The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-05-11

of them for ii ln... those youth ma,
been almost violently active and who
had once been lake captain. l can
not tell you what rhey all were
geology, ethnologv, nearly a score of
subjects; he corresponded with vari-
GUS scientific societies; he has given
almost the whole of his attention to
such things for about twenty years.
But he has made very few acQuaint-
ances in that time, and has kept
almost none of his old friendships.
He has lived alone in the house on
Astor street with only one servant
the same one all these years.
"The only house he has visited with
any frequency has been mine. He has
always liked my wife; he had-he has
great affection for my daughter, who,
when she was child, ran In and out
of his home as she pleased. My
daughter believes now that his present
disappearance-whate has hap
pened to him-is connected In some
way with herself. l do not think that
is So"
Sheriff. broke off and stood In
thought for moment; ne seemed to
consider. and to decide that 1t was
not necessary to say anything more
on that subject.
rs there anything In what 1 have
told you which makes it possible for
you to recollect or to explain?'
Alan shook his head, flushed, and
then grew a little pale. What Sheriff.
told him had excited him by the coin.
cidences it offered between events In
Benjamin Corvet's life and his own
1t had not made him "recollect'
Corvet, but 1t had given defniteness
and direction to his speculations az
to Corvet's relation to himself.
Sheriff. drew one of the large chairs
nearer to Alan and sat down facing
him. He felt in an inner pocket and
brought out an envelope; from the en-
velope he took three pictures, and
handed the smallest of them to Alan
As Alan took 1t, he saw that 1t was
a tintype of himself as round-faced
boy Of seven.
Yes; it was taken by the photog.
rapher In Blue Rapids"
"And this?"
The second picture, Alan saw, was
one that had been taken In front of
the barn at the farm. 1t showed Alan
at twelve, in overalls and barefooted,
holding a stick over his head at which
n 4,,v,,
"Yes. that is Shep and /, Mr.. Sher-
rill. 1t was taken by a man who
stopped at the house for dinner one
day; he liked Shep and wanted
picture of him; so he got me to make
Shep jump, and he took It."
Doesn't 1t occur to you that II was
your picture he wanted, and that he
your verification that these earlier
pictures were of you, but this last one
is easily recognizable"
Sheriff. unfolded the third picture
1t was larger than the others and had
been folded across the middle to get
1t into the envelope. Alan leaned for
ward to look at 1t.
'"That is the University of Kansas
football team" he said. II am the |
second one in the front row; I played |
end my junior year and tackle when
I was a senior. Mr.. Corvet-r
"Yes; Mr.. Corvet had these pictures.
They came into my possession day be-
fore yesterday, the day after Corvet |
I do not want to tell just
yet how they did that"
Alan's face, which had been flushed
at first with excitement, had gone
quite pale, and his hands, as he
clenched and unclenched them nerv-
ously, were cold, and his lips were
very dry. He could think Of no pos
sible relationship between Benjamin
Corvet and himself, except one, which
could account for Corvet's obtaining
and keeping these pictures of him
through the years.
II think you know who 1 am" Alan
said.
"You have guessed, II am not mis-
taken. that you are Corvet's SON."
The color famed to Alan's face for
an instant, then left 1t paler than be- !