Cleveland High School - Legend Yearbook (Portland, OR)

Page 19 text:

THE LEDGER [Thirl e INTRIGUE By DUAXE HeNNESY, S. P. (First Prize Story) FOREWORD There are many things in the process of govern- ing the United States, the minute workings of the men who are the all-important cogs in that great- est of ruling machines, that do not get into the newspapers. It was just after the World War that the case which I am about to relate came to my notice. It was early in 1918 that I, Alexander Calmaine, second assistant secretary of %var, was called into conference regarding methods of obtaining addi- tional scientific inventions to aid in strengthening our fighting forces. It was feared by my depart- mient that the country of Hulno-Slovakia, believing our army and navy to be in a depleted condition after the great European struggle, would declare war upon the United States. Thus it was that the department felt the urgent need of gaining new methods of combating in the expected war which, it was believed, would be a battle of scientists. Now after these six years events have shaped themselves so that I am in a position to tell the world of the momentous events which took place concerning the famed formula for Bradle ' s Purple Ray. THE STORY Nervously the secretary of war glanced about the group of men seated at the long table. Bradley should be here now, he stated. Dead silence followed his words. Only the tick, tick, ticking of the old grandfather clock in the corner broke the hush. After a moment the secretary continued, You realize, gentlemen, how fortunate we are in being offered the rights to Bradley ' s Purple Ray over such strong foreign competition. With modern warfare becoming more and more a battle of chemicals and scientific inventions instead of mere man-power, we shall gain a decided advantage. Sub- marines, airships, and even radio will become en- tirelv useless before the terrible onslaught of this new discovery. Here he paused and again glanced at those i-eated about the table. Encouraged by the assenting nods, he continued. For five years Hampton Bradley has lab(jred to perfect the Purple Ray. At last he has achieved a light powerful enough to destroy everything withing a ten mile radius of its gleams. Not only has he found this ray but he also has perfected a means of regulation which permits the controller of the light to focus it upon a set object and de- stroy only that which he wishes. Onlv Bradley himself knows the secret. He is coming, as you know, to deliver the formula to us here today. Again he glanced at the clock. Bradiev is now fifteen minutes late, he said, uneasily. Just a trifle of disapproval fluttered through the staid gathering. The ringing of the telephone bell prevented further speech. Quickly the secretary picked up the instrument. As he listened to the message his com- panions saw a look of horror spread over his fea- tures. Slowly he turned and spoke. ' Hampton Bradley has been murdered in his laboratory. The safe in which the written copy of the formula was kept has been blown open, and the paper is missing. K-19 of the secret service, assigned to the case, beheld a scene of utter confusion in Hampton Bradley ' s little laboratory. Around the wrecked safe papers of every description were scattered, but a thorough search had failed to produce the missing formula. Life, as Hampton Bradley had lived it, was nothing but hour after hour of work, of thought, of research. Little time was spent in satisfying the pleasure-loving side of his nature. Still, as Brad- ley saw it, it was play, pleasure, adventure. His experiments were his life. His life was that of a hermit most of the time but of late he had had an assistant, a former convict now on parole, who was an expert chemist. Lithpy Lou Carson was the beau brummel of the light-fingered gentry. His last stretch up the river was one that he really considered unjust. He had knifed a policeman ; he didn ' t like cops anv- how. The government agent turned to Lou. Now. let ' s get this straight from the start, Carson. You ' ve got a bad record. Come clean on this, or you ' ll get yours plent ' . A shocked look spread o er the crook ' s face. Wh) ' , our tone thiicks me. ou couldn ' t be tho mean Get this into your block head, Carson. You had better tell me pretty quick just what I want to know. Where was the body found and by whom? Every trace of joshing left the convict ' s face. He didn ' t lisp when he spoke next. That was only banter that had gained him his cognomen.