The St. Charles herald., 1922-05-20

belong? Who was he? Who was the
man who had brought him there? Had
the money ceased coming because the
person who sent 1t was dead? In
that case, connection Of Alan with the
place where he belonged was per-
broken. Or would some other
communication from that source reach
him some time-if not money, then
something else2 Would he be sent for
some day?
Externally, Alan's learning the little
that was known about himself made
no change In his way Of living; ne
went to the town school, which COM
bined grammar and high schools
under one roof; and, as he grew older,
he clerked in one of the town stores
during vacations and in the evenings.
Alan always carried his money home
as part payment Of those arrears which
had mounted up against him since the
letters ceased coming. At seventeen,
having finished high school, he was
clerking officially in Merril's general
store, when the next letter came.
It was addressed this time not to
papa, but to Alan Conrad. He seized
it, tore it open, and bank draft for
fifteen hundred dollars fell out. There
was no letter with the enclosure, no
word Of communication just the draft
to the order of Alan Conrad. Alan
wrote the Chicago bank by which the
draft had been issued: their reply
showed that the draft had been pur-
chased with currency, so there was no
record Of the identity Of the person
who had sent it. More than that
amount was due for arrears for the
seven years during which no money
was sent, even when the total which
Alan had earned was deducted. SO
Alan merely endorsed the draft over
to father; and that fall Jim. Alan's
foster brother, went to college. But,
when Jim discovered that it not only
was possible but planned at the uni
versity for q boy to work his way
through. Alan went also.
-Four wonderful years followed In
companionship with educated people
ideas and manners came to him which
he could not have acquired at home
athletics Strengthened and added bear
ing to his muscular, well-formed
body; his pleasant, strong young face
acquired self-reliance and self-control
Life became filed with possibilities FOL
himself which 1t had never held before
But on his day Of graduation HI
had put away the enterprises he hat
Elanned and the dreams he dreamed
and, conscious that his debt to fathel
and mother still remained unpaid. HI
had returned to care for them; fol
fathers health had failed and Jim, VIII
had opened a law Office in Kansas
City, could do nothing to help.
No more money had followed tn
draft from Chicago and there hat
been no communication Of any kind
but. the receipt of so considerable
sum had revived and intensified al
Alan's speculations about himself. tn
vague expectation Of his childhoo'
that sometime, in some way, he woul'
be "sent for"; had grown during tn
last six years to definite belief
And now-on the afternoon before
the summons had come.
This time, as he tore open the er
velope he saw that beside checi
there was writing whitman uneve
and nervous-looking but plainly legibl
communication in longhand. Tn
letter made no explanation. It tol
him. rather than asked him, to com
to Chicago, gave minute instruction
for the journey, and advised him {
telegraph when he started. tn
check was for a hundred dollars
nav his expenses. Check and lette
were signed by . name completel
strange to him.
He was a distinctly attractive lool
ing lad, as he stood now on the static
platform of the little town. while II
eastbound train rumbled in, and /
fingered in his pocket the letter fro
Chicago.
On the train he took the letter FRO
his pocket and for the dozenth tin
reread It. Was Covert relative7 WI
he the man who had sent the reml
tances when Alan was q little DO
and the one who later had sent Il
fifteen hundred dollars? Or was
merely a go-between. perhaps LAY
YER? There was no letterhead to gi'
| aid in these speculations. The q
dress to which Alan was to come WI
. in Astor street. He had never hea
, the name Of the street before. Was
|. 4 business street, Corvet's address
, some great Office building. perhaps?
II At Chicago Alan, following Z
. porter with his suitcase from the G.
. stepped down among the crow
; hurrying to and from the trains.
was not confused, he was only
! tensely excited. Acting in implicit
/ cord with the instructions Of the lett
! which he knew by heart, he went
the uniformed attendant and engag
, | . taxicab-itself no small experienc
/. there would be no one at the stati
! TO meet him. the letter had said.
! rave the Astor street address and
r into the cab.
"a II had begun to snow heavily. Fol
fow blocks the taxicab drove not