iny of Alan, the big, handsome man swung himself off from the desk
on which he sat and leaned against it, facing them more directly.

"Oh, yes--Conrad," he said. His tone was hearty; in it Alan could
recognize only so much of reserve as might be expected from Sherrill's
partner who had taken an attitude of opposition. The shipmasters,
looking on, could see, no doubt, not even that; except for the
excitement which Alan himself could not conceal, it must appear to them
only an ordinary introduction.

Alan fought sharply down the swift rush of his blood and the tightening
of his muscles.

"I can say truly that I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Spearman," he managed.

There was no recognition of anything beyond the mere surface meaning of
the words in Spearman's slow smile of acknowledgment, as he turned from
Alan to Sherrill.

"I'm afraid you've taken rather a bad time, Lawrence."

"You're busy, you mean. This can wait, Henry, if what you're doing is
immediate."

"I want some of these men to be back in Michigan to-night. Can't we
get together later--this afternoon? You'll be about here this
afternoon?" His manner was not casual; Alan could not think of any
expression of that man as being casual; but this, he thought, came as
near it as Spearman could come.

"I think I can be here this afternoon," Alan said.

"Would two-thirty suit you?"

"As well as any other time."

"Let's say two-thirty, then." Spearman turned and noted the hour
almost solicitously among the scrawled appointments on his desk pad;
straightening, after this act of dismissal, he walked with them to the
door, his hand on Sherrill's shoulder.

"Circumstances have put us--Mr. Sherrill and myself--in a very
difficult position, Conrad," he remarked. "We want much to be fair to
all concerned--"

He did not finish the sentence, but halted at the door. Sherrill went
out, and Alan followed him; exasperation--half outrage yet half
admiration--at Spearman's bearing, held Alan speechless. The blood
rushed hotly to his skin as the door closed behind them, his hands
clenched, and he turned back to the closed door; then he checked
himself and followed Sherrill, who, oblivious to Alan's excitement, led
the way to the door which bore Corvet's name. He opened it, disclosing
an empty room, somewhat larger than Spearman's and similar to it,
except that it lacked the marks of constant use. It was plain that,
since Spearman had chosen to put off discussion o