The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-08-24


Is coming soon. now"
Were going to leave here. Judah?"
"Yes, Alan"
citement stirred him, and he turned to
Wassaquam to ask that but suddenly
he hesitated and did not inquire.
Wassaquam brought the mackinaw
and cap which Alan had worn on Num-
Der %; he took from the bed the new
blankets which had been furnished by
Sheriff.. They waited until a farmer
appeared driving team hitched to a
low, wide-runnered sled. The Indian
settled Alan on the sled, and they
drove Off
They Travelled south along the shore.
rounded into Little Traverse bay, and
the houses of Harbor Point appeared
among their pines. The sled proceed
ed across the edge of the bay to the
little city; even before leaving the bay
ice. Alan saw Constance and her ia
ther; they were walking at the water
front near the railway station, and
they came out on the ice as they recog-
nized the occupants of the sled.
Alan felt himself alternately weak
and reused to strength as he saw her.
Their eyes encountered, and hers
looked away; sudden shyness, which
sent his heart leaping, had come over
her. He wanted to speak to her. to
make some recognition to her of what
she had done, but he did not dare to
trust his voice; and she seemed to un-
derstand that. He turned to Sheriff.
instead. An engine and tender coupled
to a single car stood at the railway
station.
"We're going to Chicago?" he in
quired of Sheriff..
mot yet, Alan-to st. Ignace. Fa-
ther Perron-the priest, you know
went to st. Ignace as soon as he recov-
cred from his exposure. He sent word
to me that he wished to see me at my
convenience told him that we would
so to him as soon as you were able"
"He sent no other word than that?"
"Only that he had very grave COM
munication to make to u.s."
Alan did not ask more; at mention
of Father Perron he had seemed to feel
himself once more among the crashing,
charging freight cars on the ferry and
to see Benjamin Corvet. pinned amid
the wreckage and speaking into the ear
of the priest.
1t was not merely a confessional
which Father Perron had taken from
the lips of the dying man on Number
%; it was an accusation of crime
against another man as well and the
confession and accusation both had
been made, not only to gain forgive
ness from God, but to right terrible
wrongs. If the confession left soms
) things unexplained, it did not lack con
firmation; the priest had learned
enough to be certain that 1t was Z.
; hallucination of madness. He had beei
charged definitely to repeat what ha,
been told him to the persons he wa
now going to meet; so he watched ex
pectantly upon the railway station
platform at st. Ignace. A tall, hand
some man whom Father Perrol
thought must be the Mr.. Sheriff. will
whom he had communicated appeared
upon the car platform; the young mar
from Number 25 followed him, end the
two helped down a young and beauti'
full girl.
They recognized the priest by his
dress and came toward him at once.
Mr.. Sherrill?" Father Perron in.
quired.
Sheriff. assented, taking the priests
hand and introducing his daughter.
81 am glad to see you safe, Mr.. Stat
ford" The priest had turned to Alan
1--WE have thanks to offer up for that
you and Ir'
II am his son, then! thought that
must be So"
Alan trembled at the priests sign Of
confirmation. There was no shock of
surprise in this; he had suspected ever
since August, when Captain Stafford's
watch and the wedding ring had SC
strangely come to Constance, that he
might be Stafford's son. He looked al
Constance. as they followed the priest
to the motor which was waiting to
take them to the house of old Father
Benitot, whose guest Father Perron
was; she was very quiet. What would
that grave statement which Father
Perron was to make to them mean to
him-to Alan? Would further knowl-
edge about that father whom he had
not known. but whose blood was his
and whose name he now must bear
bring pride or shame to him?
A bell was tolling somewhere. as
they followed the priest into Father
Benitot's small, bare room which had
been prepared for their interview. Fa-
ther Perron went to desk and took
therefrom some notes which he had
made.
What 1 have" he said, speaking
more particularly to Sheriff., "is the
terrible, not fully coherent statement
of dying man. 1t has given me names