The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-04-27


now and then took it from his lips and
gestured with it between his fingers.
as he jerked some ejaculation across
the table.
Corvet leaned over to the frosted
window. as he had done when alone.
and looked out. Spearman shot com
ment which made Corvet vince and
draw back from the window; then
Spearman rose. Corvet looked up ;:l
him once and asked question. to
which Spearman replied with snap
Of the burnt match down on the table;
he turned abruptly and strobe from
the room. Corvet sat motionless.
The revulsion to self-control, some
times even to apology. which ordina-
rily followed COrvet's bursts of irrita-
ton had not come to him; his agita-
ton plainly had increased. He pushed
from him his uneaten luncheon and
got up slowly. He went out to the
coat re0pA WAara ths attendant hand
co nm nis coat ana hat.
He WINGED as he stepped out into
the smarting. binding swirl of sleet,
but his shrinking was not physical; it
was mental, the unconscious reaction
to some thought the storm called up.
The hour was barely four o'clock, but
SO dark was 1t with the storm that
the shop windows were lit; motorcars.
slipping and skidding up the broad
boulevard. with headlights burning,
kept their signals Gathering con
stantly to warn other drivers blinded
by the snow. The sleet-swept side
walks were almost deserted; here or
there. before hotel or one of the
shops. a limousine came to the curb.
and the passengers dashed swiftly
across the walk to shelter.
Corvet turned northward along
Michigan avenue, facing into the gale
The sleet beat upon his face and
lodged in the folds of his clothing
without his needing it.
He continued to go north. He had
not seemed, in the beginning, to have
made conscious choice of this direc-
ton but now he was following 1t pur-
posely. He stopped once at shop
which sold mems things to make a tel
ephone call. He asked for Miss Sher-
rill when the number answered; but
he did not wish to speak to her, he
said; he wanted merely to be sure she
would be there II he stopped in to
see her in half an hour. Then-north
again. He crossed the bridge. Now.
fifteen minutes later, he came in sight
Of the lake once more.
Great houses, the Sheriff. house
bride path, the strip of park, and the
wide stone esplanade which edges the
lake. Covert crossed to this espla-
made. He did not stop at the Sheriff.
house or look toward 1t, but went on
fully quarter of a mile beyond it
then he came back. and with an oddly
strained and queer expression and at.
titude, he stood staring out into the
lake.
Suddenly he turned. Constance
Sheriff., seeing him from a window Of
her home, had caught a cape about her
and run out to him.
Uncle Benny!" she hailed him with
the affectionate name she had used
with her fathers partner since she
was baby. uncle Benny, aren't
you coming in?"
"Yes," he said vaguely. "Yes, OF
course" He made no move but re
mained staring at her. "Connie! hi
exclaimed suddenly, with strange re
proach to himself in his tone. "Con
ME! Dear little Conniew
"Why7" she asked him "Uncle
Benny. what's the matter?"
HAS Spearman been here today?'
he asked. not looking at her.
'To see father?"
mo; to see you"
mo"
He seized her wrist. Don't see
him, when he comes!" he commanded
"Uncle Bennyl'
Don't see. himl" Corvet repeated.
"IIe's asked you to marry him. hasn't
he?"
Connie could not refuse the answer.
"Yes."
"And your"
"Why-why. Uncle Benny, I haven't
answered him yet"
'Then don't-don't, do you under
stand, CONNER"
She hesitated frightened for him.
"I'll-Tll tell you before 1 see him. II
you want me to, Uncle Benny" she
granted.
"But if you shouldn't be able to tell
me then. Connie; If you shouldn't
want to then?' The humility of his
look perplexed her; If he had been
any other man-any man except Uncle
Benny-she would have thought some
shameful and terrifying threat hung
over him; but he broke Off sharply
81 must go home" he said uncertainty