The daily Alaskan., 1922-07-08

If was seven months since Uncle Kenny had gone, away. After his strange interview with her that day and hls going home, had Uncle Benny gone out directly to his death? There WAS nothing to show that he had not; the watch and coins must have lain for macy weeks, for months, in water and lu sand to become erOded In this WAY. But, aside from this, there was nothing that could he inferred regard I e the time or place of Uncle Benny's Iprrh That the package had been mailed rrma ManltOvoc meant nothing definite. Some Ane-Constance could not know whom-had had the muller and the scrawled leaf Of dIrectlonsi later after lying In water and in sand, the things which were to be sent had come to that some ones hand. Most probably this some one had been one who was going about on ships; when his shin had touched at Manl- towoc. he had executed his charge.
 Constance left the articles upon the bed and threw the window more wide Iy open, She trembIed and felt stirred and faint. as she leaned against the window. breathing deeply the warm air full of life and with the scent of the evergreen trees about the house.
 The cottage" of some twenty rooms stood among the pines and hemlocks lnterspersed with hardwood on "the Point" where were the great fine sum mer homes of the wealthier Ire sOrters."
 This was Uncle Benny's country. Here, twenty-five years before, he had first met Henry, whose hirthplace-a farm deserted now-was only few miles back among the hills. Here, before that. Uncle Benny had been a young man, active vigorous, ambitious. He had loved this country for Itself and for its traditions. ifs Indian legends and fantastic stories. Half her own love for lt-aud. since her childhood lt had been Co her a region of delight-waS due To him and tn The things he had told her ahout it. Dis tlnct and definite memories of that compunlonship came tu her This llt- tie bay. which had become now for the most part only summer play ground for such as she, had been once s nlace where he and other men hal struggled 10 grow rich swiftly. he had outlined for her the ruined lumber docks and pointed out Co her the lOca- lions of the dlsmunt'rd sawmlls. It was he who had told her the names of the freIghterS pnSslug far out and the names Of the lighthouses, and something about each He had told her. too. about the Indians. She re membered one starry night when he had pointed out tO her In the sky the Indian "Way of Ghosts the Milky way. along which. by ancient Indian belief the souls of Indians travelled m 10 heaven: and how. laier lying on the recessed seat beside the fire place where she.could touch the dogs upon the hearth. he had pointed out 10 her through the window the Indian "Wav Of Dogs" among the ConStel'a- tions. by which the dogs too could make that Journey IT was he who had told her about Nlchahou and the animals: and he had been the first to tell her of the Drum.
 The disgrace. unhappIness, the threat Of something worse which must have made death a relief 10 Uncle Benny she had seen passed on now to Alan What more had come to Alan since she had last heard of him?
 Word had reached her father through shipping circles ln May and again In July which told of Inquiries regarding Uncle Benny which made her and her father believe that Alan was searching for his father upon the lakes. Now these articles which had arrived made plain to her that he would never find Uncle Benny; he would learn. through others or through themselves. that Uncle Benny was dead. Would he believe then that there was no longer any chance of learning what his father had done? Would he remain away because of that. not letting her see or hear from him again?
 She went back and picked up the wedding ring. The thought which had come to her that this was Alan's mo.h- CTS wedding ring, had fastened itself upon her with a sense Of certainty. It defended that unknown mother; It freed her. at least, from the stigma which COnStance's own mother had been so ready to cast. Constance could not vet begin to place Uncle Benny In relation 10 that ring; hut she was heginnlng to be able 60 think of Alan and his mother. She held the little band of gold very tenderly in her hand; she was glad that, as the aC cusatlon against hls mother had come through her people. she could tell him soon of this She could not send the ring to him not knowing where he was. that was too much risk. But she could ask him to come to her; this gave that right