The Ordway new era., 1922-08-04

tained him. Wasn't It thatf, he ue
manded. Answer me; 1t was the
Martha Corvet?
The wheelsman struggled; he seemed
suddenly terrified with the terror
which, instead OF weakening. suppieu
infuriated strength. He threw Alan on
for an instant and started TO flee back
toward the ferry; and Alan let him so,
only following d few steps to make
sure that the wheelsman returned 10
Number 2o.
Because of the severe cold. the
watches on the ferry had been short
ened. Alan would be relieved from
time TO time to warm himself. ana
then he would return to duty again.
Old Burr at the wheel would De re-
lieved and would go on duty at the
same hours as Alan himself. benjamin
Corvet, The fancy reiterated itseit To
him. Could he be mistaken? Was that
man, whose eyes turned alternately
from the compass 10 the bow OF the
ferry as 1t shifted and rose and fell,
the same who had sat In that lonely
chair turned toward the fireplace In
the house on Astor streetl Were those
hands, which held the steamer to her
course. the hands which had written
10 Alan in secret from the little room
of his bedroom and which pasted so
carefully the newspaper clippings con-
cealed in the lihrary7
Alan faced the wind with mackinaw
buttoned about his throat; to make
certain his hearing, his ears were un-
protected. They numbed frequently,
and he drew hand out Of the glove
TO rub them. The windows to protect
the wheelsman had been dropped. as
the snow had gathered on the glass;
and st intervals. as he glanced back,
he could see old Burr's face as he
switched on dim light to look at the
compass. The strange placidity which
usually characterized the old mans
face had not returned TO 1t since Alan
had spoken with him on the dock; its
look was intent and Queerly drawn.
Was old Burr beginning TO remember
that he was Benjamin COrvet? Alan
did not believe it could be that: again
and again he had spoken Corvet's name
to him without effect. Yet there must
have been times when, II he was actual
ly Corvet. he had remembered who he
was He must have remembered that
when he had written directions TO some
one 10 send those things TO Constance
Sheriff.: or, q strange thought had
come TO Alan. had he written those In
structions himself7 This certainly
would account for the package having
been mailed at Manltowoc and for
Alan's failure TO find out by whom il
had been mailed. It would account,
too, for the unknown handwriting upon
the wrapper. If some one on the ferry
had addressed the package for the old
man.
What could have brought back that
moment Of recollection to Corvet, Alan
wondered: the finding Of the things
which he had sent? What might bring
another such moment7 Would his see
ing the Sherrills again-or Spearman-
act 10 restore him7
For half an hour Alan paced steadily
at the bow. The storm was incr, sing
noticeably in herceness; the wind
driven snowtiakes had changed to hard
pellets which, ike little bullets. cut
and srung the face; and II Was growing
colder. From a cabin window came the
blue fash of the wireless, which had
been silent after notifying the shore
stations Of their departure II had
commenced again; this was unusual.
Something still more unusual followed
at once; the direction of the gale
seemed slowly to shift, and with II
the wash OF the water: instead OF the
wind and the wares coming from dead
ahead now. they moved to the port
beam. and Number 25. still pitching
with the thrust through the seas, also
began 10 roll This meant. OF course.
that the steamer had changed its
course and was making almost due
north Il seemed TO Alan to force its
engines faster; the deck vibrated more.
Alan had no, heard the orders for this
change and could only speculate as to
what II might mean
His relief came after few minutes
more
Where are we headingf" Alan
asked.
Radio the relief announced. THE
d G. Richardson calling; she's up by
the Manitous-
what sort OF trouble?
She's not in trouble; It's another
ship
What ship?"
no word as TO that"
Alan. not delaying to question fur
ther. went back TO the cabins.
These stretched aft, behind the
bridge. along the upper deck, some
score on each side Of the ship; they
had accommodations for almost a hun
dred passengers; but on this crossing
only few were occupied Alan had
noticed some half-dozen men-business
men, no doubt forced to make the