The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-03-04

communication from that source reach
him some time--if not money. then
something else? Would he be sent for
some day?
Externally, Alan'S learning the little
that was known about himself made
no change in his way of living; he
went to the town school. which COM
binetl. grammar and high schools
under one roof: and, as he grew older,
he ~clerked in one of the town, stores
during vacations and III the evenings.
Alan always carried his money home
rs mart payment of those arrears which
had mounted up against him since the
letters ceased coming. At seventeen,
having finished high school. he was
rlerkins officially in Merrill's general
store, when the next letter came.
, 1t was addressed this time not to
papa, but to Alan Conrad. He seized
it, tore it open, and bank draft for
fifteen hundred dollars fell out. There
was no letter with the enclosure. no
word Of communication; just the draft
to the order of Alan Conrad. Alan
wrote the Chicago bank by which the
draft. had been issued; their reply
showed that the draft had been pur-
chased with currency, so there was no
record of the identity Of the person
who had sent it. More than that
amount WAS due for arrears for the
seven years during which n" money
was sent, even when the total which
Alan had earned was deducted. SO
Alan merely endorsed the draft over
to "fatler"; and that fall Jim. Atan'S
foster brother. went to college. But,
when Jim discovered that it not only
was possible but planned at the uni
verSity for Il boy to work his way
through, Alan went also.
Four wonderful years followed. In
cOmpanionship with educated people
ideas and manners came tn him which
he could not have acquired at home
ath!etJrs str;AyItrncttAAnd added hehr-
ing to his muscular, wcll-forined
body: his pleasant, strong young face
acquired Srlf-rrli;nce and sclf-contrOl.
Life became filled with possibilities for
himself which It had never held before.
But on Ills day Of graduation he
had put away the enterprises he hal
planned and the dreams he dreamed
and, conscious that his debt to father
and mother still remained unpaid, he
had returned to care for them for
fathers health had failed and Jim, who
had opened II law office In Kansas
City, could do nothing to help.
No more money had followed the
draft from Chicag" and there had
been no communication of any kind :;
but the receipt of so considerable a
sum had revived and intensified all
AIan's SprcllatiUlis about himself. The
vague expectation of his childhood
that sometime. In some way, he would
be "sent for: had grown during the
last six years to a definite belief.
And nnw-nn the afternoon before
the summons had come.
This time. as he tore open the ell
vrlope. he saw that beside a check,
there was writing whitman uneven
and nervous looking but plainly legible
communication in lnnghand.' The
letter made no explanation. 1t told
him, rather than asked him. to come
to Chicago. gave minute instructions
for the journey. and advised him to
telegraph when he started. The
check was for hundred dollars to
pay his expenses. Check and letter
were signed by a name completely
strange ~ him. ~
He was distinctly attractive look
ing lad, as he stood now on the station
platform of tho little town. while the
eastbmlnd train rumbled In. and he
fingered in his pocket the letter from
Chicago.
On the train he took the letter from
his pocket and for the ,loZenth time
rerpad il. Was Covert Il relative? Was
he the man who had sent the remit
t:lnces when Alan was Il little boy,
and the one who later had sent the
fifteen hundred dollars? Or was. he
merely n go-hetwcen, perhaps q law
yer? There was TX, letterhend to give
aid in these Spcclllations. The I'D
dress to which Alan was to come was
in Astor street. He had never heard
the name of the street before. Was it
IL business street, C0rvet's address in
some great office building, perhaps?
At Chicago Alan. following the
porter with his suitcase from the car,
stepped down among, the crowds
hurrying to and from the trains. He
was not confused. he was only in.
tensely excited. Acting in implicit ac-
cord with the instructions Of the letter,
which he knew by heart. he went to
the uniformed attendant and engaged
Il taxicub-itself no small experience
there would be no one at the station
to meet him. the letter had said He
gave the Astor street address and got
into the cab. -<,.-
It had begun to snow heavily. For a
few blocks the taxicab drove north
past more or less ordinary build
,,,,,ssE than turned anst IN N brO9i