The Ordway new era., 1922-05-26

person who sent il was dead! In
that case, connection of Alan with the
place where he belonged was per-
manently broken. Or would some other
communication from that source reach
him some time-if not money, then
something else? Would he be sent for
some day?
Externally. Alan's learning the little
that was known about himself made
no change in his way of living; he
went to the town school. which COM
biued grammar and high schools
under one roof; and, as he grew older.
he clerked in one of the town stores
during vacations and in the evenings.
Alan always carried his money home
as part payment of those arrears which
had mounted up against him since the
letters ceased coming. At seventeen,
having finished high school. he was
clerking officially in MerrilPs general
store when the next letter came.
It was addressed this time not to
papa. but to Alan Conrad. He seized
it, tore it open, and bank draft for
fifteen hundred dollars fell out. There
was no letter with the enclosure. no
word of communication just the draft
to the order of Alan Conrad. Alan
wrote the Chicago bank by which the
draft had been issued; their reply
showed that the draft had been pur-
chased with currency. so there was no
record of the identity OF the person
who had sent it. More than that
amount was due for arrears for the
seven years during which no money
was sent. even when the total which
Alan had earned was deducted. So
Alan merely endorsed the draft over
10 father; and that fall Jim. Alan's
foster brother. went TO college. But.
when Jim discovered that it not only
was possible but planned at the uni
yerslty for a boy TO work his way
through, Alan went also.
Four wonderful years followed. In
companionship with educated people;
ideas and manners came to him which
he could not have acquired at home;
athletics Strengthened and added bear
ing to his muscular. well-formed
body; his pleasant, strong young face
acquired self-reliance and self-cOntrol.
Life became filled with possibilities for
himself which it had never held before.
But on his day of graduation he
had put away the enterprises he had
planned and the dreams he dreamed
and. conscious that his debt to father
and mother still remained unpaid. he
had returned to care for them: for
fathers health had failed and Jim, who
buI Low in
City. could do nothing to help.
No more money had followed the
draft from Chicago and there had
been no communication of any kind;
but the receipt Of so considerable
sum had revived and intensified all
Alan's speculations about himself. The
vague expectation of his childhood
that sometime. In some way, he would
be sent for; had grown during the
last six years to a definite belief.
And now-on the afternoon before
the summons had come
This time, as he tore open the en-
velope. he saw that beside a check,
there was writing whitman uneven
and nervous-locking but plainly legible
communication in longhand. The
letter made no explanation. 1t told
him. rather than asked him, to come
to Chicago, gave minute instructions
for the journey, and advised him to
telegraph when he started The
check was for a hundred dollars to
pay his expenses. Check and letter
were signed by a name completely
strange to him.
He was distinctly attractive look
ing lad, as he stood now on the station
platform of the little town, while the
eastbound train rumbled in. and he
fingered in his pocket the letter from
Chicago.
On the train he took the letter from
his pocket and for the dozenth time
reread it. Was Covert a relative? Was
he the man who had sent the remit
tances when Alan was a little boy,
and the one who later had sent the
fifteen hundred dollars? Or was he
merely a go-between, perhaps 8 law
yer? There was no letterhead to give
aid in these specuIations. The ad-
dress to which Alan was to come was
in Astor street. He had never heard
the name of the street before. Was it
a business street, Corvet's ADDRESS in
some great office building. perhaps?
At Chicago Alan, following the
porter with his suitcase from the car,
stepped down among the crowds
hurrying to and from the t.ains. He
was not confused. he, was only in
tensely excited. Acting in implicit ac-
which he knew by heart. he went to
the uniformed attendant and engaged
taxicab-itself no small experience !;
there would be no one at the station
to meet him, the letter had said. He
gave the Astor street address and got
into the cab.