Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

26 PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY once. But I shall not stay there long, Miss Durant ! Oh, I do not mean that I can hope to return here to Manila before you leave for the States," he explained, as the girl raised her head quickly at his tone. "But after this trouble comes and is over, I'm not only going to grow up at dances and stop being just a good fellow to play jokes, but I'm going to outgrow Bagol and the San Juan, too, and — and do something in the service to put me on a footing with — well, with Mr. Pinckney, for instance." "Why do you compare yourself with Mr. Pinckney in that way, Lieutenant Sommers? He is not in the service, as you would say." "Not in the United States service, Miss Durant," Dick replied. "But in a rather enviable rank in yours, I think." "Have you met him?" "I've heard of him, of course." "Then you have never seen him at all?" "Only at a distance, before he got his men out of the woods at Bagol." "What have you heard which makes you think he must hold so much higher rank, as you call it, than any one else — say, yourself?" "He has done a dozen things which count." "So have you." "What? Suppose I did take a Spanish surrender, and have jollied along most of the Sulu and Moro chiefs so that they keep their pirating in the family and only feel called upon to kill about half as often as formerly! That doesn't count '" "It can count for a great deal. Besides, that is not all you have done. There are the surveys you made." "They cannot help me." "Perhaps not ; I do not know. But you have invented a gun. And no one knows better than I what a gun can bring to one — both 'fame and fortune,' as the storybooks used to say." Dick smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yes, perhaps a little fame, Miss Durant," he agreed, "provided, of course, the gun is a good one. But I did not mention mine, because Admiral Barlow is the only man who can think anything at all of the gun." "But he told me only this morning," the girl returned confidently, "that he would recommend it to Washington on his own responsibility after Mr. Pinckney gives him aj* opinion upon some of the points in it. And Etherington — that's Mr. Pinckney — has promised to recommend it if he possibly can." The officer raised his head quickly, but seemed to check what he was going to say. "But even if he can recommend it, and the admiral gets it accepted at Washington, it still can bring me nothing. I am an officer in the navy, and the invention of an officer belongs to the government." "You mean you get nothing from your gun, even if it is accepted?" "Whatever credit there may be in it, Miss Durant. No royalty or any such return as, say, Mr. Pinckney would get." "You knew that when you began work on the gun?" "It was the bargain I made when I entered Annapolis, and which has continued with my commission." "Then I think far more of you for it!" the girl exclaimed. "For what, please?" "For doing that, too, just for sake of doing it, not for what it would bring you ! Oh, believe me, Mr. Sommers," she continued impulsively. "I appreciate that I am the daughter of a gunmaker, and I am used to valuing guns for what they can bring one; but I can rank far, far higher the man who makes a gun. hoping only to serve his country !" "Miss Durant!" cried Dick. But as the girl glanced away he checked himself. "The music has stopped again!" he continued. "And I think they are looking for us, your father and Admiral Barlow and — Mr. Pinckney, I believe." "Yes," assented Frances, as she followed his glance. "That is Mr. Pinckney. He is late, because father and the admiral asked him to give them an opinion upon your gun at once — to-night, if possible. Probably that is what he is telling them now. Come, let us find out what he says ! "Etherington !" She broke into the group abruptly. "Here is Lieutenant Sommers, who came to our rescue at Bagol. Lieutenant Sommers, this is Mr. Pinckney. father's assistant and our very good friend." The two men bowed to each other. "Now, Etherington, you were telling the admiral and father about Lieutenant Sommers' gun? Please tell us, too!" "I will. But I am very sorry to have to say what I must, lieutenant," said Pinckney. "I regret that I have hi to report to Admiral Barlow and A" Durant that the practical principles i volved in your gun are unsound ! would fail in the forging ; it could nev stand a test !" He faced the young na-. officer as he spoke. Sommers observed him quietly, b made no reply. It was Frances who spoke. "Y< mean, Etherington, that the gun will n be recommended now, even for trial Pinckney nodded regretfully. "Etherington has just been explail ing to us more fully the fatal point j the gun. On account of our person I debt to Lieutenant Sommers" — Mr. Dil rant spoke to the officer as well as til girl — "he and I both are much disan pointed. But, besides that, from bus] ness reasons, too, we both wished 1] could commend your gun, Mr. Sommer ! As perhaps you know, we have jul gained the government order for til Rheinstrum guns; but we have had tl submit to the payment of a really e>| tortionate royalty of one thousand do lars a caliber inch in order to obtai the manufacturing rights from the In ventor. Those were the very lowe; terms, were they not, Etherington ?" "The very lowest, sir, upon which could procure them." "Quite so. We had both hoped," con tinued Mr. Durant, "that instead w might make your gun for the govern ment, and save both the government ani ourselves the payment of this outra geous price. It is a great disappoint, ment." "And to me, too, as I need not tel you, my boy." Old Admiral Barlow pu his arm affectionately upon his youm friend's shoulder. "Especially as, aftei reading your own report upon affair: down at Bagol, I must order you tc take the San Juan back there to-night.' "Oh, father — Admiral Barlow !" ex claimed Frances. But Dick shook off the older man'; sympathetic hand, and Frances, as she looked back at him, found him smiling at her. "Thank you, admiral," he said quietly "not for ordering me back, but for whal you hoped to do for me. And you. too Air. Durant. Air. Pinckney, I am sorry to have taken so much of your evening for looking over my plans. And, Aliss Durant, I " "But, father — Etherington !" Frances still protested against the young officer's