The spectator., 1922-06-02

He was, or had been, very powerful man, broad and thick through with overdeveloped almost distorting- muscles in his shoulders; but his body had become fat and soft, his face was puffed and his eyes watery and bright :; his brown hair, which was shot all through with gray, was dirty and mat ted; he had three or four days growth of beard. When he sat up and looked about 1t was plain that whisky was only one of the forces working upon him-the other was fever which burned up and sustained him intermit- tently.
 "'Lo!" he greeted Alan. "Where's shat d-n Injin, hey? I knew Ben Corvet was shere-knew he was shere all time. Course he's shere; he got to be shere. That's shright. You go get i'm v
 "Who are you?" Alan asked.
 Say, who'r you? What thels syou doin' here? Never see you before go-go get Ben Corvet. Jus say Ben Corvet, Lu-luke's shere. Ben Corvetll know Lu-luke all right; all waysh alwaysh knows me. :"
 What's the matter with your Alan had drawn back but now went to the man again. The first idea that this might have been merely some old sail or who had served Benjamin Corvet or. perhaps. had been comrade In the earlier days, had been banished hn nf hn mans tone-an arrogance not to be explained, entirely. by whisky or by the fever.
 How long have you been this way?" Alan demanded. Where did you come from?" He put his hand on the wrist 1t was very hot and dry; the pulse was racing, irregular; at seconds It seemed to stop; for other seconds 1t was continuous. The fellow coughed and bent forward What Is It. pneumonia ?" Alan tried to straighten him up.
 'Gi' me drink Go get Ben Corvet, I tell youl Get Ben Corvet quick, Say-yous shear? You get me Ben Corvet you better get Ben Corvet; you tell him Lu-uke'S here; won't wait any more: goin' t'have my money now sright away, your shear? Kick me out sloon; l guess not no more Ben COrvet give me all money want or I talk "
 Talk :"
 "SyOu know It I ain't goln' v
 He choked up and tottered back; Alan, supporting him. laid him down and stayed beside him until his cough ing and choking ceased. and there was only the rattling rasp of his breathing When Alan spoke to him again, Luke'S eyes opened, and he narrated recent experiences bitterly: all were blamed to Ben Corvet's absence; Luke, who had been drinking heavily few nights before, had been thrown out when the saloon was closed: that was Ben COrvet's fault If Ben Corvet had been around, Luke would have had money, all the money any one wanted; no one would have thrown out Luke then. Luke slept in the snow, all wet. When he arose the saloon was open again, and he got more whisky, but not enough to get him warm. He hadn't been warm since. That was Ben Cor vets fault. Ben Corvet better be round now; Luke wouldn't stand any more.
 Alan felt of the pulse again; he opened the coat and under-flannels and felt the heaving chest. He went to the hall and looked in the telephone directory. He remembered the name of the druggist on the corner of Clark street and he telephoned him, giving the number on Astor street
 'I want doctor right away" he said. Any good doctor; the one that you can get quickest" The druggist promised that physician would be there within a quarter of an hour. Alan went back to Luke, who was silent now except for the gasp of his breath; he did not answer when Alan spoke to him. except to ask for whis- ky. Alan stood watching, strange, sinking tremor shaking him. This man had come there to make claim "a claim which many times before, apparently, Benjamin Corvet had ad- mitted. Luke came to Ben Corvet for money which he always got-all he wanted-the alternative to giving which was that Luke would talk" Blackmail, that meant. of course; blackmail which not only Luke had told of but which Wassaquam too had admitted, as Alan new realized. Money for blackmail-that was the reason for that thousand dollars in cash which Benjamin Corvet always kept at the house.
 Alan turned with a sudden shiver of revulsion toward his fathers chair in place before the hearth; there for hours each day his father had sat with book or staring into the fire always with what this man knew hanging over him. always arming against it with the thousand dollars ready for this man. whenever he came.