hind him and advanced toward
the desk.

"I thought we'd better have some explanation," he said, "about our
meeting last night."

"Our meeting?" Spearman repeated; his eyes had narrowed watchfully.

"You told Mr. Sherrill that you were in Duluth and that you arrived
home in Chicago only this morning. Of course you don't mean to stick
to that story with me?"

"What are you talking about?" Spearman demanded.

"Of course, I know exactly where you were a part of last evening; and
you know that I know. I only want to know what explanation you have to
offer."

Spearman leaned forward. "Talk sense and talk it quick, if you have
anything to say to me!"

"I haven't told Mr. Sherrill that I found you at Corvet's house last
night; but I don't want you to doubt for a minute that I know you--and
about your damning of Benjamin Corvet and your cry about saving the
_Miwaka_!"

A flash of blood came to Spearman's face; Alan, in his excitement, was
sure of it; but there was just that flash, no more. He turned, while
Spearman sat chewing his cigar and staring at him, and went out and
partly closed the door. Then, suddenly, he reopened it, looked in,
reclosed it sharply, and went on his way, shaking a little. For, as he
looked back this second time at the dominant, determined, able man
seated at his desk, what he had seen in Spearman's face was fear; fear
of himself, of Alan Conrad of Blue Rapids--yet it was not fear of that
sort which weakens or dismays; it was of that sort which, merely
warning of danger close at hand, determines one to use every means
within his power to save himself.

Alan, still trembling excitedly, crossed to Corvet's office to await
Sherrill. It was not, he felt sure now, Alan Conrad that Spearman was
opposing; it was not even the apparent successor to the controlling
stock of Corvet, Sherrill, and Spearman. That Alan resembled some
one--some one whose ghost had seemed to come to Spearman and might,
perhaps, have come to Corvet--was only incidental to what was going on
now; for in Alan's presence Spearman found a threat--an active, present
threat against himself. Alan could not imagine what the nature of that
threat could be. Was it because there was something still concealed in
Corvet's house which Spearman feared Alan would find? Or was it
connected only with that some one whom Alan resembled? Who was it Alan
resembled? His mother? In what had been told him, in all that he had
been able t