The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-09-09
BY TOM HORNER

often left II themselves. But sp-
parently she did not mind when
Joe directed most o. rs attention
70 Kay.
Everything might have been
perfect had KAY been able 70 for
get her worries. And Il they could
have located Hans Stadt
The advertisements produced &
few false leads and Nike Flynn
few TO California TO check on the
most promising. but returned
alone. The man vas a chemist,
his name was stadt. but he had
never worked with Tin Donovan.
Kay was about ready to give up
the search.
Then Hans stadt came home.
He arrived suddenly. unan-
nounced. KAY thought he was a
workman, looking for a job. when
he walked into the office.
The old mans clothes were
dusty. travelworn. He twisted a
battered felt hat in his hands.
You are Tins daughter, no ."
= She jumped from the chair.
And you" she almost screamed.
L am stadt, the chemist. I
have come
Ted, Joe, Mary Kay was
shouting. They burst in from the
lab. Hes here He's here Hans
has come back"
There was no possibility that
this man had betrayed her father,
no possibility that he could be
foreign agent or even remotely
connected with any sabotage plot.
Kay knew that instinctively, as
she listened to him.
He had been living with his son
on a wheat farm. A neighbor had
seen Kay's ad. but the newspaper
had disappeared and the neigh
bor's memory of details was hay.
Old Hans got one idea clear. He
was needed here. Tins daughter
needed him. He set out at once.
hitchhiked more than a thousand
miles.
OF course he knew about Katie
Hadn't Tim talked of nothing else
and how they were going to make
a million dollars for her? She
was like a daughter to Hans, too,
he said.
why did you go away" Ted
demanded
Tim said everything was COM
plete," Stadt answered. I'VE
would wait. I wanted to see my
boy, my grandchildren. Then I
heard that Tim had died. Read it
in the paper. My boy needed
money for a combine. l bought
it with my savings for him. l
knew when you wanted me, you
would send for me. I knew
would come. I am here"
Kay realized that Ted and Joe
were waiting for her to ask Stadt
about Wondrosoap. How much
should she tell him? The old man
talked on.
Did you help Dad make Won
drosoap ?" she asked at last.
"Oh, yah, yah. We made a mil
lion cans of it. Plenty to last"
How did you make it Joe
asked. What's in it,"
Not much. A little glycerine, a
little cotton. a little mineral oil,
some inert material, and an emul-
sitter"
Joe nodded. Yes. Go on"
And a little of the formula"
the chemist concluded. you add
that last-well, almost last. Then
you let it jell and run it through
the Gamer"
The formula? What is the
FORMULA? ," Joe tried to keep
his voice calm.
Il don't know" Stadt answered. /
1t was as If full can OF Won /.
drosoap had exploded in their
faces. They had counted so on
Hans stadt being able to tell 4
them everything about the
cleaner-explosive. and he knew no
more than they did-if as much |
Don't you know what was in .
L ?" Kay asked. Surely you must
have mixed il, or helped Dad. We
have to know"
The formula was Tins secret. /
Not even me would ne tell. He
mixed it himself. kept it locked .
up all the time. I did not try 10
lind out. Tim had discovered il. /
rhe formula belongs TO him and
10 Miss Katie"
"A catalytic agent Joe muir
INJURED. Something We probably
never ever heard OF. But il does
he trick"
Is there any way Of finding
put what this-this formula is.
low IT is made. Mr.. Stadt ," Kay
pleaded.
of course. OF course" The old
Serman smiled al them. Tim
Knew about his bad heart. He
wrote everything down for you.
odd me where be had hidden II.
vo,,rU s,-,d $500. = - =. - . .