The Dolores star., 1922-07-07
CHAPTER VIl-Continued.

TIN afraid you've taken rather
bad time. Lawrence. Can't we get to-
gether later-this afternoon? You'll
be about here this afternoon?"
Il think l can be here this after
noon" Alan said.
Let's say two-thirty, then" Spear
man turned and noted the hour almost
soIicitously among the scrawled ap-
pointments on his desk pad 4; straight
ening. after this act of dismissal, he
walked with them to the door, his
hand on Sherrilrs shoulder.
circumstances have put us-Mr.
Sheriff. and u,yseIf-in u very diff
cuis position, Conrad" he remarked
1--WE want much to be fair to all CON
cerned-"
He did not finish the sentence but
halted al the door Sheriff. went out,
and Alan followed him; exasperation
half outrage yet half udmirutiou-at
Spearmau'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 Sherrill's shoulder.
Alan had not seemed TO feel again that
big hand at his throat-he would al
most have been ready to believe that
chiS was not the man whom he had
fought. But he could not doubt that I;
ne had recognized Spearmau beyond
question. And Spearrnan had recog-
nized him-he was sure of that; he
could not for an instant doubt it (;
Ial IL
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 e1-
ceeding Alan's most extrayagant
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 Corvets
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.
Spearman had cried out in horror, he
had screamed at him the name of q
sunken ship, and In terror had hurled
his electric torch. 1t was true. Spear.
mans terror had not been at Alan Con.
rad: it had been because Spearman
had mistaken him for some one else
for a ghost. But. after learning that
Alan was not a ghost, Spearman's 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 1t went. He took up the re
celver and asked for Spearman.
A voice answered-"Yes."
Alan said. evenly: 81 think you and
I had better have talk before We
meet with Mr.. Sheriff. this afternoon
1 am here In Mr.. Corvet's office now
and will be here for half an hour
then I'm going out"
Spearman made no reply. but huns
up the receiver. Alan sat waiting. hi:
watch upon the desk before him
tense. expectant. with fiushes Of ho
and cold passing over him. Ten min
utes passed: then twenty. The tele
phone under Corvet's desk buzzed.
"Mr. Spearman says he will Civ,
you five minutes now" the switchboard
girl said.
Alan breathed deep with relief
Spearman had wanted to refuse to se,
him-but he had not refused: he hat
sent for him within the time Alan hat
appointed and after waiting until jus
before It expired.