The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-05-26
CHAPTER x-continued.

CHAPTER X-continued.
But Luke had said nothing about
Spearman. 1t had been Corvet, and
Corvet alone, of whom Luke had
spoken; 1t was Corvet whom he had
accused; 1t was Corvet who had given
him money. Was it conceivable, then,
that there had been two such events in
Corvet's life? That one of these
events concerned the Miwaka and
Spearman and some one-some one
with bullet hole above the eye
who had "got" Corvet; and that the
other event had concerned Luke and
something else? 1t was not conceiva-
BILE, Alan was sure; it was all one
thing. If Corvet had to do with the
Miwaka, then Luke had had to do with
1T too. And Spearman? But If Spear
man had been involved in that guilty
thing, had not Luke known it? Then
why had not Luke mentioned Spear
man? Or had Spearman not been real
ly involved? Had 1t been, perhaps,
only evidence of knowledge of what
Corvet had done that Spearman had
tried to discover and destroy?
Alan went to the door and opened
1t, as he heard Spearman upon the
steps again Spearman waited only
until the door had been reclosed be-
hind him.
well, Conrad. what was the idea of
bringing Miss Sheriff. into this?"
1nt hyi,,r A.,
best | could to keep her out"
"Out of what-eXactly?"
"You know better than / do. You
know exactly what 1t is You know
that man, Spearman; you know what
he came here for. don't mean money !;
mean you know why he came here
for money, and why he got It, | tried
as well as l could, to make him tell
me; but he wouldn't do it. There's
disgrace of some sort here, of course
disgrace that involves my father and
j think, you too. If you're not guilty
with my father, you'll help me now; if
you are guilty, then, at least, your re-
fusal to help will let me know that"
II don't know what you're talking
about. | told you this man may have
been a wheelsman on the Corvet;
don't know more about him than that:
/ don't even know that certainly. OF
course, / knew Ben Corvet was paying
blackmaiI; I've known for years that
he was giving up money to some one.
don't know who he paid it to; or for
what
The strain of the last few hours was
telling upon Alan; his skin flushed hot
and cold by turns He paced up and
down while he controlled himself.
That's not enough, Spearman." he
said finally. live felt you. some
how. underneath all these things. The
first time l saw you, you were in this
house doing something you ought not
to have been doing; you fought me
then; you would have killed me rather
than not get away. Two weeks ago.
some one attacked me on the street
for robbery, they said; but know 1t
wasn't robbery"
You're not so crazy as to be trying
TO involve me in that"
NhNhS NoihC q oOuLu u lHcIn from
the hall, sound Enthusiastically denot-
ing some presence. Spearman jerked
suddenly up; Alan. going to the door
and looking into the hall, saw Wassa-
guam. The Indian evidently had re-
turned to the house some time before !:
he had been bringing to Alan now the
accounts which he had settled. He
seemed to have been standing In the
hall for some time, listening: but he
came In now, looking inquiringIy from
one to the other of them.
"Not friendsT he inquired. "You
and Henry?"
Alau's passion broke out suddenly.
We're anything but that, Judah. 1
found him. the first night got here
and while you were away, going
through my fathers things / fought
With him, and he ran away. He was
the one that broke into my fathers
desks; maybe you'n believe that. even
If no one else WILL.
"Yesr the Indian questioned.
"Yes?" 1t was plain that he not only
believed hut that believing gave him
In .ense satisfaction. He took Alan's
arm and led him into the smaller. IL
Isnsy. He lsneIt before one of the draw