The spectator., 1922-04-18

The uOOr opened alnOSt lHStdHtiy- so quickly after the ring, indeed. that Alan, with leaping throb of his heart, knew that some one must have been awaiting him. But the door opened only half way, and the man who stood within, gazing out at Alan question: ingly, was obviously servant.
 What is it?" he asked, as Alan stood looking at him and past him to the narrow section of darkened hall which was in sight.
 Alan put his hand over the letter in his pocket i've come to see Mir. Corvet," he said-''Mr. Benjamin Corvet."
 .'What is your name?"
 Alan gave his name; the man re- peated it after him. in the manner of d trained servant, quite without in- flection. Alan, not familiar with such tones waited uncertainty. So far as he could tell, the name was entirely strange to the servant, awakening neither welcome nor opposition, but indifference. The man stepped back, but not in such manner as to invite Alan in; on the contrary he half closed the door as he stepped back. leaving it open only an inch or two; but 1t was enough so that Alan heard him say to some one within:
 He says he's him."
 Ask him in; I will speak to him." It was q girls yoice-this second one, il voice such as Alan never had heard before. It was low and soft but quite clear and distinct, with youthful, i'm pusive modulations and the manner of accent which Alan knew must go with the sort of people who lived in houses like those on this street.
 The servant, obeying the voice. re turned and opened wide the door.
 "Will you come in, sr?"
 Alan put down his suitcase on the stone porch; the man made no move to pick it up and bring it in. Then Alan stepped into the hall face to face with the girl who had come from the big room on the right.
 She was quite a young girl-not 
 judged; like girls brought up in wealthy families, she seemed to Alan to have gained young womanhood in far greater degree in some respects than the girls he knew. while, at the same time, in other ways, she retained more than they some characteristics of child. Her slender figure had a woman's assurance and grace; her soft brown hair was dressed like a woman's; her gray eyes had the open directneSs of the girl. Her face smoothly oval, with straight browS and skin so delicate that at the temples the veins showed dimly blue was at once womanly and youthful; ; and there was something altogether likable and simple about her, as she studied Alan now. She was slightly pale, he noticed, and there were lines of strain and trouble about her eyes.
 "I am Constance Sherrill," she an nounced. Her tone implied quite evi- dently that she expected him to have some knowledge of her, and she seemed surprised to see that her name did not mean more to him.
 "Mr. Corvet is not here this morn ing" she said.
 He hesitated, but persisted: "I was to see him here today, Miss Sherriil. He wrote me, and l telegraphed him l would be here today"
 II know" she answered. "We had your telegram. Mir. Corvet was not here when it came. so my father opened it." Her voice broke oddly, and he studied her in indecsion, won dering who that father might be that opened Mir. Corvets telegrams.
 "Mr. Corvet went away very sud denly" she explained. She seemed, he thought. to be trying to make some thing plain to him which might be a shock to him; yet herself to be un- certain what the nature of that shock might be Her look was scrutiniZing. questioning. anxious, but not un- friendly. After he had written you and something else had happened I think-to alarm my father about him, father came here to his house to look after him. He thought some thing might have. happened 10 Mir. l Corvet here in his house. But Mir. l Corvet was not here"
 "You mean he has-disappeared?" "Yes he has disappeared" Alan gazed at her dizzily. Benja- min Corvet-whoever he might be- had disappeared; he had gone. Did any one else. then. know about Alan Conrad?
 l No one has seen Mir. Corvet." she said. "since the day he wrote to you. We knew that-that he became 50 disturbed after doing Underwriting to you--that we thought you must bring with you information of him." l Information
 "so we have been waiting for you to come here and tell us what you l know about him or-or your connec- | hfs~.u