The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-08-08

l lIaQJ.
 Half an hour later, Dagger sat at her dressing table, soothed and re- faxed beyond her expectations, Marie's skillful hands yielding the brush upon her hair, pleasant chatter of gossip driving unpleas- ant thoughts from her mind
 The room-t e l phone tingled abruptly.
 'NIadame's car is at the door"
 We must hurry" said Dagger. Here l have been dreaming when my friends wait dinner for me. My dress-quick, Marie.
 A few minutes later the car came to a stop in front of high gates, and presently rolled on into short driveway, which circled between a patch of lawn and square-built house. A butler, who wore the rib bon of the CroiX de Guerre on his lapel ran down the steps to open the car door, and ushered her into a hall where a fire burned on an open hearth.
 In a doorway on her right Dick Yelling appeared with tall, ash blonde woman, whose willowy fig ure and perfect features seemed to Dagger to constitute an ideal combination of aristocratic beauty; while the slow, drawling voice and friendly smile made an impression of humor and feeling. Much to her surprise, Dagger realized she was going to like Emily.
 "So this is Dagger" Emily ex- claimed. Prom all Dicks tales I expected a cowgirl in boots and breeches-one's ideas are colored by the films, perhaps. And you are woman of the world! Dick, you never said your Dagger was so lovely"
 You mustn't turn my head, " laughed Dagger. And if there's anything you like about me, Dick is responsible. He was the closest to a father I had
 Emily put an arm around her, and kissed her-and Dagger, who loathed womens caresses, as a rule, was touched
 T owe you very much, my dear, V Emily said a trifle huskily. T don't know what Dick you'd have done during those unhappy years but i for you and that precious uncle of yours But let's not talk of itl"
 Dagger was surprised at herself a second time. Those unhappy years!" The years Emily had been Towards wife! But instinctively ! Dagger had grasped that the wom- an intended them to be no reflec- tion upon the husband she had lost. They were years that had been unhappy for all three persons con- cerned, and she fact of unhappiness was not to be blamed upon any one of the three. It was just one Of life's accidents-or ironies, depend- ing upon how you viewed the com edy of existence. No more person. ally unjust than the situation it had indirectly brought Dagger, herself { into
 You don't owe me anything, " Dagger answered gently. Dick gave us more than we could have given him. I'm glad you're happy now.
 And Emily drew her closer.
 Poor child! Your happiness has been fleeting."
 Dick coughed apologetically
 Damned serious this conversa- tion," he complained Don't wor- " about Dagger, Emily. Shes a battler, fights her way through. ,
 An undertone in his voice, side glance he gave her notified Dagger that Emily was unaware of her feeling for Howard, and for this she was thankful However pleas antly surprised she was to discover that the pale, blonde creature she had hated was actually lovable and attractive, she couldn't resist 1 feeling that Emily was one person she'd never be able to share How ard with in thought or reflection
 Indeed, at the bare recollection that Howard had belonged to Elm fly, in a technical sense, at least she experineced a siekening revul- sion, which she was at pains to conquer, as unworthy of her and unfair to a woman who had never consciously wronged her-who, in- deed had suffered for years through no fault of her own.
 When Dagger entered the salor for breakfast next day the first ob- ject to catch her eye was the vast of orchids de Senac had sent. Int Frenchman's courtly note had ex- cited her imagination and slipping