The Gate city journal., April 21, 1922, Image 2

T H E G A T E CIT Y JO U R N A L . N Y SS A . O R E G O N
<>U( U . o i u . .
THE INDIAN DRUM
B y W illiam M acH arg a n d Edwin B a lm cr
Copyright by Edwin Balmcr
SLU G G ED !
SYNOPSIS.— W e a lth y a n d 'h i g h l y
place«! in th e C h ic a g o b u s in e s s
w o rld , b e n j a m i n C o r v e t i.i som e*
th in g o f a re« I use a n d a m y s tn ry
to h is a s s o c ia te s . A lte r a s to r m y
in te r v ie w w ith id s p a r t n e r , H e n ry
S p e a r m a n , C o rv e t seel*.« C o n s ta n c e
S h e r r ill, d a u g h t e r of liis o th e r
b u s in e s s p a r t n e r , L a w re n c e S h e r ­
r ill, a n d s e c u r e s fro m h e r a p r o m ­
ise n o t to m a r r y S p e a r m a n u n til h e
r e t u r n s . H e th e n d is a p p e a r s . S h e r ­
r ill le a r n s C o rv e t h a s w r itte n to a
c e r t a in A la n C o n ra d , in b lu e R a p ­
id s, K a n s a s , a n d e x h ib ite d s tr u n g *
a g i t a t i o n o v e r t h e m a tte r . C o r v e t’s
le t t e r s u m m o n s C o n ra d , a y o u th of
u n k n o w n p a r e n t a g e , to C h ic a g o .
A la n a r r i v e s in C h ic a g o . F r o m a
s t a t e m e n t o f S h e rrill it s e e m s p r o b ­
a b le C o n ra d is C u r v e t's ille g itim a te
so n . C o rv e t h a s d e e d e d h is h o u s e
a n d it s c o n t e n ts to A la n , w ho ta k e s
p o s s e s s io n . T h a t n ig h t A la n d is ­
c o v e rs a m a n r a n s a c k i n g th e d e s k s
a n d b u r e a u d r a w e r s in C ot v e t's
a p a rtm e n ts
T he a p p e a ra n c e of
A la n tre m e n d o u s ly a g i tu te s th e in ­
tr u d e r . w h o a p p e a r s to th in k h im
a g h o s t a n d r a v e s o f " t h e M iw a-
k a .” A f te r a s tr u g g le th e m a n e s ­
c a p e s . N e x t «lay A la n learn.» fro m
S h e r r ill t h a t C o rv e t h a s d e e d e d h is
e n t ir e p ro p r ty to h im . In tro d u c e« !
to S p a r r n a n , A la n is a s to n i s h e d a t
th e d is c o v e ry t h a t h e is th e m a n
w h o m h e h a d f o u g h t in h is h o u s e
th e n ig h t b e fo re . A la n te lls n o o n e
o f h is s t r a n g e e n c o u n te r , b u t In a
p r iv a te I n te rv ie w ta x e s S p e a r m a n
w ith th e fa c t. S p e a r m a n la u g h s a t
a n d d e n t's him . S p e a r m a n p o is o n s
C o n s ta n c e 's rn in d a g a in s t A lan.
C H A P T E R V III—C ontinued.
*
— 7—
“ You’re u C hippew u, a r e n t you,
Jin iu h ? ” A lan asked.
“ Yes.”
“ Y our p eople live a t th e o th e r end
of th e lake, do n ’t th e y ? ”
“ Yes, A lan.”
“ H av e you ev e r h e a rd or th e Indian
D rum th ey talk a b o u t up th e re , th a t
th ey say so u n d s w hen it sh ip p ie s
•town on the hike?”
T h e In d ia n ’s eyes sp a rk le d e x c ite d ­
ly. “ Yes,” he said.
“ Do you b eliev e In it? ”
"N ot Ju st b e lie v e ; I know. E v e ry ­
body kn o w s th a t it so u n d s for th o se
w ho d ie on th e lake. 1 h av e h e a rd it.
It so u n d ed for my f a th e r.”
“H ow .was t h a t? ”
“ L ik e Ibis.
My f a th e r sold som e
b u llo ck s to a m an on H eaver islan d .
T h e m an k ep t sto re on B e av er island.
Alan. N o In d ian lilted him. H e w ould
not bund a n y th in g to an In d ian o r
w rap a n y th in g fn p a p e r for an Indian.
Say it w as like th is : An In d ian com es
In to buy f a it pork. F irs t th e ranti
would get th e m oney. T h en , A lan, he
would ta k e his hook an d pull th e pork
up o u t of llie b a rre l am i throw It on
th e d irty floor for th e Indian to pick
up. H e sa id In d ia n s m u st ta k e th e ir
food ofT o f (lie floor—lik e dogs.
".My f a th e r h ad to ta k e th e bullocks
to tile m an, a c ro ss to B eaver island.
At first th e In d ian s did n ot know who
th e b u llo ck s w ere for, so they helped
him . W hen th ey found o u t th e b u l­
locks w e re fo r th e m an on B eav er
Islan d , th e In d ia n s w ould n ot h elp him
any longer. H e had to ta k e them
a c ro ss alone. B esides, It w as bad
w eath er, th e begin n in g of a storm .
“ H e w e n t aw ay, a n d my m o th e r
w ent to pick b e rrie s— I w as sm all th en .
P re tty soon 1 saw m y m o th er com ing
hack. S h e had no b erries, a n d h e r
h a ir w as h an g in g dow n, an d sh e w as
w alling. S he took m e In h**r a rm s an d
"Y o u 're
a C rnppew a, A ren ’t
J u d a h ? ” A lan A sked.
You, i
saitl my f a tn e r w as dead. O th e r In ­
d ia n s cam e a ro u n d a n d a sk ed h e r how
sh e knew , am i sh e M id sh e h e a rd th e
D ru m . T h e In d ia n s found my f a th e r ’s
la s ly .”
~l>id you e v er h e a r of a sh ip called
t h e M lw aka, J u d a h 7*
" T h a t w as long ago»** th e In d ian an
jw e re d .
“T h e y say th a t th e D rum h e a t
w ro n g w hen th e M lw aka w ent d ow n—
th a t It w as m»e heat ab o rt o f th e rig h t
n u m b er.”
“T h a t w a s long ag o ," W assaq u am
m erely re p e a te d .
•D id M r C o rv et e v er speak to yon
•tow * *>•
“ N o ; he usked m e o nce If I hud ever
h e a rd th e D rum . I to ld him .”
W assaqunm rem oved th e d in n e r and
b ro u g h t A lan n d e sse rt. H e re tu rn e d
to sta n d In th e place a c ro ss th e tab le
th a t A lan had assig n ed to him, and
stood looking dow n a t A lan, ste ad ily
an d th o u g h tfu lly .
“D o I look like an y one y o u V v er saw
before. J u d a h ? ” A lan In q u ired of him
“No.”
“ Is th a t w h at you a re th in k in g ? ”
“T h a t Is w h a t I w as th in k in g . Will
coffee be serv ed In th e lib ra ry , A lan ?”
A lan cro ssed to th e lib ra ry an d s e a t­
ed h im self in th e c h a ir w h e re his f a ­
th e r had been accu sto m ed to sit. Was-
saq u n m b ro u g h t him th e single sm all
cup <»f cofTce. lit th e s p irit lam p on
th e sm oking sta n d an d m oved th a t
o v e r : th en lie w ent aw ay. W hen he
had finished Ids coffee. A lan w ent Into
th e sm a lle r co n n ectin g room an d r e ­
com m enced his e x a m in a tio n of th e
d ra w e rs u n d e r th e bookshelves. At
te n o'clock. A lan stopped h is se a rc h
an d w ent buck to th e c h a ir in th e li­
b ra ry . H e d o z e d ; fo r be aw o k e w ith
a s t a r t an d a feeling th a t som e one
hud been b en d in g over him , an d gazed
up in to W a ssa q u a m ’s face. T h e In ­
d ian had been sc ru tin iz in g him w ith
in te n t, an x io u s Inquiry.
H e m oved
aw ay , b u t A lan called him hack.
“ W hen Mr. C orvet d isa p p e a re d , J u ­
dah, you w ent to look fo r Him up a t
M n nistique, w h ere h e w a s b o rn —a t
least M r. S h e rrill sa id th a t w as w here
you w ent. W hy did you th in k you
m ight find him th e r e ? ” A lan asked.
"In tin* end, I th in k , a m an m aybe
goes h ack to th e p la c e w h ere he be­
gan. T h a t's all, A lan.”
"In th e e n d ! W h a t do you m ean by
t h a t ? W h a t do you th in k h a s becom e
o f Mr. C o rv e t? ”
"I th in k now — B en 's «lead.”
"W h a t m ak es you th in k th a t? ”
"N o th in g m ak es m e t h in k ; I th in k it
m y self.”
"I see. You m ean you h ave no r e a ­
son m ore th a n o th e rs for th in k in g i t ;
h u t th a t is w h a t you believe.”
"Y es.” W assaq u a m w en t aw ay, an d
A lan h e a rd him on th e b ack s ta ir s , a s ­
cen d in g t «» Ids room .
W hen A lan w en t up to h is own
room , a f t e r m ak in g th e ro u n d s to see
th a t th e ho u se w a s locked, a droning
c h a n t cam e to him from th e th ird floor.
H e p a u se d in th e hall an«l listen ed ,
th e n w e n t lip to th e floor above. A
flick erin g lig h t cam e to Him th ro u g h
tHe half-o p en door o f a room a t th e
fro n t o f tlie h o u se ; he w ent a little
w ay to w a rd it a n d looked in. T w o
th ick can d le s w ere b u rn in g b efo re a
crucifix, below w h ich th e In d ian knelt,
p r a y e r boolf in h a n d a n d rocking to
a n d fro a s he d ro n e d h is su p p lic a ­
tions.
A w ord o r tw o cam e to A lan, b u t
w ith o u t th em W n ssaq u am ’s occupation
w a s p la in ; he w as p ra y in g fo r th e re ­
pose o f tlie d e a d —th e C a th o lic c h a n t
ta u g h t to him . a s it hud been ta u g h t
u n d o u b te d ly to id s f a th e rs , by tlie
F re n c h J e s u its o f tlie lakes. T lie in­
to n ed c h a n t f o r C o rv e t’s soul, by tlie
m an w ho had h e a rd th e D rum , fol­
lowed a n d still cam e to A lan, ns he
r e tu rn e d to tlie second floor.
H e h ad not been ab le to determ in e,
d u rin g tlie evening, W assn q u n m ’s a t t i ­
tu d e to w a rd him . H av in g no one else
to tr u s t, Alnn h ad b een obliged to p u t
a c e rta in am o u n t of tr u s t In th e In­
d ia n ; so ns he had e x p la in e d to W as-
snqunm th a t m orning th a t th e desk
an d th e d ra w e rs In th e little room off
C o rv et’s h ad been fo rced , an d had
w a rn e d Him to s«*e th a t no one, w ho
h ad n o t p ro p e r b u sin e ss th e re , e n te re d
tlie house. W assaq u a m h a d a p p e a re d
to a c c e p t th is o r d e r ; b u t now W ussa-
qunni b a d Im plied th a t it w as not be­
c a u s e o f A lan’s o rd e r flint he h ad re ­
fused
re p o rte rs ad m issio n to the
house.
Alnn s ta rte d an d w ent quickly to th e
open d o o r of h is room , a s he h e a rd
voices now so m ew h ere w ith in th e
in »use. O ne o f tlie voices lie recog­
nized ns W a s sa q u a m 's; th e o th e r in­
d istin c t,
thick. a c cu sin g — w a s u n ­
know n to h i m ; it c e rta in ly w as not
S p e a rm a n 's. H e d e sc e n d e d sw iftly t«>
th e first floor, an d found W assaq u am
sta n d in g iti tin* fro n t hall, alone.
"W h o w as h ere. J u d a h ? ” A lan de­
m anded.
“ A m a n ,” th e Ind lu n an sw e re d sto l­
idly. “ He w as d r u n k ; I p u t him o u t.”
“ W hat «lid he com e f«>r?"
“ H e cam e t«» se e Hen. I p ut him
o u t ; he is gone. A lan.”
A lan flung open th e f ro n t d o o r am !
looked o u t. b u t he saw no «»tie.
"W h a t d id he w a n t of Mr. C orvet,
Ju d a h ?”
“ I do n ot know . I told him Ben w a s
n«»t h e r e ; he w as a n g ry , but he w ent
aw a y .”
“ H a s he e v e r com e h ere b efo re ?”
“ Y es; he com es twl« e .”
“ H e h a s b een h ere tw ic e ? ”
"M ore th a n t h a t ; e v e ry y e a r he
conies tw ice. A lan.
O nce lie cam e
o fte n e r.”
“ H o w long h as he been doing th a t? ”
"S in ce I can rem em b er.”
“ Is he a frie n d o f Mr. C o rv et?”
"N o frien«l n o !”
“ But Mr. C o rv et saw him w hen he
cam e h e re ? ”
“ A lw ays, A lnn.”
"A nd you do n ’t know a t all w h at he
m in e a b o u t? ”
“ H ow sh o u ld I know ? N o ; 1 do
not.”
Alnn got h!s c o st an d h a t. T h e
su d d en d is a p p e a ra n c e o f tlie m an
m ight m ean only tHut lie hud h u rrie d
aw ay , h u t it m ight m ean, too, th a t lie
w as still lu rk in g n e a r th e house. A lan
h ad <lo<-i«le<l to m a k e th e c irc u it o f tlie
house a n d d e te rm in e th a t. B u t a s he
cam e o ut on to th e p orch, a figure
m ore th a n a block a w a y to tlie so u th
s tro d e w ith u n c e rta in ste p o ut in to tlie
light o f u s tre e t lam p, h a lte d an d
faced a b o u t, an d shook h is flst back
a t tlie house. A lan d ra g g e d th e In ­
dian out on to tlie p orch.
“ Is th a t th e m an, J u d a h ? ” he de-
hnnded.
“Y’es, A lan.”
A lan ra n dow n th e ste p s a n d a t full
speed a f t e r th e m an. B u t w hen lie
reach ed th e co rn er, lie w as now h e re in
sight.
A lan retrace«! Ids s te p s for
se v era l blocks, still lo o k in g ; th e n lie
ca v e if up an d re tu rn e d e a s t to w a rd
th e D rive.
T h e sid e s tr e e t lead in g to th e D rive
w as n ot w ell lig h te d ; d a rk e n try w ay s
a n d a lle y s opened on i t ; b u t th e n ig h t
w as cle a r. A lan could s«»e a t th e end
of tin* s tr e e t, beyond th e yellow glow
«>f tlie d is ta n t b o u lev ard lig h ts, th e
He S tag g ered , S lipped, Fell S u dden ly
F o rw a rd Upon H is K nees U nder a
S tunning^ C ru sh in g Blow Upon H is
H ead F rom B ehind.
sm ooth, chill s u r f a c e of th e lake. A
w h ite lig h t ro d e above i t ; now, below
th e w h ite light, he saw a re«l sp e ck —
tlie m a s th e a d a n d p o rt la n te rn s o f a
s te a m e r n o rth w a rd bound.
F a r th e r
out, a second w h ite glow a p p e a re d
from behind tlie o b sc u ra tio n o f tlie
b u ild in g s an d below it a green sp e c k —
a sta rb o a rd light. In fo rm a tio n lie had
g ain ed en ab led him to recognize in
th e s e lig h ts tw o s te a m e rs p a s sin g one
a n o th e r a t th e h a rb o r m outh.
H is th o u g h ts tu rn e d to C o n stan ce
S h e rrill. E v e n ts since he had ta lk e d
w ith h e r th a t m o rn in g h ad p u t them
f a r a p a r t once m o re ; b u t. In a n o th e r
w ay, th ey w ere being d raw n clo ser to ­
g e th e r. F o r he knew now th a t sh e
w a s c a u g h t a s w ell a s he in th e m esh
o f co n seq u en ces o f a c ts n ot th e ir own.
H e atu g g ered , slipped, fell su d d e n ly
fo rw a rd upon h is knees, u n d e r a s tu n ­
ning, c ru sh in g blow upon h is head
from behind. T h o u g h t, co n scio u sn ess
alm o st lost, he stru g g le d , tw is tin g him ­
s e lf a b o u t to g ra sp a t his a s s a ila n t.
H e c a u g h t th e m a n 's clothing, try in g
to d ra g h im self u p ; fighting blind ly ,
d azed ly , u n a b le to see or th in k , he
sh o u te d aloud a n d th en ag ain , alou d .
H e scenic«! In th e d ista n c e to h e a r a n ­
sw e rin g c r ie s ; b u t th e w eight an d
s tre n g th «»f tlie o th e r w a s h e a rin g him
dow n a g a in to h is k n e e s ; he trie d to
slip a s id e from It, to rise. T h en a n ­
o th e r blow, c ru sh in g an d sick en in g ,
descended on h is h e a d ; even h e a rin g
le ft him an d . unconscious, he fell f«>r-
w ard on to th e snow an d lay still.
C H A P T E R IX.
A W alk B sside th e Lake.
"T h e n am e seem s like S h e rrill,” th e
In te rn e ngiVed.
"H e sa id It b e fo re
w hen we h ad him on tlie ta b le u p ­
s t a ir s ; a n d he h a s said it now tw ice
d is tin c tly —S h e rrill.”
“H is nam e, «1o you th in k ? ”
“ I sh o u ld n 't say s o ; lie seem s try in g
to sp e a k t<* som e one nam ed S h errill.
T h e re a re only fo u r S h e rrills in tin*
te le p h o n e book, tw o o f them In E v a n s­
ton a n d one w ay o ut in M inootn.”
“T lie o th e r ? ”
“T h ey ’re oply a b o u t six blocks fro m
w h ere he w as picked u p ; b u t th e y ’re
on th e D rive—th e L aw re n ce S h e rrills .”
T h e in te rn e w h istled so ftly an d
l«s»ke«l m ore In te re ste d ly a t h is p a ­
tie n t's fe a tu re s . " H e ’ll be co n scio u s
som e tim e d u rin g th e day. th e r e ’s only
a slight f ra c tu r e , an d — p e rh a p s y o u ’d
b e tte r call th e S h e rrill house, a n y ­
w ay. If h e ’s n ot know n th e re , no h a rm
d o n e ; an d If lie’s o n e of th e ir frie n d s
an d he sh o u ld . . .”
T h e n u rse nodded and m oved off.
T h u s it w as th a t a t a q u a r te r to
five C o n sta n c e S h e rrill w as awakene«!
by th e knocking o f one of th e se rv ­
a n ts a t h e r f a th e r ’s do«>r. H er f a th e r
w ent dow n s t a ir s to th e telep h o n e in­
stru m e n t w h ere h e m ight reply w ith
0 .-«• b . O I K . i . .
v.
.u f .
kim oiju u i v r h e r sh o u ld e rs, stood a t
th e to p o f th e s ta ir s an«! w aited . It
b ecam e p lain to h e r a t o n ce th a t w h a t­
e v er h ad h ap p en ed hud been to Alun
C onrad.
"Y es. . . . Yes. . . . You a re
giving him ev ery p o ssible c a re ? . . .
At o n ce.”
S he ra n p a rt w ay d ow n th e s ta ir s
a n d m et h e r f a th e r a s lie cam e up.
He told Her of th e situ a tio n briefly.
"H e w as a tta c k e d on th e stre e t la te
last n ig h t; he w as u n co n scio u s w hen
th ey fo u n d him an d took him to th e
h o sp ital, am i lias been u n co n scio u s
e v e r since. No one ca n say y et how
se rio u sly lie is In ju re d .”
She w aited in th e h all w hile h er
f a th e r d re sse d , u f te r c a llin g tlie g a ­
rag e on th e house te le p h o n e fo r him
an d o rd e rin g th e m o to r. W hen lie had
gone, sh e r e tu rn e d an x io u sly to h er
ro o m s; lie bail p ro m ised to call h er
a f te r re a c h in g th e h o sp itu l an d a s soon
a s he h a d le a rn e d tlie p a itic u la r s of
A lan 's co n d itio n .
It w as rid icu lo u s,
of co u rse, t«> a tta i h an y resp o n sib ility
to h e r f a th e r o r h e rs e lf fo r w h a t had
h ap p en ed to A lan —a s tr e e t a tta c k su ch
u s m ig h t h av e h ap p en ed to any one
—y et sh e felt th a t th ey w ere in p a rt
resp o n sib le. T h ey h ud »let him g«> to
live alo n e in tlie h o u se In A sto r s tr e e t
w ith n o b e tte r a d v is e r p u n W ussa-
quam .
Now, an d p e rh a p s hecuuse
th ey h ad n o t w arn ed him , lie hud m et
in ju ry a n d , it m ig h t lie, m ore th a n
m ere i n j u r y ; lie m ig h t he dying.
S o m eth in g w hich hud d istu rb e d and
ex cited A iun hud h ap p en ed to him on
file first n ig h t h e h ud p asse d in th a t
h o u se ; an d now , it a p p e a re d , lie hud
been p re v e n te d fro m p u ssin g a second
n ig h t th e re . W h at h ad p re v e n te d him
h ad been a n a tte m p te d ro b b ery upon
th e s tre e t, h e r f a th e r h ad sa id . B ut
su p p o se it h ad been so m e th in g else
th an robbery.
S he c«»uld n o t fo rm u la te m ore d ef­
in itely th is th o u g h t, b u t it p e r s is te il;
sh e could not deny it en tire ly and
sh a k e it off.
T o A lan C onrad, in th e la te a f t e r ­
noon of tliu t day, th is sa m e th o u g h t
w as com ing f a r m ore d efin itely and f a r
m ore p e rs is te n tly . H e h a d been aw ak e
am i sa n e sin c e sh o rtly a f t e r noonday.
T lie p ain o f a h ead w hich ach ed tliroh-
bingly an d o f u body b ru ise d a n d so re
w as b eg in n in g to give fllace to a fe e l­
ing m erely of la ssitu d e — u la n g u o r
w hich re v isite d in co h eren ce upon him
w hen h e trie d to th in k . T h e m an w ho
had a s sa ile d Him h a d m e a n t to k i l l ;
he h ad n o t been an y o rd in a ry robber.
T h a t p u rp o se, blin d ly reco g n ized and
fo u g h t a g a in s t by A lan in th e ir s tr u g ­
gle, h a d been u n m ista k a b le . O nly th e
ch an ce p re se n c e of p a sse rsb y , w ho had
h e a rd A la n ’s sh o u ts a n d resp o n d ed to
them , h ad p re v e n te d th e ex ecu tio n of
h is p u rp o se, an d h ad d riv en tlie m an
to s w ift flight fo r h is ow n sa fe ty .
A little b e fo re six C o n sta n c e S h e r­
rill an d S p e a rm a n called to in q u ire
a f te r him an d w ere a d m itte d fo r a few
m o m en ts to his room . S he cam e to
him , b e n t o v er him , w h ile sh e sp o k e
th e few w o rd s o f sy m p a th y tlie n u rse
allo w ed to h e r ; sh e sto o d back th en
w hile S p e a rm a n sp o k e to him . In th e
su cceed in g d a y s h e sa w h e r n early
ev ery day , acco m p an ied a lw a y s by h er
f a th e r o r S p e a rm a n ; it w a s th e full
tw o w eeks th e d o c to rs h ad In sisted on
Ids re m a in in g in tlie h o sp ita l b efo re he
saw h e r alone.
T h ey h ad b ro u g h t him hom e, th e
day b efo re— sh e an d h e r f a th e r, in th e
m o to r— to th e ho u se on A sto r stre e t.
He had in sisted on r e tu rn in g th ere,
re fu s in g th e room in th e ir h o u se w hich
th ey had o ffe re d ; b u t th e d o cto r had
en jo in ed o u td o o rs an d m o d e ra te e x e r ­
cise fo r him , an d sh e h ad m ad e him
p ro m ise to com e an d w alk w ith her.
He w en t to tlie S h e rrill h o u se ab o u t
ten o'clock, an d th ey w alk ed n o rth ­
w ard to w a rd th e p ark .
“T h e re Is so m e th in g I h av e been
w a n tin g to a sk yo u ,” s h e sa id .
"Y es.”
“T h a t n ig h t w hen you w ere h u r t— it
w as fo r ro b b ery , they sa id . W h a t do
you th in k a b o u t It?”
S h e w atch ed
him n s he looked a t h e r an d th en
a w a y : b u t h is face w as co m p letely e x ­
p ressio n less.
“T lie p ro ceed in g s w ere n little too
ra p id fo r m e to ju d g e. M iss S h e rrill.”
"B u t th e re w as no d em an d upon yon
to give o v er y o u r m oney b e fo re you
w e re a tta c k e d ? ”
"N o.”
S he b re a th e d n little m o re quickly?
“ It m u st be a s tra n g e se n sa tio n ." sh e |
o b serv ed , " to know th a t som e one h a s
trie d to kill you.”
"It m u st. Indeed.**
"Y ou m ean you d id n ’t th in k th a t
n e trie d to kill y o u ?”
‘‘1 w a s h a rd ly in a co n d itio n . M iss
S h e rrill, to a p p re c ia te a n y th in g about
th e nm n a t all. W hy d o y ou ns!;?”
“ B e cau se— " S he hesitate«! an in ­
s t a r t . " I f you w ere a tta c k e d to be
killed, it m e a n t th a t y ou m u st h a v e
been a tla e k e d n s th e s«*n o f— Mr. C o r­
vet.
'X hen th a t m e a n t— a t least it
impllc-1 - t h a t Mr. C o rv et w a s killed,
th a t h e <li«l not go aw ay . You see
th a t. «*f co u rse.”
“ W ere v o r th e only o n e w ho th o u g h t
th a t? O r d id som e one sp e a k t«» you
ab o u t It?”
“ No «»ne d i d ; I sp o k e to fa th e r. H e
th o u g h t— ”
“ Y es.”
"W ell, if Mr. C o rv et w as m u rd e re d —
I’m follow ing w h at f a th e r th o u g h t, yon
u n d e r s ta n d — it involved so m e th in g a
good deal w o rse perhaips th a n a n y ­
th in g th a t could h av e been involved If
h e h ad only gone aw ay . T h e fa c ts we
h ad m ad e it c e rta in t h a t — if w h a t h ad
h ap p en ed to him w a s d e a th a t th e
h a n d s of a n o th e r—h e m u st h av e fo re ­
seen th a t «ieath an d . seek in g no p ro ­
te c tio n fo r h im self . . . it im plied,
th a t he p re fe rre d to die r a th e r th a n to
ask p ro tectio n — th a t th e re w as som e­
th in g w h o se co n cealm en t he th o u g h t
m a tte re d even m ore to him th a n life.
I t — It m ig h t h a v e m ean t th a t h e con-
sld e re d h is l'f e w as . . . d u e to w hom ­
ev e r took It.” H e r voice, w h ich h ad
w as sp eak in g to A inu of ids lu th e r — a
f a th e r whom lie had n ev er know n, an d
■ whom he could riot h av e recognized by
sig h t u n til sh e show ed him th e p ic tu re
a few w eek s b e fo re ; b u t sh e w as
sp e ak i;.g a f h is fa th e r.
"M r. S h e rrill d id n ’t feel th a t it w as
n ecessa ry fo r him to do a n y th in g , even
th o u g h lie th o u g h t th a t? ”
" I f 31 r. C o rv et w as dead, w e could
do him no good, su rely , by tellin g th is
to th e p o lic e ; if tlie police succeeiled
in finding out all tlie fa c ts, w e w ould
he doing only w h at U ncle B enny did
n o t w ish — w h a t h e [»referred d e a th to.
W e could n o t tell th e police u b o u t it
w ith o u t te llin g them ull a b o u t M r. C or­
vet, too. So f a th e r w ould not 1*»» him ­
se lf b eliev e th a t you h a d been a tta c k e d
to be killed. H e h a d to b eliev e th e
police th eo ry w as sufficient.”
A lan m ad e no co m m en t a t once.
“ W utfsaqunm b eliev es M r. C o rv et is
d e a d .” lie sa id finally. “H e told me so.
Does y o u r fu tlie r believe t h a t? ”
"I th in k he is b eg in n in g to believe
it.”
‘‘I’ve n o t t«»ld an y on e,” he sa id , now
w atch in g h er, "how I h ap p en ed to he
«nit o f th e h ouse th a t n ig h t. I follow ed
a m an w ho cam e th e re to tlie house.
W assaq u a m did n o t know h is nam e.
H e did not know Mr. C orvet w a s g o n e ;
fo r h e cam e th e re to see M r. C o rv et.
H e w as not a n o rd in a ry frie n d o f Mr.
C o rv et’s ; b u t h e h ad com e th e re o ften .
W assaq u am did n o t know w hy. Was*
saq u u n i iiad sen t tlie m an aw ay , an d
I ru n out a f t e r H im ; b u t I could n o t
fin«l him .”
H e sto p p e d an in s ta n t, stu d y in g h er.
" T h a t w as n o t th e first m an w ho cam e
to th e h o u se,” h e w ent on q u ick ly , a s
sh e w as a b o u t to sp eak . “ I found a
m an in Mr. C o rv e t’s ho u se th e first
n ig h t th a t 1 sp e n t th e re . W assaq u am
w as aw ay , you rem em b er, an d I w as
alo n e in th e h o u se.”
"A m an th e re in th e h o u se ?” sh e re ­
p eated .
"H e w a s g oing th ro u g h M r. C o rv e t’s
tilin g s— n o t th e silv e r a n d all th a t. Hut
th ro u g h h is d e s k s an d files an d cases.
H e w as looking fo r so m e th in g — so m e ­
th in g w hich he seem ed to w a n t v ery
m u c h ; w hen I In te rfe re d , it g re a tly ex ­
cited him .
I frig h te n e d him .
He
th o u g h t I w as a g h o st.”
"A g h o st. W hose g h o st? ”
H e sh ru g g ed . “ I d o n ’t k n o w ; som e
one whom h e seem ed to h a v e know n
p re tty w ell— a n d whom M r. C o rv e t
knew , he th o u g h t.”
"W h y d id n 't you tell us tills b e fo re ? ”
"A t le a s t— I am te llin g you now.
M iss S h errill. I frig h te n e d him , an d
h e got aw ay . B u t I h a d seen him
p la in ly .
I can d esc rib e him . . . .
You’ve ta lk e d w ith y o a r f a th e r o f th e
possib ility th a t so m e th in g m ig h t ‘h ap ­
p en ’ to m e such ns, p e rh a p s, h ap p en eil
to Mr. C orvet. If a n y th in g does h a p ­
pen to me, a d e sc rip tio n of th e m an
m ay . . . p ro v e u se fu l.”
T h en c le a rly a n d d efin itely n s he
could, he d escrib ed S p earm an to her.
She did not recognize th e d e s c rip tio n ;
lie h ad know n sin* w ould not. H a d n o t
S p earm an been in D u lu th ?
B eyond
th a t, w as n o t co n n ectio n of S p e a rm a n
w ith th e p ro w le r in C o rv et’s h o u se th e
one co n n ectio n o f air m o st difficult fo r
h e r to m ak e?
T h ey w ere sile n t a s th ey w en t on to-
w a rd h e r hom e, lie h ad sa id all he
could, o r d a re d to s a y ; to tell h e r th a t
th e m an h ad b een S p earm an w ould not
m erely h av e aw ak e n ed h e r in c re d u li­
ty ; it w ould h av e d estro y ed cred en ce
u tte rly . A d efinite ch an g e in th e ir re ­
latio n to o n e a n o th e r h ad ta k e n p lace
d u rin g th e ir w alk. T h e fu lln e ss, th e
fra n k n e s s o f th e sy m p a th y th e re h ad
been betw een th em alm o st fro m th e 1
first m eetin g , h ad g o n e ; sh e w as
q u ite aw a re , lie saw , th a t he h ad not
fra n k ly a n s w e re d h e r q u e s tio n s ; she
w a s a w a re th a t in som e w ay he had
d ra w n h a rk fro m h e r an d sh u t h er
W hy Men
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Look fo r the nam e G old Mortal on every b ox
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G re a t E x p e c ta tio n s.
Y oung D o cto r— Look here, Isabel,
co n sid erin g th a t I h a v e ju s t s ta rte d
p ra c tic in g , is n ’t th a t s tr in g of p earls
r a th e r a n e x tra v a g a n c e ?
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In y o u r f u tu re su c cess.”— Life.
A ny fish a boy c a tc h e s ta s te s good
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Mrs. J. Stingley
NMHUP
Ifc iP
« .W ill
a y itiia
" I t M ust Be a S tra n g e S e n sa tio n ,'’ She
O bserv ed , “to Know T h a t Som eone
H a s T rie d to Kill You.”
out fn»tn h is th o u g h ts ab o u t h is own
p o sition here. B u t he h ad know n th a t
th is m u st he so ; it h a d been Ids first
d efin ite re a liz a tio n a f te r his r e tu rn
to co n scio u sn ess in th e h o sp ital w hen,
know ing now h e r re latio n to S p e a r­
m an. h»* h ad fo u n d all q u e stio n s w hich
co n cern ed his relati«»ns w ith th e peo­
ple h ere ma«le Im m e asu rab ly m ore
a c u te by th e attn«*k upon him.
She ask ed him t«> com e in nn«l s ta y
fo r luncheon, a s th ey rea c h e d h e r
hom e, b u t sh e ask ed it w ith o u t u rg ­
in g ; a t h is re fu s a l sh e m oved slow ly
up tn e ste p s.
"Y ou get B en C urvet;
t e l l Kim L u k e ' s h e r e ! ’*
you
B a k ersfield , C a lif. — “ D r. P ie r c e ’»
F a v o r ite P re s c rip tio n h a s been a g ro a t
help to m e n s a to n ic a n d n e rv in e a n d
I am g la d to giv e it m.v reco m m en d a­
tio n .
M y h e a lth h a d becom e v ery
p o o r; I w a s su ffe rin g w ith in w a rd
w eak n e ss, w as n erv o u s, co u ld n o t
sleep, an d lo st my a p p e tite . I w a s
w eak an d su ffered w ith b a c k a c h e s an d
p a in s In tny sid e an d m y lim b s ach ed .
I w as a p h y sic al w reck w h en I b eg a n
ta k in g th e ‘F a v o rite P re s c rip tio n ’ h u t
It co m p letely c u re d m e o f all my w e a k ­
n ess a n d b u ilt m e u p in to a good
h e a lth y , s tro n g co n d itio n ." — M rs. J.
S tin g ley , 2128 Q St.
Go no w to y o n r n e a r e s t d ru g sto re
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send 10c fo r tr ia l pkg. to D r. P ie rc e 's
In v a lid s’ H otel, in Ruffnlo, N. Y., an d
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tg ^ T O K B E W "
CASCARA 1 Q U I N I N E
t l f M L B ’S <t aedaf« CmH tm i U GrtMO
“
MBatff. r . « . . . » r,4 M
Mr.
| i i r i parlraM M « V f.e l.r e .
W. R.
mu.
C0M7AXY. DET10TT
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m