The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-03-30
boulevard, With headliphts nrrr,hs


shops, Limousine came to the curb.
anu the passengers dashed swiftly
across the walk to shelter.
Corvet turned northward along
Michigan avenue, facing into the gale.
The sleet beat upon his face and
lodged In the folds Of his clothing
without his needing It.
He continued to go north. He had
not seemed, I'm the beginning, to have
made conscious choice of this direc-
uon; but now he was following it pur-
posely. He stopped once at a shop
which sold mems thugs to make a tel
ephone call. He asked for Miss Sber-
rill when the number answered; but
he did not wish to speak to her, he
said; he wanted merely to be sure she
would be there If he stopped I'm to
see her In half an hour. Then-north
again. He crossed the bridge. Now.
fifteen minutes later, he came I'm sight
OF the lake once more.
Great houses, The Sheriff. house
among them, here face the Drive, the
pridle path, the strip Of park, and the
vide stone espianade which edges the
lake. Covert crossed to this, espla-
made. He did not stop at the Sheriff.
house or look toward It. but went on
fully a quarter of mile beyond 1t:
then he came back. and with an oddly
strained and queer expression and at
titude. he stood staring out into the
lake.
Suddenly he turned. Constance
Sheriff.. seeing him from a window OF
her home, had caught cape about her
and run out to him.
Uncle BENNY" she hailed him with
the affectionate name she had used
with her fathers partner since she
was baby. "Uncle Benny, aren't
you coming in?"
YES" he said vaguely. "Yes, Of
course" BE made no move but re-
mained staring at her. "Connie!" he
exclaimed suddenly, with strange re-
proach to himself in his tone. "Con-
ME! Dear little Conniew
"Why?" she asked him "Uncle
Benny, what's the matter?"
"Has Spearman been here today?"
he asked, not looking at her.
ITO see father?"
NO; to see YOU"
mo"
He seized her wrist. "Don't SEQ
him, when he cOmes!" he commanded.
"Cncle Benny"
Don't sec him." Corvet repeated
Hes asked you to marry him, hasn't
he?"
Connie could not refuse the answer.
"Yes."
"And you?"
"Why-why, Uncle Benny. haven't
answered him yet
"Then don't-don't, do you under
stand, Connie?"
She hesirated. frightened for him.
"Tll-Tll tell you before I see him, if
you want me to, Uncle Benny" she
granted.
But If you shouldn't be able to tell
me then, Connie; IL you shouldn't
want to then?" The humility Of his
look perpleXed her; If he hnd been
any other man-any man except Uncle
Benny-she would have thought some
shameful and terrifying threat hung
over him; but he broke Off sharply.
II must go home" he said uncertainty.
II must go home; then I'll come back.
Connie. you won't give him an answer
till | come back, will your"
No" He got her PROMISE bali
frightened, half bewildercd; then he
turned at once and went swiftly away
from her.
She ran back to the door Of her fa-
Tiers house. From there she saw him
reach the corner and turn west to 20
to Astor street. He was walking rap.
Idly and did not hesitate.
How strangely he had acted. Con.
stances uneasiness increased when
the afternoon and evening passed
without his coming back TO SEQ her as
he had promised, but she reflected he
had not set any definite time when
she was to expect him. During the
night her anxiety grew still greater;
and in the morning she called his
house up on the telephone, but the call
was unanswered. An hour later. she
called again; still getting NC result,
she called her father at his otftee, ond
told him of her anxiety about Uncle
Benny, but without REPEATING what
Uncle Benny had said tO her tr tho
promise she had made to him. Her fa-
ther made light Of her fears; Uncle
Benny, he reminded her, often acted
queerly in bad weather. Only partly
reassured, she called Uncle Penny's
house several more times during the
morning, but still got no reply; and
after luncheon she called her father
again, to tell him that she had re-
solved to get some one to go over to
the house with her.
Her father, to her surprise, forbade
this rather sharply; his voice, she
realized, was agitated and excited, and
she asked him the reason but instead
Of answering her, he made her repeat
to him her conversation Of the after