Licking Valley courier., 1922-03-30

him something more about them; but |
she seemed to decide to leave that for |
her father to do. She crossed to the |
big chair beside the CRATE and seated
herself. As she sat looking at him,
hands clasped beneath her chin, and
her elbows resting On the arm OF the
chair, there was speculation and in
terest In her gaze; but she did not
ask him anything more about himself.
She, he saw. was listening, like him
self, for the sound of Sherrilrs ar
rival at the house; and when 1t came
she recognized It first, rose, and ex-
cused herself. He heard her voice In
the hall, then her fathers deeper voice
which answered; and ten minutes
later. he looked up to see the man
these things had told him must be
Sheriff. standing In the door and look
ing at him.
Alan had arisen at sight of him;
Sheriff., as he came In, motioned him
back to his seat; he did not sit down
himself, but crossed to the mantel and
leaned against It.
II am Lawrence Sheriff." he said.
As the tall. graceful, thoughtful
man stood looking down at him, Alan
could tell nothing Of the attitude Of
this friend Of Benjamin Corvet to-
ward himself. His manner had the
same reserve toward Alan. the same
questioning consideration Of him, that
Constance Sheriff. had had after Alan
had told her about himself.
my daughter has repeated to me
what you told her. Mr.. Conrad"
Sheriff. observed. "Is there anything
you want to add to me regarding
thatf
There's nothing can add" Alan
answered. II told her all that l know
about myself"
"And about Mr.. CorvetT
II know nothing at all about Mr..
Corvet."
II am going to tell you some things
about Mr. Corvet," Sheriff. said. II
had reason-I do not want to explain
just yet what that reason was-for
thinking you could tell US certain
things about Mr.. Corvet, which would,
perhaps, make palmer what has hap
pened to him. When I tell you about
him now. Il is In the hope that. In
that way, may awake some forgotten
memory of him in you; II not that,
you may discover some coincidence OF
dates or events In Cervet's life with
dates or events In your own Will you
tell me frankly, II you do discover any
thing like thatr
"Yes; certainly"
For several moments, Sheriff. paced
\ up and down before the fre; then he
returned to his place before the
mantel.
81 FIRST met Benjamin Corvet." ht
commenced, NEARLY thirty years ago
/ had come West for the first time
the year before; was about your owl
age and had been graduated from
college only q short time. and a busi
ness opening had offered itself here
Times were booming on the Great
Lakes. Chicago, which had more thar
recovered from the fire. was doubling
Its population every decade; Cleve
land, Duluth, and Milwaukee wer,
Leaping up as ports. Men were grow
Img millions Of bushels Of grain which
rhey couldn't ship except by lake
hundreds OF thousands Of tons Of or
had to 20 by water; and there wer'
tens OF millions OF feet Of pine ant
hardwood from the Michigan forests
Sailing vessels. II is true, had seeI
their day and were disappearing fron
the lakes; were being 'sold,' many o
them. as the saying is, to the lnsur
Iance companies by deliberate wreck
ing. Steamers were taking their place
Towing had come In. ! felt, younI
man though ! was. that this trans
portation matter was al one thing
and that In the end the railroad
would own the ships. ! have neve
engaged very actively In the operates
" the ships; my daughter would lik
me to be more active In It than l hav
been; but ever since, l have hH
money In lake vessels. 1t was III
year that l began that sort Of lnves'
ment that first met Corvet."
Alan looked up quickly. "Mr. Col
vet was-T" he asked.
"Corvet was-is q lakeman," Shel
rill said.
Alan sat motionless, as he reco
lscted the strange exaltation that ha
come to him when he saw the LAX
for the first time. Should he te
Sheriff. Of thatf He decided II wa
too vague, too indefinite to be mel
toned; no doubt any other man use
only to the prairie might have felt u
same.
HE was 4 shipowner, then," }
said.
ayes; he was a shlpowner-no
however, on large scale ut that tim
He had been master, sailing shlI
: which belonged to others; then
, had sailed one OF his own. He WI
operating then. I believe, two vessel
, but with the boom times on the lake
his interests were beginning to e
pand. ! met him frequently In d
9 next few years. and We became clio
friends"
Sheriff. broke of and stared an
slant down at the rug. Alan be
e forward; he made no interruption b
d only watched Sheriff. attentlvely.
Between 1885, when l first met hi
= and 1895, Corvet laid the foundation
great success; his boats seemed lucl
men liked 10 work for him, and
(, got the best sklppers and crews. The
g was a saying that In storm a Cory
l. ship never asked help; II gave
j certainly In twenty years no Corr
70 ship had suffered serious dlsast
! Corvet was not yet rich, but unl'
I. accident or undue competition Int
4. yened, he was certain TO become