Part 21 (2/2)

”This man,” said Mr. Colton, pointing to Kauffman, ”is known to me as a munition expert. He bears the endors.e.m.e.nt of the Secretary of War and is the inventor of the most effective sh.e.l.ls we now manufacture. What you have mistaken for a bomb is his latest design of projectile for an eight-inch gun. He had arranged to bring it here and explain to me its mechanism to-night, and also to submit a proposition giving our company the control of its manufacture. If you are a government agent, you surely understand that these arrangements must be conducted with great secrecy. If we purchase the right to make this projectile, we must first induce the government to use it, by demonstrating its effectiveness, and then secure our contracts. So your interference, at this time, is---ahem!--annoying.”

Josie's face was a little more red than before. A second motor car drew up at the door and to her astonishment Mrs. Charleworth entered and greeted both the manager and Kauffman in her usual charming manner.

Then she looked inquiringly at the girl.

”Pardon me, madam,” said Mr. Colton. ”There has been a singular misunderstanding, it seems, and our friend here has been accused of being a German spy by this young lady, who is a government detective-- or--or claims to be such. The precious projectile, in which you are so deeply interested, has just been tossed out upon the common, but Joe Langley is searching for it.”

Mrs. Charleworth's face wore an amused smile.

”We are so beset with spies, on every hand, that such an error is quite likely to occur,” said she. ”I recognize this young lady as a friend of the Hathaway family, and I have met her at the Liberty Girls' Shop, so she is doubtless sincere--if misled. Let us hope we can convince her-- Miss O'Gorman, isn't it?--that we are wholly innocent of attempting to promote the Kaiser's interests.”

Joe came in with the steel ball, which he deposited upon the table.

Then, at a nod from the manager, the soldier took his searchlight and departed through the door leading to the big room in the rear. It was time to make his regular rounds of the works, and perhaps Mr. Colton preferred no listeners to the conversation that might follow.

CHAPTER XXIII THE FLASHLIGHT

”Perhaps,” said Josie, her voice trembling a little, ”I have a.s.sumed too much, and accused this man,” pointing to Kauffman, ”unjustly. I was trying to serve my country. But I am somewhat confused, even yet, in regard to this affair. Will you please tell me, Mrs. Charleworth, what connection you have with Mr. Kauffman, or with his--projectile?”

”Very gladly,” said the lady, graciously. ”I am a stockholder in this steel company--a rather important stockholder, I believe--and while I am not a member of the board of directors, Mr. Colton represents my interests. Two years ago we bought the Kauffman sh.e.l.l, and paid liberally for it, but Mr. Kauffman unfortunately invested his money in a transatlantic merchant s.h.i.+p which was sunk, with its entire cargo, by a German submarine. Again penniless, he began the manufacture of suspenders, in a small way, with money I loaned him, but was not very successful. Then he conceived the idea of a new projectile, very effective and quite different from others. He asked our company to finance him while he was experimenting and perfecting the new projectile. The company couldn't undertake to do that, but I personally financed Mr. Kauffman, having confidence in his ability. He has been six months getting the invention made, tested and ready to submit to government experts, and up to the present it has cost a lot of money.

However, it is now considered perfect and Mr. Kauffman has brought it here to-night to exhibit and explain it to Mr. Colton. If Mr. Colton approves it from a manufacturing standpoint, our company will secure an option for the sole right to manufacture it.”

”Mr. Kauffman has been in Dorfield several days,” said Josie. ”Why did he not show you the projectile before?”

”I have been out of town,” explained the manager. ”I returned this afternoon, especially for this interview, and made the appointment for this evening. I am a busy man--these are war times, you know--and I must make my evenings count as well as my days.”

Josie scented ignominous defeat, but she had one more shot to fire.

”Mrs. Charleworth,” she stated, with a severe look, ”John Dyer, the school superintendent, was at your house last night, in secret conference with Mr. Kauffman and yourself.”

”Oh, so you are aware of that interview?”

”Clever!” said Kauffman, ”I'd no idea I was being shadowed.” Then the two exchanged glances and smiled. ”It seems impossible,” continued the man, ”to keep any little matter of business dark, these days, although the war office insists on secrecy in regard to all munitions affairs and publicity would surely ruin our chances of getting the new projectile accepted for government use.”

”I am awaiting an explanation of that meeting,” declared Josie sternly.

”Perhaps you do not realize how important it may be.”

”Well,” answered Mrs. Charleworth, a thoughtful expression crossing her pleasant face, ”I see no objection to acquainting you with the object of that mysterious meeting, although it involves confiding to you a bit of necessary diplomacy. Mr. Colton will tell you that the Dorfield Steel Works will under no circ.u.mstances purchase the right to manufacture the Kauffman projectile--or any other article of munition-- until it is approved and adopted by the War Department. That approval is not easily obtained, because the officials are crowded with business and a certain amount of red tape must be encountered. Experience has proved that the inventor is not the proper person to secure government endors.e.m.e.nt; he labors under a natural disadvantage. Neither is Mr.

Colton, as the prospective manufacturer, free from suspicion of selfish interest. Therefore it seemed best to have the matter taken up with the proper authorities and experts by someone not financially interested in the projectile.

”Now, Professor Dyer has a brother-in-law who is an important member of the munitions board, under General Crozier, and we have induced the professor, after much urging, to take our projectile to Was.h.i.+ngton, have it tested, and secure contracts for its manufacture. If he succeeds, we are to pay liberally for his services. That was how he came to be at our house last evening, when arrangements were finally made.”

”Was such secrecy necessary?” asked Josie suspiciously.

It was Kauffman who answered this question, speaking with apparent good humor but with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice: ”My dear young lady, your own disposition to secrecy--a quality quite necessary in a detective--should show you the absurdity of your question. Can we be too careful in these days of espionage? No emissary of the Kaiser must know the construction of this wonderful projectile; none should even know that it exists. Even should our government refuse to adopt it; we must not let the Central Powers know of it. My own negotiations with Mr. Colton and Mrs. Charleworth have been camouflaged by my disguise as a suspender merchant. It was equally important that Mr. Dyer's connection with us be wholly unsuspected. When the projectile is adopted, and these works are manufacturing it in quant.i.ties to help win the war, still no information concerning it must be made public. You must realize that.”

”That is all true,” agreed Mr. Colton. ”These frank statements, miss, have only been made to you because of your claim to being a government agent. If you fail to substantiate that claim, we shall place you under arrest and turn you over to the authorities, for our own protection.”

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