Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

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: : le company, and you would never get penny. So I took them privately to his Rheinstrum, had him make a few hanges and submit them under his lame — and, now that they're accepted, 've got you a fortune, where you would ave got yourself nothing." "But how, Mr. Pinckney?" "This way, Marsh : For every gun vhich the Durant Company makes, unler the Rheinstrum contract, which I nade to protect you, I draw a royalty n Rheinstrum's name — but which I pay to you, the real inventor. See?" "How much?" "Six hundred dollars, Marsh, for pvery six-inch gun we make ; and a Kindred dollars a caliber inch for every inch in every gun over six inches. So, on a twelve-inch gun, you get twelve hundred dollars !" "You mean that, Mr. Pinckney?" Marsh jumped from his chair. "You fnnean that? It's mine? You'll pay that Ttto me? It's true?" "Not so loud, Marsh !" warned Pinck'jjney again. "Of course it's true, and you get it — if you don't make any breaks like that you came here to make this morning. This money is honestly yours ; that's why I've gone to this trouble, and taken no little risk to get it for you — and you try to get me into trouble for doing it !" "I'm sorry, Air. Pinckney," said Marsh humbly, trembling with relief and joy. "I guess I never knew you before, sir. For, as you say, it is honestly and morally mine ! It is my patent — my gun. I earned it. I'm sorry I said what I did, sir, but — perhaps, sir, I can thank you a little better than just saying that, sir; for " "For what, Marsh?" "Of course, sir, I understand now how you entered this gun under Rheinstrum's name to protect me, and I get all the pay for it, after all. But still, sir, it would hurt you a good deal — without saying what it would lose me — to lose the government order for those guns, wouldn't it?" "Of course I should lose, Marsh," returned Pinckney quickly. "Just prestige and credit, personally, of course; but Mr. Durant and the works, for which I am responsible, would lose very heavily. But I thought you said we already had the order?" "So we have, sir, but subject to cancellation at any time, in case another gun proves superior to ours at a test." PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY "Well, Marsh?" "Well, Mr. Pinckney, of course they haven't got even an equal to ours at Washington, or we'd never have got our order. But here, sir, here " "What, Marsh?" "Well, sir, right here in Manila now, and before this special armament commission which is sitting here, they have designs and drawings for a gun which— well, sir, it makes me wish I had some of those hundreds of dollars in the bank now, instead of coming to me after we make the Rheinstrum guns." "What is this,' Marsh ? What gun do you mean?" "The Sommers gun, Mr. Pinckney — the designs Mr. Durant's friend, Admiral Barlow, has shown me in confidence for the Sommers gun." "The Sommers gun, Marsh ?" Pinckney's voice had become hoarse in its intensity. "Yes, sir; but — you've heard of it, then, sir?" asked Marsh surprisedly. "Why, the admiral told me it was just submitted for the first time. He said it was the invention of a young friend of liis — a lieutenant commanding some gunboat down in the lower islands." "What?" Pinckney had cleared his throat. "No, I hadn't heard of it. But — tell me more about this Sommers." "That's all I know ; just that he invented this gun and commands the — the San Juan. That was the ship's name." "You are sure it was the San Juan ?" "I think so. His name is Sommers — I'm sure of that." "Thank you, Marsh." Pinckney considered for a moment. "Now tell me about the gun," he continued quickly. "Well, sir, it's a very good gun — a very good gun, indeed." "But not better than ours?" "Than the Rheinstrum? I won't say, sir." "Why? Not because you're afraid it is?" "Because it's too hard to tell, sir. This is all made on a new and radical principle — all depending upon the forging. It's very hard to say." "You say it's been shown to the officers over here, who've had our plans also? Do they prefer this to yours — to the Rheinstrum?" "Most of them don't, sir. You see, the most of them are field officers, and can judge guns only from those they've seen fired. This, as I said, sir, is very 21 different; so they're afraid of it. In fact, they have refused to recommend sending it on to Washington, even." "Then what are you worrying about it for?" "Because Admiral Barlow — you know the influence he has — is a friend of this Lieutenant Sommers. He doesn't know much about the practical side of gunmaking, but he is pushing this gun, Now, he knows that you are coming over here with Mr. Durant " "What has that to do with this, Marsh ?" "Why, sir, he's going to ask you to give him your expert opinion upon the practical points in the making of the Sommers gun. He will decide whether to push it further by what you say." "Ah — I see!" Pinckney 's face colored, and his fingers twitched nervously. "Yes, sir. He knows, of course, sir, that you know the practical side ; and as you have no more interest in making the Rheinstrum gun than in making the Sommers gun for the government, he'll go by what you say. But — but — of course, .iir, I know it don't make any difference to you which gun you make ; but now I — I, Mr. Pinckney " "Oh, I see, Marsh!" Pinckney went over and held the little man's shoulder in his strong grasp. "While it makes no difference to me which gun we make for the government, now, it begins to make a great deal of difference to you, eh? Well, my man, I can't act against my honest conviction or — my duty to my country, of course, Marsh; but if there is a fair doubt, I shall give you the benefit. Now, is that all?" "Oh, thank you, sir — thank you !" The little man caught one of the big hands and pressed it gratefully between both his own. "I can never thank you enough, sir." "Don't try to, then." Pinckney threw open the cabin door graciously. "Go and see Mr. Durant now, Marsh. Tell him the good news about the order, of course. Only be careful what you say !" he warned. "You'll probably find him on deck." He glanced quickly through the porthole, and saw that the yacht was now reaching its anchorage. Boats bearing Mr. Durant's friends were already bumping it on both sides. "Oh, Frances!" called Etherington. He had followed the little designer out