did not prove that Benjamin
Corvet had left a record in the house, as Sherrill believed; but it
certainly showed that another person believed--or feared--it. Whether
or not guilt had sent Benjamin Corvet away four days ago, whether or
not there had been guilt behind the ghost which had "got Ben," there
was guilt in the big man's superstitious terror when he had seen Alan.
A bold, powerful man like that one, when his conscience is clear, does
not see a ghost. And the ghost which he had seen had a bullet hole
above the brows!

Alan did not flatter himself that in any physical sense he had
triumphed over that man; so far as it had gone, his adversary had had
rather the better of the battle; he had endeavored to stun Alan, or
perhaps do worse than stun; but after the first grapple, his purpose
had been to get away. But he had not fled from Alan; he had fled from
discovery of who he was. Sherrill had told Alan of no one whom he
could identify with this man; but Alan could describe him to Sherrill.

Alan found a lavatory and washed and straightened his collar and tie
and brushed his clothes. There was a bruise on the side of his head;
but though it throbbed painfully, it did not leave any visible mark.
He could return now to the Sherrills'. It was not quite midnight but
he believed by this time Sherrill was probably home; perhaps already he
had gone to bed. Alan took up his hat and looked about the house; he
was going to return and sleep here, of course; he was not going to
leave the house unguarded for any long time after this; but, after what
had just happened, he felt he could leave it safely for half an hour,
particularly if he left a light burning within.

He did this and stepped out. The wind from the west was blowing hard,
and the night had become bitter cold; yet, as Alan reached the drive,
he could see far out the tossing lights of a ship and, as he went
toward the Sherrills', he gazed out over the roaring water. Often on
nights like this, he knew, his father must have been battling such
water.

The man who answered his ring at the Sherrills' recognized him at once
and admitted him; in reply to Alan's question, the servant said that
Mr. Sherrill had not yet returned. When Alan went to his room, the
valet appeared and, finding that Alan was packing, the man offered his
service. Alan let him pack and went down-stairs; a motor had just
driven up to the house.

It proved to have brought Constance and her