The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-04-07
Chapter 19
JACQUELINE BROWNS

Jacqueline was worried He usual lightheartedness was gonc Instead she was white faced anC desperate.
 From the well of experience witt the British defenders of the law Teddy strove to dissipate her fear; Jacqueline realized that she ha been foolish to flee, but rejected Teddy's suggestion that she mak a call upon Scotland yard; tha she could not do, she felt, becaus of her past, which she did not re veal to Teddy.
 Listen, Mir. Montrose," she saiS steadily. When I tell you that did not steal those diamonds, anf that I had nothing whatever to d, with the theft and knew nothing whatever about it-do you believ. me?"
 well, I should think I do" re- piled Teddy Believe you-why, J will take anything you tell m against anything anybody else says and believe it till the bottom drop out of the world and all the water spills out of the seas. Why you know that surely?"
 Thank you, MT. Montrose," Jac- oueline's voice was rather sub dued. You can believe it because it is the truth. But if I allow the police to go poking into my past, they will take that-my past I mean-as strong evidence against me. I'd like to make you under stand, MT. Montrose, if I can. ] mean, if there is anything in my past which I am not prepared to be candid about at this particular moment, it is not anything se very discrediable. Now I will go back to the Majestic, please"
 You needn't have told me that replied Teddy, quietly, with look in his eyes which she liked. T know perfectly well that there is nothing in your past that Is to your discredit. I have known it from the first moment I saw you; also I don't want to know any thing about you that you don't want to tell me. I can see all want to know about you-in your eyes"
 Thank you again. Mir Montrose. You are very generous to me"
 "Not generosity at all" replied Teddy. Plain horse sense, the way I look at it. But you were going to tell me something about the mystery"
 "Oh, yes. I have been worried about it. The lady who took me to Circos, a Mrs. Porter Mason, didn't come back to the hotel last night. Of course I lost her in the darkness and confusion-that was before I climbed out of the win dow. DO you think she could have been locked up?"
 1EQQy 4IONutu Wlgll bAAC SAAO4 of thought. "Who is this lady?"
 Jacqueline explained how she had become acquainted.
 Not so good" he muttered. Not so good. You've got to be careful how you pick up with strange peo- pie in hotels like the Majestic"
 "Helpl But I thought the. Majes- tictic was one of the best and most stylish hotels in London?"
 Most stylish, perhaps, but not the best Oh, no. It may be one of the most swagger and expensive, but it hasn't the reputation Of being exclusive. Anybody can go there if they've got the money, and that makes the company a bit mixed sometimes"
 "Oh, but I'm sure Mrs. Porter Mason is quite nice. She seems perfect lady to me, and I am frightfully worried. I can't think what can have become of her. thought you might be able to help me, perhaps"
 I'm out of my depths" confessed Teddy. 50 far as 1 know no one was arrested. If Mrs Mason didn't arrive home, I should say some thing must have happened between the night club and the Majestic, so to speak. When did you see Mrs. Mason last?"
 "Just as the raid started" re- turned Jacqueline She was by my side just after the lights went out. She told me to hold her fan a minute while she went to find out what was the matter, She went away and did not come back. Or at least did not wait for her" l"
 What did you do exactly?"
 T got frightened-fearfully so, when the police began banging at the doors, and I heard the people shouting all around that it was a raid. A lot of women screamed 50 I thought it meant that some thing dreadful was going to hap pen"
 aThey only screamed from ex. citement," replied Teddy. T be-