Picture-Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

Via Wireless SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. George Durant, the great gunmaker, known as "The American Krupp," is touring the Philippines in his yacht Irvessa, partly for pleasure and partly to advise in the matter of island defense. With him are his daughter. Frances and his righthand man, Etherington Pinckney, who is teaching Frances to use the yacht's "wireless." One morning Pinckney forbids Frances to use the apparatus. He also warns her against Lieutenant Sommers, who is trying to send the yacht a wireless message, telling her that Sommers is a scoundrel. As a joke, Frances talks with Sommers by wireless, but won't tell him where the Irvessa is. Pinckney lands at Ragol, and is attacked by natives. Frances refuses to go below when the yacht is fired on. She uses the wireless to summon rescue. Pinckney meets a gun designer named Marsh, who claims to be the inventor of a Rheinstrum gun which Durant has contracted to buy. Pinckney invites him to come to his cabin for a talk. CHAPTER III— (Continued). BUT how soon can I see Mr. Durant, Mr. Pinckney?" the little designer still protested. "For — for, sir," he blurted out, in his excitement, "the Rheinstrum gun's been accepted ; that is — that is, sir. the gun you call the Rheinstrum has been accepted by the government, and they've given orders to go ahead on it at once. But — but how soon can I see Mr. Durant, Mr. Pinckney?" The little man broke off breathlessly. "Oh, it's been accepted, has it? And they have, have they?" Pinckney's eyes opened and closed triumphantly. He clutched the little designer more tightly. "Well, I told you that you can't see Mr Durant for half an hour, Marsh." He shoved the other along almost by force, and then waved him cordially to a seat inside his private cabin as he shut the door. "But first T advise you to find out what you had better say to him, anyway." "Why, what do you mean, Mr. Pinckney ?" "Oh, I have guessed, perhaps, what has brought you to meet us here at Quarantine in such a state at this time in the morning, Marsh. But I've caught (PATHE) By Edwin Balmer (A Serial Story—Part Three) you in time to prevent yourself making too complete an ass of yourself and losing a good deal of money which I've taken the trouble to try and save for you." "I — lose money you've tried to save me?" repeated Marsh, more calmly. "Yes. But first — exactly what about this. gun business has brought you here in this state?" "I've just seen out here, after word was sent of. the acceptance of the designs at Washington, duplicate drawings and specifications of — of the great secret Rheinstrum gun, Mr. Pinckney. Mr. Durant's introduction got me in close touch with some of the officers who'd been sent copies of the designs submitted to Washington — and which you'd never shown me, or any one at the works." "Well, Marsh?" "Well, Mr. Pinckney! That gun "is not Rheinstrum's gun, or any Dutchman's gun, or anybody else's gun ! It's my gun — and you know it ! For those drawings which came here from Washington, copied from your Rheinstrum designs, and just accepted, are my designs and drawings ! Yes, sir ! With just half a dozen little changes they're the designs for a gun which 1 drew and showed you six months ago. And you said it was no good, and to stop fooling with it! I guess that's why I came out here at Quarantine to see Mr. Durant this morning !" "Hush, Marsh ! Lower !" Pinckney checked the other's outburst. "I can hear without your shouting ! Keep quiet, you fool — or Mr. Durant may hear !" "I wish he would! That's what I've come for." "Yes? To lose a fortune for yourself— a fortune you've properly and honestly earned by your own invention. Marsh ; and which I've taken a good deal of trouble and risk, as I said a moment ago, to save for you." "What — by stealing my designs and giving them and all the credit of them to your Dutch friend, Rheinstrum?" "Listen, Marsh, and show some sen: for a moment." Pinckney calmed t! other again. "You haven't heard, I suji pose, of any of the private busine arrangements about this gun?" "Why, no, sir — only that it's been ad cepted. Wre're to make it, and I've set the drawings — my drawings." "You don't know, then, what paymei goes to the inventor for such a gi; as this?" "I don't know — no. But whatever j is, I won't see it go to Rheinstrum cj any other Dutchman for my gun !" "Of course not. But stop a bit. No\ you know, I suppose, Marsh, that all tl time you were drawing the designs an working out the details of your gun, yo were an employee on salary and undi contract with the Durant works." "Certainly, Mr. Pinckney." "Did you ever take the trouble to rea exactly what was in that contract yi signed, before it was locked up with tl other papers of the company?" "W ell — only in a general way, M I Pinckney," replied Marsh, weakening I little. "Then you do not particularly recal Marsh, that in that contract which yo had to sign before you were hired an^ were put on the pay roll, you agree, that all patents and inventions mad by you while in the pay of the compan would become completely and absolutel the property of the company?" "No, sir. I didn't know that!" "Well, it's true. But don't get ma at Mr. Durant, now, on account of tha Every big corporation like his require that clause in contracts with their meij He just follows the general practic* But I. Marsh — I never liked that prai tice. I never thought it just or fair i any way — especially when half the me sign away their rights, like you, withdt. even knowing it. So when you brougl me your designs and drawings for yoi gun. I saw right away that you had good gun — in fact, the best gun 1 eve saw. But if I took them official! through my office, every idea and desig you had would become the property c