The Meeker herald., 1922-06-10

Today his irritabillty was 80
marked, his uneaslness 80 much
greater than anyone had seen 1t be-
fore, that the attendant whom Corvet
had sent. a half hour earlier. to re-
serve his usual table for him In the
grlll-"The table by the second win
dow"-had started away without oar
Ing to ask whether the table was 10
be set for one or more. COrvet HIM
self had corrected the omission: "For
two" he had shot after the man.
The tables. at this hour. were all
unoccupIed. Corvet crossed to the
one he had reserved and sat down:
he turned Immediately to the window
at his side and scraped on II little
clear opening through which he could
see the storm outside. Ten minutes
later he looked up sharply but did not
rise, as the man he had been await
ing-Spearluan, the younger Of his
two partners-came In.
Spenrmnn seated himself. his big.
powerful hands clasped on the table,
his gray eyes studying Corvet closely.
The waiter took the order and went
away.
When he returned, the two men were
obviously in bitter quarrel. Corvet's
tone, low pitched but violent. sounded
steadily In the room, though his words
were inaudible. The waiter. as he set
the food upon the table. felt relief that
Corvet's outburst had fallen on other
shoulders than his.
For nearly IN hour the quarrel con.
tinued with intermitted truces OF ST.
lence. The waiter. listening. rs walt
ers always do. caught at times single
sentences.
"You have had that idea for some
timer" he heard from Corvet.
ave have had nh understanding for
more than MONTH"
GLOW definite?"
Spcarmnn's answer wns not audible.
but II more intensely nsita,ed Corvet;
he dropped his fork md. after that.
made no pretense of eating.
The waiter, following this. caught
only single words. "Sherrill'-that.
of course, was the other partner. "Con-
stance'-thnt was Sherrilrs daughter.
The other names he heard were names
Of ships. But. as the quarrel went on,
the manners OF the two men changed:
Spsarmnn. who at first Ind been mr.
sailed by Corvet, now was nssalling
him. Corvet snt back In his sent.
while Spearmnn pulled at his cigar and
now and then took 1t from his lips and
gestured with 1t between his fingers.
M lie jerked some ejaculation across
the table.
Corvet leaned over to the frosted
window. us he hnd done when alone.
and looked out. Spenrmnn shot com
ment which made Corvet vince and
draw back from the window; then
Spearman rose. Corvet looked M NJ
him once md asked a question. to
which Spearman replied with snap
Of the burnt match down on the table:
he turned abruptly and strobe from
the room. COrvet sat motionless.
The revulsIon to self.control, some
times even to apology. which 0rtiina-
rily followed Corvet's bursts of irrita-
ton had not come to him; his agita-
ton plainly had Increased. He pushed
from him his uneaten luncheon and
got UP slowly. He went ont to the
coat room. where the attendant hand
. ed him his cont and hat.
He WINGED MS he stepped ont into
the smnrting. binding swirl Of sleet,
but his shrinking was not physical II
was mental. the unconscious reaction
to some thought the storm called up.
The hour was barely four O'Clock. but
so dark WINS 1t with the storm that
the shop windows were lit; motorcars.
slipping and skIddIng up the brond
boulevard. with headlights burning.
kept their signals gathering con.
stantly to warn other drivers blinded
by the snow. The sleet-swept side
walks were almost deserted: here or
there. before hotel or one OF the
and the passengers dashed swiftly
across the walk to shelter.
Coryct turned northward along
Michigan avenue. facing into the gale.
The sleet beft upon his face md
lodged In the folds OF his clothiD.
without his needing II.
He continued TO go north. He Ind
not seemed, In the beginning, TO have
made conscious choice OF this dircc-
ton; but now he was following II pur-
posely. He stopped once ut II shop
which sold mems things to make tel
ephone call. lie asked for Miss Shcr-
rill when the number answered; but
he did not wish to spenk to her. he
saId; he wanted merely to be sure she
would he there II he stopped In to
see her In half an hour. Thcn-north
ngain. He crossed the bridge. Now.
fifteen minutes later. he came In sight
Of the lake once more.
Grent houses, the Sheriff. house
omonU them here fncp the Drive fhe