The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-05-25

~ e"S 'i5ht was u nSt ~ 4ts4eS
and expenditures. beginning at ali IN
definite day or month in the year 1888,
there was set down ip lump sum
what was indicated as the total of Ben
1amin Corvet's holdings ut that time.
10 this. In sometimes undated items.
the Increase had been added. In the
opposite column beginning apparently
from the same date in 1895. were the
missing mans expenditures.
Alan having ascertained that the pa
pers contained only this account,
looked up questioningly to Sheriff.;
but Sheriff., without speaking merely
handed him the second of the papers.
Alan unfolded it and saw that 1t was
letter written in the same hand
which had written the summons he
had received in Blue Rapids and had
made the entries in the little memo
randum book of the remittances that
had been sent to John Welton.
1t began simply:
Lawrence
This will come TO you In the event
that l am not able to carry out the
plan upon which am now, at last, de-
termined. You will find with this
list of my possessions. Deeds for all
real estate executed and complete ex-
cept for recording Of the transfer at
the county office; bonds, certificates,
and other documents representing my
ownership Of properties, together with
signed forms for their legal transfer
to you, are in this box. These proper
ties. In their entirety, give to you in
trust to hold for the young man now
known as Alan Conrad of Blue Rap
Ids, Kan, to deliver any part or all
over to him or to continue to hold II
all in trust for him as you shall con-
slider to be to his greatest advantage.
"This for the reasons which / shall
have told to you or him-I cannot
know which. one of you now, nor do
know how 1 shall tell It, But when
you learn, Lawrence, think as well of
me as you can and help him to be
charitable to me.
with the greatest affection,
"BENJANfIN CORvET."
Alan, as he finished reading, looked
up to Sheriff.. bewildered and dazed.
What does 1t mean, Mr.. Sherrill?-
Does 1t mean that he has gone away
and left everything he ehad-everything
to me?"
''If Mr.. Corvet does not return, and
do not receive any other Instructions,
1 shall take over his estate. as he has
instructed, for your advantage"
"And, Mr.. Sheriff., he didn't tell you
why? This is all you known
yes; you have everything now. All
xl.N L..
In every way we can. There will be
others searching for him too now; for
Information of his disappearance has
got out. There have been reporters at
the office this morning making in
quiries, and his disappearance will be
in the afternoon papers"
Sheriff. put the papers back in their
envelope, and the envelope back inte
the drawer, which he relOcked.
Il went over all this with Mr.. Spear
man this morning." he said. He is az
much at a loss to explain 1t as 1 am"
He was silent for few moments.
The transfer Of Mr.. Corvet's prop
critics to me for yOu." he said sudden
ly, includes, as you have seen, Cor
vets interest In the firm Of 'Corvet,
Sheriff. 4 Spearman.' went very
carefully through the deeds and trans
fers in the deposit box, and 1t was
plain that, while he had taken great
care with the forms of transfer for all
the properties, he had taken Particular
pains with whatever related to hfs
holdings in this company and to his
shipping interests. II i make over the
properties to you. Alan, shall begin
with those; for 1t seems to me that
your father was parttealarly anxious
that you should take personal az
well as a financial place among, the
men who control the traffic of the
lakes. l have told Spearman that this
is my intention. He has not been able
to see it my way as yet; but he may
change his views, l think, after meet
ing you"
Sheriff. got up. Alan arose a little
unsteadily. The list Of properties he
had read and the letter and Sherrilrs
statement pOrtended so much that its
meaning could not all come to him at
once. He followed Sheriff. through a
short private corridor, flanked with
files lettered "COrvet, Sheriff., and
Spearman," into the large room he had
seen when he came in with Constance.
Ihey crossed this, and Sheriff., with
out knocking, opened the door of the
office marked. "Mr. Spearman" Alan,
looking on past Sheriff. as the door
opened, saw that there were some halr
dozen men In the room, smoking and
talking. His gaze went swiftly on past
these men to the one who, half seated
on the top of the fiat desk, had been
talking to them; and his pulse closed
upon his heart with shock he start
ed, choked with astonishment, then
swiftly forced himself under control.