“And that,” said Johnny, “is the white fire?”
“Exactly! I got a lot of fun out of that business in the factory. Fooled you, didn’t I?”
“Yes, and helped us a lot. That’s why you didn’t stay about when the manager was with us?”
“Sure it was. I had to go back and get the show going.” Pant threw back his head and laughed.
“Well,” said Johnny, rising and stretching, “guess we’d better go in and make our report.”
“Leave that to you,” said Pant. “I’ll run over and see if my patent papers are at the postoffice.”
“And there,” said Mr. McFarland, a half-hour later, as Johnny sat by the desk in his private office, “are a couple of papers you might be interested in.”
The instant he had them in his hand Johnny recognized his father’s signature.
“Notes,” he murmured. “Why, they’re marked ‘Paid in full.’ I—I don’t understand.”
“You will remember,” said the manager, struggling against a huskiness in his voice, “that your banker told you he held notes against your father. He never told you who the real owner was. He was acting according to orders in doing this. I was the real owner, and now—since you have rendered a service to our company which more than balances the account—I am giving them to you marked ‘Paid in full.’”