twice, Alan. Once he came
oftener."

"How long has he been doing that?"

"Since I can remember."

"Is he a friend of Mr. Corvet?"

"No friend--no!"

"But Mr. Corvet saw him when he came here?"

"Always, Alan."

"And you don't know at all what he came about?"

"How should I know? No; I do not."

Alan got his coat and hat. The sudden disappearance of the man might
mean only that he had hurried away, but it might mean too that he was
still lurking near the house. Alan had decided to make the circuit of
the house and determine that. But as he came out on to the porch, a
figure more than a block away to the south strode with uncertain step
out into the light of a street lamp, halted and faced about, and shook
his fist back at the house. Alan dragged the Indian out on to the
porch.

"Is that the man, Judah?" he demanded.

"Yes, Alan."

Alan ran down the steps and at full speed after the man. The other had
turned west at the corner where Alan had seen him; but even though Alan
slipped as he tried to run upon the snowy walks, he must be gaining
fast upon him. He saw him again, when he had reached the corner where
the man had turned, traveling westward with that quick uncertain step
toward Clark Street; at that corner the man turned south. But when
Alan reached the corner, he was nowhere in sight. To the south, Clark
Street reached away, garish with electric signs and with a half dozen
saloons to every block. That the man was drunk made it probable he had
turned into one of these places. Alan went into every one of them for
fully a half mile and looked about, but he found no one even resembling
the man he had been following. He retraced his steps for several
blocks, still looking; then he gave it up and returned eastward toward
the Drive.

The side street leading to the Drive was less well lighted; dark entry
ways and alleys opened on it; but the night was clear. The stars, with
the shining sword of Orion almost overhead, gleamed with midwinter
brightness, and to the west the crescent of the moon was hanging and
throwing faint shadows over the snow. Alan could see at the end of the
street, beyond the yellow glow of the distant boulevard lights, the
smooth, chill surface of the lake. A white light rode above it; now,
below the white light, he saw a red speck--the masthead and port
lanterns of a steamer northward bound. Farther out a second white glow
appeared from behind the obscuration of the