The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-05-19
CHAPTER X.
A Caller.

AS the first of the month was ap-
preaching. WaSSaquam had brought
his household bills and budget to Alan
that morning directly after breakfast.
TO furnish Alan with whatever sums
he needed, Sheriff. had made consid-
cradle deposit in Alan's name in the
bank where he carried his own ac-
count; and Alan had accompanied Sher-
FfII to the bank to be introduced and
had signed the necessary cards In or
der to check against the deposit.
Alan had required barely half of the
hundred dollars which Benjamin Cor
vet had sent to Blue Rapids, for his
expenses in Chicago; and he had
brought with him from "home" hun
dred dollars of his own.
The amount which Wassaquam now
desired to pay the bills was much
more than Alan had on hand; but that
amount was also much less than the
eleven hundred dollars which the serv-
ant listed as cash on hand. This, Was
saquam stated, was In currency and
kept by him. Benjamin always had
had him keep that much in the house !;
WaSsaquam would not touch that sum
now for the payment of current ex-
penses.
On the first Of the month, therefore,
Alan drew upon his new bank account
to Wassaquam's order, and in the early
afternoon Wassaquam went to the
bank to cash his check-one of the
no
been left I'm the house alone; Wassa-
quams habit, it appeared, was to go
about on the first of the month and
pay the tradesmen in person.
Some two hours later, and before
Wassaquam could have been expected
back. Alan, In the room which had be-
come his, was startled by sound of
heavy pounding, which came suddenly
to him from a floor below. Shouts
heavy, thick, and unintelligible-mi
gled with the pounding. He ran swift
ly down the stairs, then on and down
the service stairs into the basement.
The door to the house from the area
way was shaking to irregular, heavy
blows, which stopped as Alan reached
the lower hallway; the shouts contin-
ued still q moment more. Now that
the noise of pounding did not inter
fere, Alan could make out what the
man was saying. "Ben Corvet !"-
the name was almost unintelHgible-
ben Corvet! Benz" Then the shouts
stopped. too.
Alan sped to the door and turned
back the latch. The door bore back
upon him, not from push, but from
weight without which had fallen
against it. A big, heavy man, with a
rough cap and mackinaw coat, would
have fallen upon the floor If Alan had
not caught him. His weight In Alan's
arms was 50 dull, so inert, that, if viO-
lence had been his intention, there was
nothing to be feared from him now.
Alan looked up, therefore, to see if
any one had come with him. The alley
and the street were clear The snow
in the areaway showed that the man
had come to the door alone and with
great difficulty; he had fallen once up
on the walk Alan dragged the man
into the house and went back and
closed the door.
He returned and looked at him. The
man was like, very like the one whom
Alan had followed from the house on
the night when he was attacked Ger.
tamty that this was the same man
came quickly to him. He seized the
fellow again and dragged him up the
stairs and to the lounge in the library
He was. or had been, a very powerful
man. broad and thick through with
overdeveloped almost dlstorting-
muscles in his shoulders; but his body
had become fat and soft. his face was
pulled and his eyes watery and bright
his brown hair, which was shot all
through with gray, was dirty and mat
ted; he had three or four days growth
of beard. When he sat up and looked
about it was plain that whisky was
only one of the forces working upon
s him the other was fever which
buried up and sustained him intermit
tentiy.
go ne greeted Alan where's