The spectator., 1922-06-13

bered that she would be north at Har- bor Point this month; he had seen in one of the Petoskey papers that she and her mother were at the Sherrill summer home. His business now was taking him nearer them than he had been at any time before and if he wished to weaken, he might convince himself that he might learn from her circumstances which would aid him In his task. But he was not going to her for help; that was following in his fla ther's footsteps. When he knew every thing, then-noe till then-he could go to her; for then he would know exact ly what was upon him and what he should do.
 His visits to the people named on those sheets written by his father had been confusing at first; he had had them at all and, afterward, he could uncover no certain connection either between them and Benjamin Corvet or between themselves. But recently, he had been succeeding better in this lat ter.
 He had seen--he reckoned them over again-fourteen of the twenty-one named originally on Benjamin Cor vets lists; that Is, he had seen either the individual originally named or the surviving relative written in below the name crossed off. He had found that the crossing out of the name meant that the person was dead except in the case of two who had left the coun- try and whose whereabouts were as unknown to their present relatives as they had been to Benjamin Corvet, and the case of one other, who was In an insane asylum.
 He had found that no one of the persons whom he saw had known Ben jamin Corvet personally; many of them did not know him at all, the others knew him only as name. But, when Alan proceeded, always there was one connotation with each of the original names; always one cir cumstance bound all together. When
 
 as influencing the fortunes of the first two on his lists. he had said to him. self as the blood pricked queerly un- der the skin. that the fact might be a mere coincidence. When he estab- lished 1t also as affecting the fate of the third and of the fourth and of the fifth. such explanation no longer sufficed; and he found 1t in common to all fourteen, sometimes as the de- ciding factor of their fate, sometimes as only slightly affecting them, but always IL was there.
 In how many different ways. In what strange, diverse manifestations that single circumstance had spread to these people whom Alan had inter- viewed No two of them had been affected alike, he reckoned as he went over his notes of them. Now he was going to trace those consequences to another To what sort of place would 1t bring him today and what would he find there? He knew only that 1t would be quite distinct from the rest
 The driver turned aside from the road across a cleared field where ruts showed the passing of many previous vehicles; crossing this, they entered the woods. Little fires for cooking burned all about them, and nearer were parked an immense number of farm wagons and buggies, with horses unharnessed and munching grain. Al ans guide found a place among these for his automobile, and they got out and went forward on foot. All about them. seated upon the moss or walk ing about, were Indians. family groups among which children played.
 Alan saw among these looking on, the bright dresses and sport coats of summer visitors who had come to watch. The figure of girl among stwrted; then swiftly he told himself that 1t was only his thinking of Con- stance Sherrill that made him believe this was she. But now she had seen him; she paled, then as quickly flushed. and leaving the group she had bttu WItH, Cdilc lUNdTu Iilitl,
 He had no choice now whether he would avoid her or not; and his hap piness at seeing her held him stupid, watching her. Her eyes were very bright and with something more than friendly greeting: there was happi- ness in them too. His throat shut together as he recognized this. and his hand closed warmly over the small, trembling hand which she put out to him. All his conscious thought was lost for the moment in the mere realization of her presence: he stood holding her hand, oblivious that there were people looking; she too seemed careless of that. Then she whtened again and withdrew her hand; she seemed slightly confused. He was con- fused as well; 1t was not like this that he had meant to greet her; he caught himself together.
 Cap in hand, he stood beside her, trying to look and to feel as any or I--A- n