The spectator., 1922-05-19
CHAPTER VII--Continued.

-6-
 I'm afraid you've taken rather a bad time, Lawrence: Can't we get to- gether later-this afternoon? You'll be about here this afternoon"
 'I think I can be here this after noon." Alan said.
 Let's say two-thirty, then" Spear man turned and noted the hour almost sOlicitously among the scrawled ap- pointments on his desk pad straight ening, after this act of dismissal, he walked with them to the door, his hand on Sherrill's shoulder.
 Circumstances have put us-Mr. Sherrill and mySelf-in very diffi- cult position, Conrad" he remarked. "We want much to be fair to all con- cerned-"
 He did not finish the sentence but halted at the door. Sherrill went out, and Alan followed him; exasperation half outrage yet half admiration-at Spearmans bearing. held Alan speech less. If every movement of Spear mans great, handsome body had not recalled to him their struggle of the night before-if, as Spearman's hand rested cordially on Sherrill's shoulder. Alan had not seemed to feel again that big hand at his throat-he would al- most have been ready to believe that this was not the man whom he had fought. But he could not doubt that; he had recognized Spearman beyond question. And Spearman had recog- niZed him-he was sure of that; he could not for an instant doubt it; Spearman had known it was Alan whom he had fought in COrets house even before Sherrill had brought them together. Was there not further proof of that in Spearman's subsequent man. her toward him? For what was all this cordiality except defiance?
 Power and possession-,both far ex- ceeding Alan's most extravagant dream-were promised him by those papers which Sherrill had shown him. When he had read down the list of those properties, he had had no more feeling that such things could be his than he had mad at first that Corvet's 'A0use could be hiS-until he had heard the intruder moving in that house. And now it was the sense that another was going to make him fight for those properties that was bringing to him the realization of his new power. He had" something on that man-on Spearman. He did not know what that thing was no stretch of his thought, nothing that he knew about himself or others, could tell him; but, at sight of him, in the dark of Corvet's house, Spearman had cried out in horror, he had screamed at him the name of a sunken ship. and in terror had hurled his electric torch. It was true. Spear mans terror had not been at Alan Con- rad; it had been because Spearman had mistaken him for some one else for a ghost. But, after learning that Alan was not a ghost, Spearman's at titude had not very greatly changed; he had fought, he had been willing to kill rather than to be caught there.
 Alan thought an instant; he would make sure he still had" that some thing on Spearman and would learn how far 1t went. He took up the re- ceiver and asked for Spearman.
 A voice answered-"Yes."
 Alan said, evenly: 'I think you and I had better have a talk before we meet with Mir. Sherrill this afternoon. I am here in Mir. Corvet's office now and will be here for half an hour. then I'm going out"
 Spearman made no reply, but hung up the receiver. Alan sat waiting, his watch upon the desk before him. tense, expectant. with fiushes of hot and cold passing over him. Ten min- utes passed; then twenty. The tele- phone under Corvet.s desk buzzed.
 'Air. Spearman says he will give you i've minutes now" the switchboard girl said.
 Alan breathed deep with relief; npearman had wanted to refuse to see him-but he had not refused; he had saot for him within the time Alan had eppointsd and aftsr waiting Vul just heeose it expaSe4-