Licking Valley courier., 1922-04-27

when the saloon was closed; that was
Ben COrvet's fault; If Ben COrvet had
been around, Luke would have had
money, all the money any one wanted;
no one would have thrown out Luke
then. Luke slept in the snow, all wet
When he arose, the saloon was open
again, and he got more whisky, but not
enough to get him warm. He hadn't
been warm since. That was Ben Cor
vets fault. Ben C0rvet better he
round now; Luke wouldn't stand any
more.
Alan felt of the pulse again; he
opened the coat and under-hannels
and felt the heaving chest. He went
to the hall and looked in the telephone
directory. He remembered the name
of the druggist on the corner of Clark
street and he telepbOned him, giving
the number on Astor street.
II want a doctor right away" he
said. "Any good doctor; the one that
you can get quickest" The druggist
promised that physician would be
there within a quarter of an hour
Alan went back to Luke, who was
silent now except for the gasp of his
breath; he did not answer when Alan
spoke to him, except to ask for whis-
ky. Alan stood watching, a strange
sinking tremor shaking him. This
nan had come there to make a claim
"A claim which many times before,
apparently, Benjamin COrvet had ad-
mitted. Luke came to Ben Corvet
for money which he always got-all
| he wanted-the alternative to giving
which was that Luke would "talk."
BlacIrmail, that meant, of course ;
! biackmail which not only Luke had
told of but which Wassaquam too had
admitted, as Alan now realized. Money
for blackmall-that was the reason
for that thousand dollars In cash
which Benjamin Corvet always kept
at the house.
Alan turned with a sudden shlver
Of revulsion toward his fathers chair
In place before the hearth; there for
hours each day his father had sat
with book or staring into the fire
always with what this man knew
hanging over him, always arminp
against II with the thousand dollars
ready for this man, whenever became
Meeting blackmall, paying blackmail
for as long as Wassaquam had been
in the house, for as long as II took tC
make the once muscular powerful fig
ure OF the sailor who threatened tC
talk" into the swollen whlsky-soaket
hulk of the man dying now on tht
lounge.
For his state that day the mar
blamed Benjamin Corvet. Alan, fore
ing himself to TOUGH the swollen face
shuddered at thought of the truth un
derlying that accusation. Benjamin
Corvet's act--whatever II might b,
that this man knew-undoubtedly haC
destroyed not only him who paid TIN
blackmail but him who received 1t
the effect of that act was still golni
. on, destroying, hllghting. Its threat o
shame was not only against Benjamin
Corvet; 1t threatened also all who's
names must be connected with Cor
vets. This shame threatened Alan
II threatened also the Sherrllls. Wha
Sheriff. had told Alan and even Cor
vets gifts to him had not been ubl
to make Alan feel that without Ques
tlon Corvet was his father, but nON
shame and horror were making hlr
feel It; In horror at Corvet's act
whatever II might be-and In sham
at Covert's cowardlce, Alan was think
Ing OF Benjamin Corvet as his fnthel
1 This shame. this horror were his IN
heritance.
He left Luke and went to the viii
dow to see If the doctor was cominl
He had called the doctor because In hi
first sight OF Luke he had not recOl
nized that Luke was beyond the al
OF doctors and because to summon
doctor under such circumstances wa
the right thing to do; but he hO
thought Of the doctor also as n wi
ness to anything Luke might say. Br
now-did he want Il witnessY lie hO
no thought of conceallng anything fC
his own sake or for his fathers; bI
he would, at least, want the chance I
determine the circumstances uDdt
which II was to be made public.
! He hurried back to Luke, "Whi
is IL, Luke?" he cried to him. "WhJ
can you tell2 Listenl Luke-Luk
Is II about the MlwHka-the Mlwnk0
Lukew
Luke had sunk into stupor; Ala
snook him and shouted In his e'
without awakening response AS ALI
Strengthened aud stood hOpelcssly loo
Ing down at him, the telephone he
rang sharply. Constance Sheriff.
voice came to him; her first wor'
made II clear that she was ut hon
and had just come In.
'"The servants tell me some one WI
l.. l..