Part 6 (1/2)
”Yes, sir”
”'S there a letter here for me?”
”I don't know,” she smiled ”Won't you come in?”
The man came inside
”Now,” she said, ”I'll see What is your name?”
”Ben--” he hesitated ”Oh--that don't matter Won't be addressed to my name Addressed like that”
He drew frori The envelope was blue--yes, the very shade of blue of that other in the pigeon-hole And it was addressed: Phi Beta Ki, Nome, Alaska
”Is there a letter here like that?” the h blood-shot eyes
It was a tense moment What should she say? She loathed the man; feared him, as well Yet he had asked for the letter and had offered better proof than the e boy had What should she say?
”Yes,” she said, and then hesitated Her heart beat violently His searching eyes were upon her ”Yes, there was one It ca ave it to him!”
The man lifted a hand as if to strike Marian She did not flinch
There caht the questioning gleam in the old leader's eye
The ave it to him Why should I not? He offered no real proof that he was the right person, it is true--”
”Then why--”
”But neither have you,” Marian hurried on ”You ht have picked that envelope up in the street, or taken it from a wastepaper basket How do I know?”
”What--what sort of a boy was it?” theyoung felloith blue eyes and an honest face”
”That's him! That's him!” the man almost raved ”Honest-lookin', yes, honest-lookin' They ain't all honest that looks that way”
Again calanced uneasily toward the pigeon-hole where the latest blue envelope rested She caught an easy breath A large white legal envelope quite hid the blue one
”Well, if another one corowled theout of the roo's head between her hands
”I'lad you're here When there are such men as that about, we need you”