him, hands clasped beneath her chin, and her elbows resting
on the arm of the chair, there was speculation and interest in her
gaze; but she did not ask him anything more about himself. She
inquired about the Kansas weather that week in comparison with the
storm which had just ceased in Chicago, and about Blue Rapids, which
she said she had looked up upon the map, and he took this chat for what
it was--notification that she did not wish to continue the other topic
just then.

She, he saw, was listening, like himself, for the sound of Sherrill's
arrival at the house; and when it came, she recognized it first, rose,
and excused herself. He heard her voice in the hall, then her father's
deeper voice which answered; and ten minutes later, he looked up to see
the man these things had told him must be Sherrill standing in the door
and looking at him.

He was a tall man, sparely built; his broad shoulders had been those of
an athlete in his youth; now, at something over fifty, they had taken
on a slight, rather studious stoop, and his brown hair had thinned upon
his forehead. His eyes, gray like his daughter's, were thoughtful
eyes; just now deep trouble filled them. His look and bearing of a
refined and educated gentleman took away all chance of offense from the
long, inquiring scrutiny to which he subjected Alan's features and
figure before he came into the room.

Alan had risen at sight of him; Sherrill, as he came in, motioned him
back to his seat; he did not sit down himself, but crossed to the
mantel and leaned against it.

"I am Lawrence Sherrill," he said.

As the tall, graceful, thoughtful man stood looking down at him, Alan
could tell nothing of the attitude of this friend of Benjamin Corvet
toward himself. His manner had the same reserve toward Alan, the same
questioning consideration of him, that Constance Sherrill had had after
Alan had told her about himself.

"My daughter has repeated to me what you told her, Mr. Conrad,"
Sherrill observed. "Is there anything you want to add to me regarding
that?"

"There's nothing I can add," Alan answered. "I told her all that I
know about myself."

"And about Mr. Corvet?"

"I know nothing at all about Mr. Corvet."

"I am going to tell you some things about Mr. Corvet," Sherrill said.
"I had reason--I do not want to explain just yet what that reason
was--for thinking you could tell us certain things about Mr. Corvet,
which would, perhaps, make plainer what