The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-19
CHAPTER x

"Hang on tight, sweetheart. The process, Maxwell's, Bendorh's and mine has been stolen! They think took it to sell. Don't say a word to anyone until you've talked to me. We're both in this"
 David, I simply can't under stand it." Coral said, as they sat drinking their after-dinner coffee at the Tea Kettle. That process has been missing two weeks, and not a single sign of 1t has appeared. It disappeared from the concealed drawer in your desk and vanished into thin airl You'd think that if the thief had sold 1t, we would have seen an announcement by some company cf their discovery They'd want to make the announcement before President Norton makes the loss public."
 David lit a cigaret and puffed on 1t moodily. I've stopped even haz- arding guesses as to what happen ed to 1t, Coral. All I can think of is that 1t was my fault 1t was stolen. and that Bendorff, Dean Mathews and most of the other faculty members think stole it. It was in- excusable for me to leave that drawer containing the only copy of the process unlocked. I know that. But how was I to know that some- one would sneak into the lab while was gone, find the drawer that I thought no one but Maxwell, Ben- dorff and I knew about, and make off with the process as completely as if black magic were responsible?
 He drew deeply on his cigaret. sometimes I think it must have been black magic! tell you, Coral 1t was impossible for anyone to get into that lab Thursday after noon, and the process was ob- viously stolen then. My two su- periors were out of town at a meeting. I was in my rooms, and since there were no classes the laboratory was locked. Even the janitor took the afternoon of! Even though I did leave the drawer open the room itself was tight shut"
 Coral reached across the table and took his free hand. Don't worry about 1t too much, darling. I'm sure everything will come out all right eventually" Her brow clouded with worry. T do wish the thing could be strengthened out right away, though"
 "You don't wish 1t any more than do," David said wearily, ''but I've reached the end of my string. I don't have the vaguest notion what to do next, Coral. All I know is that they suspect me of stealing that formula, not SO much because I had a motive, but because I was the only per- son who had the opportunity. And Dean Mathews, at least, thinks you were my accomplice. Good heavens, Coral he burst out, 'the more I think of 1t, the crazier the whole affair seems"
 At least Professor Maxwell and President Norton have faith in you and in me-" Coral said.
 
 "Yes, they've been swell" David replied. Tt was white of President Norton to hold up public announce ment of the theft for a while, and Maxwell has treated me like fav- orite son. There's one other thing l don't understand, Coral. How does it happen that everyone on the campus students, I mean knows about the theft, despite the fact that it's not supposed to be publicly known? Dean Mathews knows that you know, and she told me this morning that she was going to call you to account for spreading the gossip"
 Coral's eyes opened wide. "Da- vid, never breathed a word to any, one! I swear it!"
 David smiled at her. T know you didn't, sweetheart. All I