The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-01

as she asked him "You wanted me?"
He was white as she, and could not
speak at once. "You told me last night.
Miss Sheriff." he said, that the last
thing that Mr.. Corvet did-the last
that you know of-was to warn you
against one Of your friends. Who was
thatT"
She flushed uneasily. "You mustn't
attach any Importance to that i didn't
NEAR you TO. There was no reason for
what Mr. Corvet said, except In Mr..
| Corvet's own mind. He had a quite
unreasonable animosity-"
Against Mr.. Spearman, you mean"
She did not answer.
His animosity was against Mr..
Spearman, Miss Sheriff., wasn't lit
That Is the only animosity of Mr.. Cor
vets that anyone has told me about"
Yes"
ut was against Mr.. Spearman that
he warned you, then?
Yes"
Thank you" He turned and, not
waiting for the man, let himself out.
He should have known ii when he had
seen that Spearman, after announcing
himself as unable TO get back to the
Office, a with Constance.
He went swiftly around the block to
his own house and let himself In at the
front door with his key. The house
was warm a shaded lamp OF the table
in the larger library was lighted, a fire
was burning in the open CRATE, and the
rooms had been swept and busted. The
Indian came into the hall to take his
coat and hat.
Dinner Is at seven," Wassaquam
announced. you want some change
about that?"
mo; seven is all right"
Alan went upstairs to the room next
to Corvet's which he had appropriated
for his own use the night before, and
found it now prepared for his occu-
pancy. When he came down again tc
the first floor, Wassaquam was no
where about, but he heard sounds in
floor. he went part way down the
service stairs and saw the Indian In
the kitchen, preparing dinner. Wassa-
guam had not heard his approach, and
Alan stood an instant watching the
Indians tall, thin figure and the quick
movements of his disproportionately
small, well-shaped hands. almost like
a woman's; then he scuffed his foot
upon the stair. and Wassaquam turned
swiftly about.
Anybody been here today, Judah?"
Alan asked.
came. There were young men from the
newspapers"
what did you tell themg
Nothing"
"Why not?"
Henry telephoned l was to tell
them nothing"
you mean Henry SpearmanT"
Eyes"
"Do you take orders from him, Ju-
dah?"
81 took that order. Alan"
Alan hesitated. you've beer here
in the house all dayT'
Eyes. Alan"
Alan went back TO the first floor and
into the smaller library. The room
was dark with the early winter dusk,
and he switched on the light; then he
knelt and pulled out n of the draw
ers he had seen Spearman searching
through the night before. and carefully
examined the papers in it one by one,
but found them only ordinary papers.
He pulled the drawer completely out
and sounded the wall behind 1t and the
partitions on both sides but they APP
peared solid. He put the drawer back
in and went on TO examine the next
one, and, after that, the others. The
clocks In the house had been wound.
for presently the clock in the library
struck six, and another i'm the hall
chimed slowly. An nour later, when
the clocks chimed again, Alan looked
up and saw Wassaquam's small black
eyes, deep set in their large eye sock
cts, fixed On him intently through the
door. How long the Indian had been
there, Alan could not guess; he had
not heard his step.
"What are you looking for, Alanf'
the Indian asked.
Allan reflected a moment. "Mr. Sher-
rili thought that Mr.. Corvet might
have left a record of some sort here
for me-, Judah. Do you know OF any
thing like that?"
INC. That is what you are looking
forY'
"Yes. Do you know Of any place
where Mr.. Corvet would have been
likely to PIT away anything like that?'
ben put papers In all these draw
ers he put them upstairs, too-where
you have SEEN"
Nowhere else, .Judahr'
IF he put things anywhere else,
Alan, ! have not seen. Dinner is
served. Alan"
Alan went to the lavatory on the
first floor and washed the dust from
his hands and face; then he went into
the dining Don Wassaquam. having
served the dinner. took his place be-
hind Alan's chair, ready to pass him
what he needed; but the Indians
silent. watchful presence there behind
him where he could o see his face,
disturbed Alan, and he twisted him
self about to look at him.