The spectator., 1922-06-13


 "Mr. John Welton,
 Blue Rapids, Kansas.
 Dear MT. Welton:
 Tt is possible that Alan Conrad has mentioned me-Or at least told you of my father-in connection with his stay in Chicago. After Alan left Chicago. my father wrote twice to hSs Blue Rapids address, but evidently he had instructed the postmaster there to forward his mail and had not made any change in those instructions, for the letters were returned to Alans ad- dress and in that way came back to us. We did not like to press inquiries further than that, as of course he could have communicated with us if he had not felt that there was some reason for not doing so. Now, how ever. something of such supreme i'm portance to him has come to us that 1t is necessary for us to get word to him at once. If you can tell me any address at which he can be reached by telegraph or mail-or where a mes- senger can find him-it will oblige us very much and will be to his interest"
 She hesitated. about to sign 1t; then. impulsively, she added: 'I trust you know that we have Alan's interest at heart and that you can safely tell us anything you may know as to where he is or what he may be doing. We all liked him here so very much. :"
 She signed her name. There were still two other letters to write. Only the handwriting of the address upon the package. the Manitowoc postmark and the shoe box furnished clues to the sender of the ring and the watch and the other things. Constance her self could not trace those clues, but Henry or her father could. She wrote to both of them, therefore, describing the articles which had come and re- lating what she had done. The next noon she received . wire from Henry that he was coming up." It did not surprise her. as she had expected him the end of the week. Late that evening, she sat with her mother on the wide, screened veranda. The lights of some boat turning in between the points and moving swift ly caught her attention. AS 1t entered the path of the moonlight. it's look was so like that of Henry's power yacht that she arose. It was his way, as soon as he had decided to leave busi- ness again and go to her, to arrive as soon as possible: that had been his way recently. particularly. So the sight of the yacht stirred her warmly and she watched while it ran in close. stopped and instantly dropped a dingey from the davits She saw Henry in the stern of the little boat; 1t disappeared in the shadow of pier she heard, presently, the gravel of the walk crunch under his quick steps. and then she saw him in the moonlight among the trees. She went down on the path to meet him.
 "How quickly you camel"
 You let yourself think you needed me, Connie!"
 "I did. ."
 He had caught her hand in his and he held 1t while he brought her to the porch and exchanged greetings with her mother. Then he led her on past and into the house.
 When she saw his face in the light. there were signs of strain in 1t.
 You're tired. Henry'
 He shook his head. Its been rot ten hot in Chicago: then l guess was mentally stoking all the way up here. Connie. But first, where are the things you wanted me to see?"
 She ran upstairs and brought them down to him. Her hands were shak- ing now as she gave them to him: she could not exactly understand why; but her tremor increased as she saw his big hands fumbling as he unwrapped the muffler and shook out the things it inclosed. He took them up one by one and looked at them. as she had done. His fingers were steady now, but only by mastering of control. the effort for which amazed her.
 He had the watch in his hands.
 'The inscription is inside the front" she said.
 - She pried the cover open again and read. with him. the words engraved within.
 "'As master of . What ship was he master of then. Henry, and how did he rescue the Winnebago's pee pley'
 He never talked to me about things like that, Constance. This 10 all7"
 "Yes."
 Henry put the things back in the box. "Of course. this Is the end of Benjamin Corvet."
 "Of course" Constance said. She was shaking again and. without will ing 1t, she withdrew little from Hen- ". He caught her hand again and drew her back toward him. His hand was quite steady.
 You know why came to you as ouiek as I could9 You know why T.