CHAPTER 39 "Dear Sirs"

Two days earlier, Madeline had visited Wakely's office with the manila envelope, and Frask had recognized her based on her resemblance to Calvin. Frask described Calvin and Elizabeth's love for Madeline. Frask accidentally revealed that Elizabeth was fired for being pregnant with Madeline, causing the child to cry. Frask promised to deliver the envelope to Wakely after Madeline left. After reading the envelope, Frask wrote a letter to Life's editors denouncing the article as false and revealing the truth about Hastings, including Donatti's theft of Elizabeth's research and his misappropriation of funds by lying to investors.

In the next issue of Life, Harriet excitedly shows Elizabeth Frask's letter, which is one of many from women across the country supporting Elizabeth. Elizabeth is uninterested. Even Roth's unpublished article, rejected by several scientific journals, doesn't cheer her up. No one seems interested in reading about women in science. “It's not your imagination, (most) people are awful,” Madeline reads her lunchbox note later that morning. In November 1961, Harriet and Madeline worried about Elizabeth's depression. As they decide what to do, Harriet has an idea about who might be interested in reading about women in science.