The St. Charles herald., 1922-05-27
CHAPTER Nv.
"Arrived Safe; Well"

"Arrived Safe; WE'LL"
As the door closed behind Sheriff..
Alan went over to the dresser anu
picked up the key which Sheriff. hao
left. He put 1t, after moment, Oh
the ring with two or three other Keys
he had, and dropped them into MS
pocket; then he crossed to chair aho
sat down.
Sheriff. had spoken of the possioil'
ity that something might have nap
pened" to Corvet; but it was plain ne
did not believe he had met with actual
violence. He had left it to Alan to ex'
anime Corvet's house; but he had mol
urged Alan TO examine 1t at once; ne
had left the time Of the examination
to be determined by Alan. This
showed clearly that Sheriff. belleveo
perhaps had sufficient reason for De-
lieving-that Corvet had simply gone
away" Corvet, Sheriff. had said, had
married in 1889. But Sheriff. IN long
knowledge Of his friend, had shown
firm conviction that there had been
no mere vulgar liaison In Corvets nfe.
Did this mean that there might have
been some previous marriage OF Alans
father-some marriage which had
strangely overlapped and nullifed MS
public marriage? In that case, Alan
could be, not only in fact but legally,
Corvet's son; and such things as this'
Alan knew, had sometimes happened,
and had happened by strange combi.
nation Of events, innocently for all
parties. Corvet's public separation
from his wife, Sheriff. had said, had
taken place in 1897, but the actual
separation between them might. pos
sibiy, have taken place long before
that.
The afternoon had changed swiftly
into night; dusk had been gathering
during his last talk with Sheriff., SO
that he hardly had been able to see
Sherrills face, and just after Sheriff.
had left him, full dark had come. Alan
did not know how long he had been
sitting in the darkness thinking out
these things; but now a little clock
which had been ticking steadily In the
blackness tinkled six. Alan heard Z
knock at his door, and when 1t was re
peated, he called. "Come in."
The light which came in from thu
hall, as the door was opened, showed
| a man servant. The man, after re
spectful inquiry, switched on the light
He crossed into the adjoining room
a bedroom the room where Alan was
he thought, must be dressing room
and there was a bath between. Pres
emily the man reappeared, and moved
softly about the room, unpackinl
.Alan's suitcase. He hung Alan's othel
suit in the closet on hangers; he pu
the linen, except for one shirt, in thu
dresser drawers, and he put Alan'
few toilet things with the ivory
backed brushes and comb and othel
articles on the dressing stand.
Alan wondered, with sort Of trepi
dation, whether the man would expec
to stay and help him dress; but h
only put the buttons in the clean shir
and reopened the dresser drawers ant
laid out change Of things.
VI was to tell you, sir, Mr.. Sherril
II sorry he cannot be at home to din
ner tonight. Mrs. Sheriff. and Mis-
Sheriff. will be here. Dinner - q
seven, SIR"
Alan dressed slowly, after the mai
had gone; and at one minute bsfor
seven he went downstairs.
There was no one In the lower hal
and, after an instant Of irresolutiol
and q glance into the empty drawin
room, he turned into the small room
at the opposite side Of the hall.
handsome, stately, rather large won
an, whom he found there, Introduce
herself to him formally as Mrs. Shel
rill. Her reserved, yet almost to
casual acceptance Of Alan's presence
told him that she knew all the pal
ticulars about himself which Sherril
had been able to give; and as Cor
stance came down the stairs an
Joined them half minute later, Ala
was certain that she also knew.
Dinner was announced, and the
went into the great dining room
where the table with Its linen, silver
and china cleaned under shade
lights. The Oldest and most dignifie
of the three men servants who waite
upon them in the dining room Ala
thought must be butler-a species {
creature Of whom Alan had heard bu
never had seen; the other servants, 6
least, received and handed thing
through him, and took their order
from him.
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