The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-06-22


Corvet. . :. . You let me go. you
d-n Injin!"
Through the doorway to the library
they could see the doctor force Luke
back upon the couch; Luke fought him
furiously; then. suddenly as he hae
stirred to strength and fury, Luke col
lapsed again. His voice went on a
moment more. and rapidly growing
weaker:
You tell Be,, Curvet want my
money, or I'll tell. He knows what
I'll tell. You don't know. you
Injin devil. . Ben Corvet knows.
and know. Tell him I'll tell
I'll tell . I'll tell !" The
threatening voice stopped suddenly.
Constance, very pale. again faced
Alan. "Of course, l understand" she
said. "Uncle Benny has been paying
blackmail to this man. For years. per-
haps. :" She repeated the word
after an instant. in frightened voice
'Blackmail!"
"Won't you please go, Miss Sher-
rillY Alan urged her. "It was good
Of you to come; but you mustn't stay
now. He's-he's dying. of ; course"
She, seated herself upon a chair.
''Tm going to stay with you." she said
simply. 1t was not. she knew. to share
the waiting for the man in the next
room to die; in that, of itself, there
could be nothing for him to feel. 1t
was to be with him while realization
which had come to her was settling
It. - ,l.~s
this meant to him. He was realizing
that. she thought; he had realized 1t
1t made him, at moments, forget her
while, listening for sounds from the
other room, he paced back and forth
beside the table or stood staring
away, clinging to the portferes. He
left her presently, and went across the
hall to the doctor.
"Is he dead?" Constance heard him
ask.
"Not yet" the doctor answered "but
1t won't be long. now."
There's nothing you can do to make
him talk-bring him to himself long
enough so that he will tell what he
keeps threatening to tell7"
The doctor shrugged. "How many
times, do you suppose, he's been drunk
and still not told? Concealment is his
established habit now. It's an inhibi-
tion; even in wandering, he stops short
Of actually telling anything"
Alan came back to Constance. Out
side. the gray of dusk was spreading,
and within the house 1t had grown
dark. It was very quiet in the library {;
she could not even hear Luke's breath
ing now. Then the doctor came out to
them.
Its over" he said to Alan. There's
law covering these cases; you may
not be familiar with 1t. I'll make out
the death certificate and
a weak heart with alcoholism. But the
police have to be notified at once; you
have no choice as to that. I'll look
after those things for you. II you
want"
"Thank you; If you WILL" Alan went
with the doctor to the door and saw
him drive away. Returning, he drew
the library portieres; then, coming
back to Constance, he picked up her
muff and collar from the chair where
| she had thrown them, and held them
out to her.
you'll go now. Miss Sheriff." he
said. Indeed, you mustn't stay here
your cars still waiting, and-you
mustn't stay here In this house !"
won't you come over home with
me-" she said, land wait for father
| there till we can think this thing out
together"
Her sweetness almost broke him
down. 'This . together! Think
this out Oh. it's plain enough, isn't
it7 For years-for as long as Wassa-
| guam has been here. my father has
been seeing that man and, paying
blackmail to him twice a year, at
least! He lived In that mans power.
He kept money in the house for him
always 1t wasn't anything imaginary
that hung over my father-or anything
created In his own mind. 1t was some
thing real-real; 1t was disgrace-dis-
grace and wOrse-something he de-
served; and that he fought with black
mail money. like coward Dishonor
owardice-blackmaili" !"
She drew little nearer to him.
you didn't want me to know" she
said "You tried 10 put me off when
ralled you on the telephone; and
when came here. you wanted me to
20 away before | heard. Why didn't
con want me to know? If he was your
'atlier. wasn't he our-friend? Mine
Ind my faiher's? You must let US
help you"
As she approached. he had drawn
bnck from her. 10; this is mine! he
ienied her. Not yours or your Ia
hers. You have nothing to do with
his. Didn't he try in little cowardiy
Ways TO keep you out Of 1t? But he
couldn't do thnt; your friendship
meant too much to him; he couldn't
| .pt.t, uw,tv from vou Rut I can-I can