Licking Valley courier., 1922-07-13
Gopuriqht bu EeEMIN BaImer -.
SYNOPSIS

0rNOTOlO
CHAPTER .I.-Wealthy and highly
placed in the Chicago business world
Benjamin Corvet is something OF T. re-
cluse and a mystery TO his associates
After a stormy interview with his part
rler, Henry Epaarman, Corvet seeks Con
stance Sheriff., daughter OF ms otheI
business partner, Lawrence sheriff., anu
secures from her a, promise not to marry
Spearnan. He then disappears. sheriff.
leaIns Corvet Ims written to a., certain
Alan Conrad, In Blue Rapids, Kansas,
and exhibited strange agitation over the
matter.
CHAPTER 1I.-Corvet's letter summons
Conrad, u youth OF unknown parentase'
to Chicago.
CHAPTER III.-From a statement Of
Sheriff. 1t seems probable Conrad is Cor,
vets illegitlmate son. Corvet has decided
his house and its contents to Alan
b CHAPTER IV.-Alan takes possession
Of his new home.
CHAPTER What night Alan discov-
ers a man ransaclSlng the desks ana bu-
reau drawers in Corvets apartments, The
appearance Of AlanNtremendously a8ltateS
the intruder, who appears to think him
ghost and raves of "the Miwaka," After
a struggle the man escapes.
CHAPTER VI.-Next day Alan learns
from Sheriff. that 'Corvet has decided his
entire property to him introduced 70
Spearman, Alan is astounded at the dis
covery that he Is the man whom he had
found in his house the night before.
CHAPTER VII-Alan tells no one Of
his strange encounter, but In private
Interview taxes Spearman with the fact
Spearplan laughs at and dsfies him.
CHAPTER VIII.-Corvst's Indian serv-
ant, WasJaquam, tells Alan he believes
his employer is dead, He also tells MN
the legend Of the Indian Drum, winch ao-
|, cording TO old superstition beats once for
every life lost on the Great Lakes Twen-
ty years before, the great freighter MI
waka had gone down with twenty-five on
board, but the Drum had sounded FOR
only twenty-four, leaving the inference
that one person h2d been tbn SAVED Gr since nsyaT
erred. Pursuing "a stranger who had
made a disturbance at his house, Alan
is slugged and rendered unconscious.
CHAPTER IX.-Conrad RECEIVERS. and
/ the affair remains mystery.
CHAPTER X.-Alan learns from, Was
saquam chat 1t was Corvets habit 10
keep the sum Of sl,OOO in me house appar-
emily to meet the demands OF a certain
Luke" who appeared periodically. In
the absence Of Wassaquam, Luke" comes
to the house demanding to see eoryet
He is evidently In a dying condition, due
to alcohol and exposure. Conrad tries
withoua- avail to get him TO explain his
connection with Coryet The man dies.
Wassaauam gives Conrad q paper on
which Is list of names.
CHAPTER XII.-Constance recelves a
package wrapped In a muller which she
| rannpnizpg COrVat wearing on the
day he went away. 1t contains a few
coins, a watch, and woman's wedding
ring. She believes them to have been the
property of Corvet, and accepts them as
Constance to marry him. She consents.
but refuses his demand for an IN a.
ate ceremony.
CHAPTER XIv.-Working on a lake
freighter, Alan becomes acquainted WITH
an elderly man known as jim Burr,
who seems TO be possessed OF intorma-
tion which Alan believes would only be
! known to CorVet
CHAPTER Xv.-Alan secures a position
on the freighter Of which Burr Is
wheelsman He is satisfied he has found
| the man he believes TO be his father.
burr" at the wheel Of the freighter,
apparently in dementia, refuses to obey
orders to change the vessels course,
and the ship collides with a derelict
In almost sinking condition they attempt
to reach port. The loaded freight cars
which the vessel is carrying break loose.
CHAPTER XvI-Corvet RECEIVERS his
reason and leads in the work Of throw
ing the cars overheard lie and Alan
are pinned under the debris. Alan dis
closes his Identity. Corvet tells. him
rescued, but II is impossible to save
Corvet. A priest, passenger on the boat
Is summoned, and Alan leaves them In
conversation.
"I rang for the engine to be slowed.
and ! left the wheel and went aft
some struggle was going on at the
stern Of the tug; n flash came from
there and the cracking Of a shot. Sud.
denly all was light about me as, aware
Of the breaking OF the hawser and
alarmed by the shot, the se0rchlght of
The Miwaka turned upon the tug. The
cut end Of the hawser was stlll upon
the tug, und Spearmpn had been trying
to clear this when Stafford attacked
him; they fought, and Stafford strucN
Spearmun down. lie turned and cried
out against me-accuslng me Of hay
Ing ordered Speurman to cut the line
lie held up the cut end toward Rams
dell on the Miwaka and cried out tC
him and showed by pointing that II
had been cut. Blood was running
from the hand With which he pointed
for he had been shot by Spearmun
and now again and a second and Il
third time, from where he lay upon tn,
deck, Spearman fired. The second Oi
those shots killed the engineer, who
had rushed out where | was on the
deck; the third shot went through
StaffOrd's head The Miwaka was drift
lng down upon the reef; her whistle
sounded again and again the four lonl
blasts, The fireman, who had followed
the engineer up from below, fuwnct
on me! was safe for all him. III
said; could trust Luke--Luke woult
not tell lie too thought | had or
dered the doing Of that thing
"'From the Miwaka, Ramsdell ycllct
curses at me- threatening me for what
he thought that | had DONE | looked
Mt Speaman MS he got up from the
deck, aud | read the thought that hut
been In him; he had believed that hC
could cut the hHwser In the dark, non,
seeing, aud that our word that II hut
been broken would have rs mucl
strength as any accusation Smrort
could make. lie had known that I,
share Il secret such az that With me
would make" him on the lakes; rol
the loss Of the MlwukN would crippl,
Stafford and Rumsdcll and strengthen
me and he could make me share viii
him whatever | mude. Bui SmSop
had surprised him " the huwser and
had seen.
az moved 10 dcnnunce him, Father
as realized this; | moved -Wt
stopped. lie had made himself safe
against accusation by mel None
nonp over would hplipyp thnt hp had