The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-03-25
CONTINUED from last issue)


I have the right to know. Yesterday,
even before you found out about this,
|ycu knew things you weren't telling
MEETINGS about the people you'd
been seeing They'd all lost people on
The lakes, you said; but you found out
more than that"
They'd all lost people on the MI
xaka!" he said "All who could tell
me where their people were lost; n
few were like Jo Papo we saw yester-
day, who knew only the year his father
was lost; but the time always was the
time that the Miwaka disappeared"
disappeared! she repeated. Her
veins were pricking cold. What did he
know, what could any one know of the
Miwaka. the ship Of which nothing
ever was heard except the heating Of
the Indian Drum? She tried to make
him say more but he looked away now
down to the lake.
1.-THE Chippewa must have come in
early this morning." he said. "She's
lying in the harbor; saw her on my
way to the telegraph Office. If Mr..
Spearman has come back with her. tell
him I'm sorry can't wait to see him.
when are you golng?"
"Now."
She offered to drive him to Petos-
key, but he already had arranged for
Il man to take him to the train.
She went to her room after he was
gone and spread out again on her bed
the watcll-now the watch of Captain
stafford Of the Miwaka-with the
knife and coins of more than twenty
years ago which came with 1t. The
meaning Of them now was all changed; ;
she felt that but what the new mean
ing might be could not yet come to
her Something OF it had come to Alan;
that, undoubtedly, was what had 80
greatly stirred him; but she could not
yet reassemble her ideas. Yet a few
facts had become plain.
A maid came to say that Mr.. Spear
man had come up from his boat for
breakfast with her and was down.
stairs. She went down to find Henry
lounging In one Of the great wicker
chairs in the living room. He arose
and came toward her quickly; but she
halted before he could seize her.
whats wrong, dear:"
"Alan Conrad has been here, Henry"
He has? How was that?"
She told him while he watched her
intently. HE wired to Buffalo about
the watch. He got reply which he
brought to me half an hour ago."
"YesT'
"The watch belonged to Captain
Stafford who was lost with the Mi
waka, Henry"
He. made no reply; but waited.
"YOu may not have known that 1t
was his; mean. you may not have
known that it was he who rescued the
people of the Winnebago, but you must
have known that Uncle Benny didn't"
Eyes; l knew that, Connie" he an
swerd evenly.
'"Then why did you let me think the
watch was his and that he must be
dead:"
"That's alrs the matter? You had
Thought he was dead. believed it was
better for you--for every one--to be-
lieve that"
She drew a little away from him,
with hands clasped behind her back.
gazing intently Mt him. There was
some writing found In Uncle Benny's
house In AstOr Street-a list OF names
!!of relatives Of people who had lost
their lives upon the lake. WassaQuam
knew where those things were Alan
says they were given to him in your
prescnce. Why didn't you tell me
about that?'
He Strengthened as II with anger.
"Why should I? Because he thought
TINT l should? What did he tell you
about those lists"
""NOthing-eXcept that his father
had kept them very secretly: but he's
found out they were names of people
who had relatives on the Miwaka!"
"What?"
Recalling how her blood had run
when Alan had told her that, Henry's
;whiteness and the following suffusion
of his face did not surprise her. Ssi
II told that fellow long ago not to
start stirring these matters up about
Ben COrvet, and particularly L told
him that he was not to bring any Of 1t
TO you. It's not--a thing that man
like Ben covered up for twenty years
till it drove him crazy Is sure not to
be thing for a girl to know. Let It
alone, / tell you.'s
She stood flushed and perplexed,
gazing at him. She never had seen him
under stronger emotion.
...You misunderstood me once, Con-
nie!' he appealed. You'll understand
ME how!"
=. She, had been thinking about that
injustice. she had done him in her
.thought-about his chivnlry to his
partner and former benefactor, when
Uncle Benny was still keeping his
place among men. Was Henry now
moved. in "a way which she could not
understand, by some other obligation
to the man who long ago had aided
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