Page 45 (1/2)

“Don’t you understand?” the old man railed, and Bell wondered about the s that would put hireatest invention, and now he makes sure I will never invent another”

“What invention

?” Bell asked gently, feeling sorrow for the man’s distress

“I invented an inexpensive gramophone Edison copied it — poorly, shabbily Mine was better, but he undercut the price and inundated the raph’ People fell for it — people are such fools — and bought the less expensive one He drove me out of business”

“When was this?” asked Bell

“Long, long ago” His face worked, contorted, and he shouted, “Mine was a beautiful machine He is a monster”

The door flew open The functionary had returned with a heavyset bruiser whose coat bulged with saps and a pistol “OK, mister, out of here,” he ordered, and took Bell’s arm

The tall detective turned eyes on him as bleak as an ice field and said, very softly, “Don’t”

The bruiser let go

“Take me back to Mr Edison”

Tho when Isaac walked into the soundproof recording room, and Clyde Lynds’s norht-lipped with anger

“There you are, Mr Bell We were just finishing up our discussion Clyde, I look forward to hearing back from you as soon as you’ve had the opportunity to speak with your lawyer Good day, gentlemen”

The shadow of a grin crossed Clyde’s face, and he scrawled on his sketch pad, Good day

“Would you leave your drawings with me?” Edison asked “Let me peruse them at my leisure”

To Isaac Bell’s surprise, Clyde handed them over