The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-03-14
Continued from last issue)
CHAPTER VIII.
Violence.


At half-past three, Alan left the Of
fee. Sheriff. had told him an hour
earlier that Spearman had telephoned
be would not be able to get back for
a conference that afternoon and Alan
was certain now that in Spearmans
absence Sheriff. would do nothing
further with respect to his affairs.
Was there no one whom Alan could
tell Of his encounter with Spearman
In Corvet's house, with probability Of
receiving belief? Alan had not been
thinking directly Of Constance Sher-
irill, as he walked swiftly north to the
Drive; but she was, in a way, present
in all his thoughts. AS he approached
the Sheriff. house, he saw standing at
the curb an open roadster with 1iv-
,eried chauffeur; he had seen that road
Ister. he recognized with 4 little start,
lin front of the Office building that
morning when Constance had taken
him downtown. He turned into the
walk and rang the bell.
The servant who opened the door
knew him and seemed to accept his
right Of entry to the house, for he
drew back FOR Alan to enter. Alan
went into the hall and waited for the
servant to follow. as Miss Sheriff.
in?" he asked.
"Tll see, sir" The man dIsap-
lpeared. Alan, waiting, did not hear
sConstance's voice in reply to the an
nouncement of the servant, hut Spear
mans vigorous tones. The servant re-
turned. "Miss Sheriff. will see you in
a minute. sir"
Through the wide doorway to the
drawing room, Alan could see the
smaller, porticred entrance to the
room beyond-Sherrill's study. The
,curtains parted, and Constance and
Spearman came into this inner door
way; they stood an instant there in
talk. As Constance started away,
Spearman suddenly drew her back to
him and kissed her. Alan's shoulders
spontaneously jerked back and his
hands clenched; he did not look away
and. as she approached, she became
aware that he had seen.
She came to him, very quiet and
very flushed; then she was quite pale
las she asked him. "You wanted me?'
He was white as she. and could not
!speak at once. "YOu told me last night,
Miss Sheriff." he said, that the lasr
thing that Mr.. Corvct did--thc las
that YOU know of--was to warn W n
against one Of your friends. Who W as
Ithat?"
She flushed uneasily. "You mus tn't
attach any Importance to that; I 81 dn',
'mean you to-. There was no reasfI, for
what Mr.. Corvet said, except il Mr.
'Corvet's own mind. He had ~ quite
unreasonable animOsity-"
: against Mr. Spearman, yous. mean. II
She did not answer.
"IIis luminosity was aInim;t Mr.
Spearman. Miss Sheriff., was Mt 1t?
That IS the only animosVy Of AIr. Cor
vets that anyone has told me- about.
) "Yes."
ut was against NJ. spearmaat tina
he warned you, thep.?"
;: 'sYes."'' o.
e.; 'Thank. YOU" He turned and, no
waiting for the man. let himself out
He should have known it when he hat
seen that SpeSrman, after ansouncin,
himself as M able to get back to thu
office, was With Constance.
He went swiftly around the block Il
his own house and let himself: in at thu
front door with his key. The house
was warm; shade ed lamp on the table
in the larger library was lighted, fire
was burning in the open CRATE, and thu
rooms had been swept and busted. Thu
lndiaR caHle into the hall to take hi:
coz and hat.