The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-07-03
For Tue LOue Of 4 Lady
By JEFFERY FARNOL

bed with a certain repressed eager ness but meeting the invalid's keen eyes, shifted his glance and seem ed to hesitate.
 Split me but you're ghastly as a specter!" said the Viscount at last.
 "Ay, Will, I feel it! nurmured Julian. "Yet I don't intend to die, Will, not even to please so loving friend as myself. Let us to business-how goes your wooing?
 Excellent well, Julian, give me but time to contrive the matter with due deliberation and she's mine, Julian, mine!"
 T wonder?" retorted the indiyid- ual. Whence this sudden assur- ance, my lord? By all accounts she is no childish miss to blush at your lordly beck, or come simper- ing to your so masterful embrace"
 True enough, Julian-but,' and here my lord took on an expres- sion of unexpected, ruthless de- termination, consider, Julian-a solitary house, an ardent wooer-a day and night and-final discovery! Such methods may bend the most stubborn of feminine wills-eh, Jul ian?
 As for the Darcy, she was all graciousness this morning. l be- gin to think Despard's scheme may prove unwanted."
 How? Despards scheme?"
 Why, twas he suggested it."
 What, you mean this kidnap- ping, this lonely house? Iris a some what age-worn method, eh?".
 The Viscount dropped into the chair.
 Well, what-what O tomorrow Julian-what O your promise?"
 Julian laughed gently and shook his head, while the Viscount watch ed him. Its to be no again, is lit?"
 Positively no, Will"
 The Viscounts narrowed eyes dropped. Every year you prom ise and every year
 The Viscount's gaze crept along the bed-valance up and up to the small table standing at the in- valid's elbow; then he crossed tc the wide hearth where a dim fire burned.
 T was a fooll" cried he sudden. ly, ito sign the cursed thing'
 Tut, tutl" murmured Julian taking up a silyer-mounted pisto from where it lay on the littl' table and glancing to the Viscount! back. Seeing the Viscount neithel stirred nor spoke, Julian slipped tn, pistol under his pillow; said he Now, though all flesh perish, th' written word endureth, it liveth o1 when the hand that penned it i dust. Now talking of our Despard d ye trust him so implicitly?"
 Trust him? Don't I hold hin 'twixt my finger and thumb?" T wonder?" unused Julian. frown ing up at the bedtester. Iris !, dark, desperate, cool, determine, creature is George Despard."
 "Eh?" exclaimed his lordshir starting. "Thou'rt feverish, Julian.
 "Ay, so leave me, Will But no sooner had the door clos ed upon his lordship that Julia took pen and paper and began t write with a certain feverish haste When next he glanced up it was t ,, see Tom Pitt within yard of hi , bed.
 "Ha, rogue-rogue!" he gaspec covering what he had written wit quick hand. Wilt creep up ol , me, you dog, wilt spy?' No, sir, no, indeed, MT. Julian !, I'm here at my lordship's bidding. .. Then begone at mine, grub, an suffer none to trouble me-stay
 Bid the captain to me as soon a , becomes in"
 Left alone, Julian finished hi , writing and. having read it ovel : glanced about his chamber, wit ' eyes quick and eager, frowning tn
 while as one at loss. Suddenly h :, thrust hand beneath pillow an drew thence the silver -mounte pistol; then he rolled the pape
 cylinder-wise and thrust it into tn
 pistol barrel; which done, he hi l. the weapon under his pillow agaii
 Copyright, 1928, Jeffery Farnol
 A dastardly plot to win an heiress' fortune! Fridays chap
 ter brings out more of their :. villainy.