| vention. No doubt several people
knew about it, and imagine that one
of them bumped him of in order to
steal the secret"
His expression remained quite un-
altered. There was no suggestion oi
this in your defense"
II had no evidence" I explained
"Since then one or two things have
happened which have helped to open
my eyes,"
"I should be extremely interested
to hear what they are"
And I should be extremely inter.
ested," retorted, ito hear how they
| concern you"
We'll, that seems very legitimate
curiosity" He fingered his wine glass
! thoughtfully. Suppose we make q
bargain, Mr.. Trench. I am perfectly
willing to lay my cards on the table
! provided you will be equally candid
with me. For different reasons We
are both anxious to get to the bottom
of this mystery. AS it happens I can
supply a good deal of information
about Osborne, but there are certain
| gaps in my knowledge which it Is
quite possible that you may be able to
fill in. If you agree with my sugges-
ton I have an idea that We may be oi
considerable assistance to each other. .
reflected rapidly. no longer felt
any doubt that Sir William had been
negotiating for the invention and that
in all probability he was the man
whom Molly had seen with Osborne a,
Aubrey's restaurant.
In that case he could certainly clear
up number Of points on which I was
badly in need of enlightenment, but
would it be safe, at the present stage
of affairs, to take him wholly and un-
reservedly into my confidence?
After all, the formula belonged tc
Molly, not to me, and until I had hao
a chance Of consulting with her
looked up and saw the shadow Of q
smile lurking round the corner Of his
lips.
you are quite right to be cautious, s.
he observed. "At the same time I as
sure you that my offer is entirely
straightforward"
'T don't really doubt it." replied
''The trouble is that I am not a free
agent. What happen to have found
out concerns other people as well as
myself. Until I know where you stand
in the matter, I'm not sure how much
am entitled to tell you"
He remained silent for q moment,
Every WELL" he said at last. eff that's
the position I am prepared to take
the first step. I only make one stipu-
lation. Nothing I say in this room is
to be repeated outside"
contented myself with nod.
1t was early in June" he began.
that I first got in touch with Os-
borne. He came to my offices in the
city. He described himself as an in
Ventor, and he claimed to have dis
covered a process for manufacturing
metal which, both from an engineer
Ing and q commercial point Of view,
would be an immense improvement
upon aluminium. I need hardly say
that I am quite used to this type of
visitor, and that as a rule they turn
out to be either lunatics or frauds.
Osborne, however, seemed to come
into different category. He pledged
himself, provided would give him the
necessary facilities, to produce a speci-
men OF the metal for experimental
purposes. I could submit this to any
test pleased, and If the results proved
to be satisfactory, he offered to sell
me the invention outright for f2O ,000.' ''
Sir William picked up his half
empty glass and slowly finished OF
its contents.
III was at that point" he continued,
that began to have my doubts. Un-
less there was something wrong with
the business why should a man be
Wl!Ilng TO part with a secret of this
VaIue Ior what he must know to be an
apsurdly inadequate sum? Granted
tnat his claims were genuine he could
ask practically what he liked.
There were only two conceivable
explanations-flrstly, that the whole
tnlng was fraud, and secondly that
our friend Mr.. Osborne had got hold
OF something which from legal point
OF view was not, strictly speaking. his
own property. In business, however,
one can't afford to be too particular.
II such process was on the market
IL was highly important, not only to
my nrm, but to this country, that we
should get it into our hands before II
was offered to any one else.
The matter was far too urgent to
hesitate about. I told Osborne that
ne should have all the facilities he
wanted and that if he could substan-
tiate his claim I would not only nav
him the 100000 he asked, but that as
long as we were the sole manufacturers
ne should be entitled to fair percent
age of the profits.
without some such ARRANGEMENTS
there was obviously nothing to stop
him from going abroad and selling
his secret In half a dozen different
countries.
THE first step was to flnd q suit
able place in which he could work.
AS 1t happens we have an old factory
down on the Essex marshes which we
used during the war for manufacture
ing q certain type Of high explosive
bomb.
TITS q desolate sort Of place-just
q large empty building on the bank
OF creek up behind the Maplin
Sands and three or four miles away
from the nearest village.
"osbornes demands were not very
elaborate. however. and since abso-
lutte secrecy was the important con-
alteration. decided that the best plan
would be 10 send him down there and
NJ him up with what he wanted. I
made arrangements for him 20 board
with q man and hls wife Who have
farm close by.
ne went away the frst week IN
July ana before the end of the month