Page:The Indian Drum (1917 original).pdf/222

204 pected that they did not think it necessary to push inquiry very actively in such a home as this.

After the police had gone, he called Wassaquam into the library and brought the lists and clippings out again.

"Do you know at all what these are, Judah?" he asked.

"No, Alan. I have seen Ben have them, and take them out and put them back. That is all I know."

"My father never spoke to you about them?"

"Once he spoke to me; he said I was not to tell or speak of them to any one, or even to him."

"Do you know any of these people?"

He gave the lists to Wassaquam, who studied them through attentively, holding them to the lamp.

"No, Alan."

"Have you ever heard any of their names before?"

"That may be. I do not know. They are common names."

"Do you know the places?"

"Yes—the places. They are lake ports or little villages on the lakes. I have been in most of them, Alan. Emmet County, Alan, I came from there. Henry comes from there too."

"Henry Spearman?"

"Yes."

"Then that is where they hear the Drum."

"Yes, Alan."

"My father took newspapers from those places, did he not?"

Wassaquam looked over the addresses again. "Yes; from all. He took them for the shipping news, he said. And sometimes he cut pieces out of them