The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1922-06-02

Biirr jerked away; Alan cauyh, him
again and. with physical strength. de
inined him. wasn't II that!'' he de
manded. Answer me: II vss the
Martha CorvetT
The wheeisman struggled: he seemed
suddenly terrified with tho terro,
which. Instead Of weakenIng supplied
Infatuated strength. He thre. Alan Of
for an instant and started % fee back
toward the ferry; and Alan let him 90.
only following a few sters 10 make
sure that the wheelsman returned 10
Number 25.
Because Of the severn cold. the
watches on the ferry had been short.
ened. Alan would be relieved from
time TO time TO warm himself. and
then he would return to duty again.
Old Burr at the wheel would he re.
lieved and would 20 on duty at the
same hours as Alan himself. Benjaml
Corvet! The fancy reiterated itself Ia
him. Could he be mistaken? Was that
man, whose eyes turned alternately
from the compass 10 the bow Of the
ferry as II shifted and rose and fell.
the same who had sat in that lonely
chair turned toward the fireplace In
the house on Aston street? Were those
hands. which held the steamer To her
course. the hands which had written
to Alan In secret from the little room
of his bedroom and which pasted so
carefully the newspaper clippings con
cealed In the library?
Alan faced the wind with mackinaw
buttoned about his throat: 10 make
certain his hearing, his ears were un.
protected. They numbed frequently.
and he drew a hand out of the glove
to rub them. The windows to protect
the wheelsman had been dropped. ms
the snow had gathered on the glass:
and at intervals. as he glanced back,
he could see old Burr's face as he
switched on dim light 70 lool, nj the
compass. The strange pacidity which
usually characterized the old mans
face had not returned to ii since Alan
had spoken with him on the dock Its
look was intent and queerly drawn.
Was old Burr beginning to remember
that he was Benjamin COrvet? Alan
did not believe 1t could be that; again
ana again he had spoken Corvet's name
10 MN without effect. Yet there must
nave been times when, If he was actual
~ Corvet, he had remembered who he
was. lie must have remembered that
when ne had written directions to some
one To send those things to Constance
Sherrill; or, strange thought had
come to Alan, had he written those in
structions himself? This certainly
would account for the package having
been mailed at ManitOwoc and for
Aians failure to find out by whom 1t
mad been mailed. II would account
TOO for the unknown handwriting upon
the wrapper, If some one on the ferry
had addressed the package for the old
man.
What could have brought back that
moment of recollection to Corvct, Alan
wondered; the finding of the things
which he had sent? What might bring
another such moment? Would his see
ing the Sherrills again--or Spearman---
act to restore him?
For half an hour Alan paced steadily
Mt the bow. The storm was incr sing
Eoticeably In tierceness: the wind
driven snowflakes had changed to hard
pellets which, like little bullets. cut
and stung the face; and it was growing
COLDER From cabin window came the
blue flash OF the wireless, which had
been silent after notifying the shore
stations of their departure. II had
commenced again; this was unusual.
Something still more unusual followed
at once; the direction Of the gale
seemed slowly to shift, and with It
the wash Of the water; instead of the
wind and the waves coming from dead
ahead now, they moved to the port
beam, and Number 25, still pitching
with the thrust through the seas. also
began to roll. This meant. Of course.
that the steamer had changed it's
| course and was making almost due
North. II seemed to Alan to force Its
engines faster the deck vihruted more
Alan had not heard the orders for this
change and could only speculate MS to
what 1t might mean.
His relief Cnme after a few minutes
more.
where nre We headIngT Alan