The Meeker herald., 1922-07-22

bscoms vefy low. now ceased. She
was speaking to Alan Of his father-a
father whom he had never known. and
whom he could not have recognized BY
sight until she showed him the picture
few weeks before; but she was
speaking Of his father.
"Mr. Sheriff. didn't feel that 1t was
necessary for him to do anything. even
though he thought that"
''If Mr.. Corvet was dead, we GOULD
do him no good. surely. by telling this
to the police; II the police succeeded
In finding out all the facts. ~e would
be doing only what Uncle Benny did
not wIsh-what he preferred death to.
We could not tell the police about II
without telling them all about Mr.. Cor
vet, too. So father would not let HIM
self believe that you had been attacked
to be killed. He had to believe the
police theory was sufficient" s.
Alan made no comment at once.
"Wassaqualn believes Mr.. Corvet ID
dead" he said finally. HE told me 80.
Does your father believe thatf'
II think he is beginning to believs
It,"
1--WE not told any one." he said, now
watching her, how happened to be
out of the house that night. l followed
man who came there to the house.
Wassaquam did not know his name.
He did not know Mr.. Corvet WAS gone
for he came there to 500 Mr.. Corvet.
He was not an ordinary friend Of Mr..
COrvet's: but he had come there often
WassaQuam did not know why. Was.
saquam had sent the man away, and
I ran out after him: but l could not
find hiM"
He stopped an instant. studying her,
''That WAS not the first man who came
to the house." lie went on quickly. ii
she was about to speak. II found q
man In Mr.. Corvet's house the first
night that l spent there. Wassaquam
was away, you remember. and l was
alone In the house."
"A man there In The house?" she 70.
peated.
He was going through Mr.. eorvet'a
things-not the silver and all that, but
through his desks and files and cases
He was looking for something-some'
thing which he seemed to want very
much: when ] interfered, it greatly ex'
cited him. frightened him. HI
thought was ghost"
"A ghost. Whose ghost?"
He shrugged. II don't know; some
one whom he seemed to have known
a
knew. he thought"
"Why didn't you tell us this before!'
AT least-I am telling you now
Miss Sheriff.. ! frightened him. ant
he got away. But l had seen hin
plainly. can describe him. -.
You've talked with your father Of thu
possibility that something might hap
pen to me such as, perhaps. happened
to Mr.. Corvet. II anything does hap
pen to me. q description Of the mar
may :. prove useful"
Then clearly and definitely as HI
could, he described Spearman to her
She did not recognize the description
he had known size would not. Had mol
Spearman been In Duluth Beyond
that, was not connection Of Spearmar
with the prowler In Corvet's house thu
one connection Of all most difficult fol-
her to make?
They were silent as they went on to
ward her home. He had said all HI
could. or dared to say TO tell her thai
the man had been Spearman would moi
merely have awakened her incredull
ty; 1t would have destroyed credenct
utterly. A definite change in their re
lation to one another had taken place
during their walk. The fullness, thu
frankness Of the sympathy there hat
been between them almost from theiI
FIRST meeting. had gone; she wal
quite aware. he saw. that he had moi
frankly answered her questions; sht
was aware that In some way he hat
drawn back from her and shut hei