The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-30
CHAPTER VI

cHEMIST-analytica expert. Tenn porary position; good salary. Ap, ply in person to Wondrosoap Company.
 Joe Benton knocked at the office door entered: when Ted shouted Come on in"
 I'm Joe Benton, analytical chemist. I want that job you ad- Vertised."
 Kay looked up to see blond giant filling the doorway. His blue eyes met hers squarely, and seemed to smile, although his face remained serious.
 "sit down Benton" Ted mo- tioned him to a chair. This IS Miss Donovan, president of the Wondrosoap Company. I'm Ted Andrews, advertising manager. You're the fifth to apply for the place. Whats your story?" "No story" Benton answered frankly. Mine months of the year teach organic chemistry at the state university. saw your ad and I asked the corner druggist if he knew anything about Won droasoap. He did, said he had sold some of 1t and had to get 1t back. Told me all about it, how it ate holes in clothes, took paint oil cars, < cleaned metal like an acid. I tried to net some but he said you had called it all in." He talked on conndentially.
 T am interested in your prod uct. I suppose, after the trouble you've had, you want a chemist to find out exactly what it will do before you put it on the mar ket again. I can do that for you. Even If you hire someone else. I'd appreciate your giving me a sample of your-your-"
 'sWondrosoap," Kay supplied.
 "Your Wondrosoap," Benton fln- ished. "so can test it in my own laboratory. I teach chemistry be- cause I like it. This product in terests me just as selling 8 dif1- cult prospect would interest you, MT. Andrews. Or 6 new cake recipe might intrigue a house. wife.
 Tn other words, you're going to analyze Wondrosoap whether we hire you or not, provided you can get some of the product to test?" Kay said.
 Exactly" Benton's eyes smiled at her again.
 'The job might become perma- nent," Ted said.
 Tn that case I don't want 1t. I'm going back to school in Sep tember." Benton picked up his hat. May I buy can of Wondro- soap, Miss Donovan? I'll run it through when I get back to class. ? .'Wondrosoap has been taken oil the market, MT. Benton," she answered. But you can make your tests in our laboratory. We'll pay you $50 week. You'll find our laboratory is well equipped.
 We want to know all there Is sto know about this product. What it is made of, how it is made, and what it will do. We want 1t tried out on cloth, metal, leather, wood everything you can think of. Not ' knowing what 1t would do has cost us money. We don't want tc repeat that mistake"
 "I'l start now. I haven't lot of time" Benton sounded eager aShow me that lab and we'll settle some of this mystery"
 Thus did Joe Benton become 8 member of the Wondrosoap fam fly" Late that night Kay saw the light still burning in the lab when she and Mary went to bed, and she found Benton still at work when she went to the office the following morning. She paused at the laE door.
 Don't you ever stop working? You don't have to do all of this at once, you know" Benton turned from his test tubes anc beakers.
 Didn't notice it was so late Well, know what's in you precious Wondrosoap now. N wonder 1t went through clothes It's
 T don't care whats in 1t, now .- You can tell me later. Right nov you're coming to breakfast. Han and eggs are being served in thu dining car"
 She wouldn't listen to his re 1tasals, so Ted Andrews founS Benton breakfasting with Ka. and Mary. Benton launched int a long discourse on formulae ant eonstituents, but Ted stopped him
 T wouldn't know what youv discovered after you told me any way. 90 save 1t for the board o directors meeting. What we wan to know is: Will 1t clean, and 1 So. will 1t do more than clean Just tell me that. You can sav the formulas for Kay"
 Benton laughed. Heres hoy we stand this morning. I knoN approximately ali the component chemical coinponents - of you cleaner. l don't know how the, were put together, and frankly there must be some reagent tha III have to study up on bli Today I'll start the working test Ecu asked for. Then TIL try mAk ane some WondFosoap myself"
 "No business before breakfast, fEay warned him. 'Tod, you haNe hafn.And with ua, won S0uf"
 Ths business office Of wondro soap he'd nalhing Co do until Ben t4Ht nfaAiSsis was eohiplete, 60 Kn' sAAflea xsd end Masy i0 hsip he