f Alan's status,
Sherrill did not know what next to do; he stood an instant in thought,
then, contenting himself with inviting Alan to lunch, he excused
himself to return to his office. When he had gone, closing the door
behind him, Alan began to pace swiftly up and down the room.

What had just passed had left him still breathless; he felt bewildered.
If every movement of Spearman's great, handsome body had not recalled
to him their struggle of the night before--if, as Spearman's hand
rested cordially on Sherrill's shoulder, Alan had not seemed to feel
again that big hand at his throat--he would almost have been ready to
believe that this was not the man whom he had fought. But he could not
doubt that; he had recognized Spearman beyond question. And Spearman
had recognized him--he was sure of that; he could not for an instant
doubt it; Spearman had known it was Alan whom he had fought in Corvet's
house even before Sherrill had brought them together. Was there not
further proof of that in Spearman's subsequent manner toward him? For
what was all this cordiality except defiance? Undoubtedly Spearman had
acted just as he had to show how undisturbed he was, how indifferent he
might be to any accusation Alan could make. Not having told Sherrill
of the encounter in the house--not having told any one else--Alan could
not tell it now, after Sherrill had informed him that Spearman opposed
his accession to Corvet's estate; or, at least, he could not tell who
the man was. In the face of Spearman's manner toward him to-day,
Sherrill would not believe. If Spearman denied it--and his story of
his return to town that morning made it perfectly certain that he would
deny it--it would be only Alan's word against Spearman's--the word of a
stranger unknown to Sherrill except by Alan's own account of himself
and the inferences from Corvet's acts. There could be no risk to
Spearman in that; he had nothing to fear if Alan blurted an accusation
against him. Spearman, perhaps, even wanted him to do that--hoped he
would do it. Nothing could more discredit Alan than such an
unsustainable accusation against the partner who was opposing Alan's
taking his father's place. For it had been plain that Spearman
dominated Sherrill, and that Sherrill felt confidence in and admiration
toward him.

Alan grew hot with the realization that, in the interview just past,
Spearman had also dominated him. He had been unable to find anything
adequat