The Holly chieftain., 1922-05-11


In the late afternoon, as dusk was
drawing into dark, she stood at the
window, with one of those delusive
hopes which come during anxiety that.
because 1t was the time OF day at
which she had seen Uncle Benny walk
ing by the lake the day before, she
might see him there again, when she
saw her fathers motor approaching.
1t was coming from the north. not
from the south as 1t would have been
II he was coming from his office or his
club, and 1t had turned into the Drive
from the west. She knew, therefore,
that he was coming from Uncle Ben
ny's house, and, as the car swerved
and wheeled in, she ran out into the
hall to meet him.
He came in without taking off hat
or cont; she could see that he was
perturbed greatly agitated.
what Is it, father?" she demanded.
what has happenedT'
II do not know, my dear"
"It is something-something that
has happened to Uncle Benny?"
II am afraid so, dear-yes. But I
do not know what it is that has hap
pened, or l would tell you"
He put his arm about her and drew
her into room opening off the hall
his study. He made her repeat again
to him the conversation she had had
with Uncle Benny and tell him how
he had acted but she saw that what
she told him did not help him.
Then he drew her toward him.
Tell me, little daughter. You
have been great deal with Uncle
Benny and have talked with him; l
want you to think carefully. Did you
ever hear him speak of any one called
Alan COnrad?"
She thought. mo, father"
mo reference either to any one
living in Kansas. or a town there
called Blue RapldsT
"No, father. who Is Alan Conrad?"
81 do not know, dear. I never heard
the name until to-day, and Harry
Spearman had never heard It, But 1t
appears to be intimately connected in
some way with what was troubling
Uncle Benny yesterday. He wrote
letter yesterday to Alan Conrad in
Blue Rapids and mailed 1t himself;
and afterward he tried to get it back.
but 1t already had been taken up and
was on its way. l have not been able
| to learn anything more about the letter
| than that. To-day that name, Alan
| Conrad. came to me In quite another
way, in way which makes 1t certain
\ ! t. <,Ix al, tnI ltI, -I,at
ever has happened to Uncle Benny.
| You are quite sure you never heard
him mention 1t, dear?" I
quite sure, father"
He released her and, still in his hat
and coat, went swiftly up the stairs
She ran after him and found him
standing before highboy In his dress
Ing room. He unlocked drawer in
the highboy, and froms within the
drawer he took key. Then, still dis
regarding her. he hurried back down
stairs.
AS she followed him, she caught up
wrap and pulled 1t around her He
had told the chauffeur, she realized
now, to wait; but as he reached the
door, he turned and stopped her.
II would rather you did not come
with me, little daughter. l do not
know at all what 1t Is that has hap
pened-I will let you know as soon as
find out
The finality In his tone stopped her
from argument AS the house door and
then the door of the Limousine closed
after him. she went back toward the
window, slowly taking off the wrap.
For the moment she found 1t difficult
to think. Something had happened to
Uncle Benny, something terrible.
dreadful for those who loved him;
that was plain, though only the fact
and not Its nature was known to her
or to her father; and that something
was connected-intimately connected.
her father had said-with a name
which no one who knew Uncle Benny
ever heard before, with the name of
Alan Conrad OF Blue Rapids, Kansas.
Who was this Alan Conrad, and what
could his connection be with Uncle
Benny so to precipitate disaster upon
him.