The Ordway new era., 1922-06-23
CHAPTER VIl-continued.

'Tm afraid you've taken rather a
bad time, Lawrence. Can't we get to-
gether later-this afternoon? You'll
be about here this afternoon?"
~ think I can be here this after
noon" Alan said.
Lets say two-thirty, then" Spear
man turned and noted the hour almost
soIicitOusly among the scrawled ap-
pointments on his desk pad; straight
ening, after this act of dismissal, he
walked with them to the door, his
hand on Sherrill's shoulder.
Circumstances have put us-Mr.
Sheriff. and nyself-in a very diff
cult position, Conrad" he remarked
1--WE want much to be fair to all con-
cerned-"
He did not finish the sentence, but
halted at the door. Sheriff. went out,
and Alan followed him; evaporation
half outrage yet half admiration-at
Spearman's bearing, held Alan speech
less. If every movement of Spear
mans great, handsome body had not
recalled to him their struggle of the
night before-if, as Spearman's hand
rested cordially on Sherrilrs shoulder,
Alan had not seemed to feel again that
big hand at his throat-he would al
most have been ready to believe that
this was not the man whom he had
fought. But he could not doubt that
he had recognized Spearman beyond
question. And Spearrnan had recog
nized him-he was sure of that; he
could not for an instant doubt it Z;
Spearman had known it was Alan
whom he had fought in Corvet's house
even before Sheriff. had brought them
together. Was there not further proof
of that in Spearman's subsequent man
ner toward him? For what was all
this cordiality except defiance?
Power and pOssession-both far ex-
ceeding Alan's most extravagant
dream-were promised him by those
papers which Sheriff. had shown him.
When he had read down the list of
those properties he had had no more
feeling that such things could be his
than he had mad at first that Corvet's
house could be his-until he had heard
the intruder moving in that house.
And now it was the sense that another
was going TO make him fight for those
properties that was bringing to him
the realization of his new power. He
"had" something on that man-on
Spearman. He did not know what that
thing was; no stretch of his thought,
nothing that he knew about himself
or others, could tell him; but, at sight
of him, in the dark of Corvets house,
Iad
had screamed at him the name of a
sunken ship, and In terror had hurled
his electric torch. 1t was true, Spear
mans terror had not been at Alan Con-
rad 1t had been because Spearman
had mistaken him for some one else
for ghost. But, after learning that
Alan was not ghost, Spearmans at
titude had not very greatly changed !;
he had fought, he had been willing to
kill rather than to be caught there.
Alan thought an instant; he would
make sure he still had" that some
thing on Spearman and would learn
how far it went. He took up the re-
ceiver and asked for Spearman.
A voice answered-"Yes."
Alan said, evenly: II think you and
I had better have talk before we
meet with Mr.. Sheriff. this afternoon.
am here In Mr.. Corvet's office now
and will be here for half an hour.
then I'm going out"
Speerman made no reply, but hung
up the receiver. Alan sat waiting, his
watch upon the desk before him
tense. expectant, with fiushes Of hot
and cold passing over him. Ten min
utes passed; then twenty. The tele.
phone under Corvet's desk buzzed.
'Mr. Spearman says he will give
you i've minutes now" the switchboard
girl said.
Alan breathed deep with relief
Spearman had wanted to refuse to set
hIm--bpt he had not refused; he had
sent. for him within the time Alan had
appointed and after waiting until Just
ssfore u expired.