The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-01-27
Chapter 25
A DESPERATE WOMAN


 ing the knuckles of one plump, white hand abstractedly against the table edge.
 Her eyes fell on the litter of pa pers, which Anne had made no at tempt to put in order-knowing how men detest having their be- longings touched She lifted one and then another, glancing at them absently, without any particular in- terest. But suddenly she raised an envelope close to her eyes.
 Finding it unsealed, she took it out and put on her glasses to read it-ordinarily she would not have been guilty of such an act, but she felt that the desperateness of the present crisis justified any means that might come to hand. She perused the letter hastily but with care. It was addressed: "Messrs. Blackwell and Cooper, 619 Ex- change Building, San Francisco, California"
 It was the letter which Glenn had written about the big gold strike; in the rush of things it had been left unmailed
 Mrs. Wllmot thrust the sheet back into the envelope and showed it under the other papers. Then she stood considering tensely, her lips tightly compressed, her knuckles still tapping against the table edge. Finally she sat down in front of the table, draw pen and ink swiftly toward her and wrote steadily. her hrows puckered with thought.
 Out in tho kitchen Anne had dis covered that Delphine had sustained no injury more serious than a rather severe bruise on her fore head Delphine in her zeal for ferreting out Sheb's. choicest treas ures from their hiding places, had pulled down an old rubber boot with a varied assortment of relics in, 1t. When she put in her hand and pulled out a snake skin, she had screamed and fallen to the floor.
 Anne bathed the bruised head with witchhazel, comforted her as best she could. and went back into the living room.
 When she entered, her aunt was just moving away from the couch. on one end of which lay Anne's old sweater Poor Delphine,' she said, laughing. she almost pulled the whole kitchen down on her self"
 T didn't come up here to talk about Delphine-nor kitchens" Mrs. Wilmot informed her tersely, Now put on your hat, fl you have one, and come on home with me. Leon has been more than generous, but he certainly can't be expected to stand for further nonsense"
 Anne gazed at her incredulouslY. "Auntie. can't you understand?' she said gently. I'm not coming. And-even if I were not married already-there is nothing on earth that could induce me to be Leon Morse's wife, after what he has done-or tried to dol'
 What has he done?"
 You must know-that he and Mir. Douglas have set these noun taineers on to try to dynamite MT, GIenn's-my husbands-reservoir. ;
 well. and what of that?'
 What of it?"
 My dear child" Mrs. Wilmot was evidently trying hard now to be patient, you don't suppose for a moment that there's any fortune in the same class as Leon's that hasn't got something as bad-or a good deal worse-than that behind 1t, do you2 After all what's a lit tie irrigation project more or less in comparison with great trans continental railway which will be of benefit to the entire country? You see, my dear, man like Morse gets the habit of looking at things in the large"
 "Yes, I suppose so," Anne mur- mured. His perspective has wid- ened to such an extent that he doesn't in the least mind-or even see perhaps-that he's stepping on a lot of mere average human beings in going after what he wants!"
 Good heavens" Mrs. Wilmot regarded her with genuine horror and consternation. You talk like an I. W. w. or-an innocent right out of a convent"
 Anne looked back at her despair ingIy. T guess it's no use, Aunt Emily" she said. we can't seem to understand one another"
 The older woman pulled herself stiffly to her feet, picked up her stole and wrapped it firmly about