The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-01-26

exactly what you did do. You were paving at me-and after that everything is a blank"
 That isn't true!" she contra dicted. T had no gun-and any way-I'd have had no chance to use it."
 That might be difficult to prove" Kronberg reminded her. "Ii I chose to say that we were alone just before Charming came"
 "You know very well we weren't! You saw-the other woman"
 "Is anyone aware of that-any- one but you?"
 You mean that you're going to deny it-that you're going to say I did it?"
 She realized the hopelessness of attempting an alibi., The other woman would not be in the pie ture. If Kronberg should swear nc one else was there, Vivienne sup posed a jury would refuse to be- lieve her story
 T haven't decided-what to say,9 he told her quietly. q have my suspicions-and they may be we'll founded-but if there was another woman I mean to learn who she is. I don't encourage ladies to behave toward me that way"
 Whether CT not you admit it, we were not alone. I've no more idea who the woman vas"
 Than I haveY ne suggested, Well, suppose I told you that it would not be difficult to have her arrested tonight? If I did, I should naturally, need your cooperation. In spite of the fact that the wom- an was masked you should have recognized her through her domi- no"
 Vivienne stared at him in horror What are you hinting?"
 Perhaps that you had an &C., complementary friend. Or that the mask was not a disguise but a certain Identification.
 That's a lie~ She stood up trembling.
 Hadn't you better sit quietly un- til we've talked this over? If there was a woman-which may or may not admit-you're either go- ing to help me have her brought to justice, or else I'm willing to compromise, and agree with you that you did it.
 ! "You mean that you'll charge me with shooting you-if I don't accuse-someone else?"
 That sums up the situation" he answered with a smile Of course, it might have been someone jealous of the affection-I appeared to be offering. Or, it might have been a person who fired in your defense. That and the mask would narrow it down-considerably-," he added.
 You shan't-because it isn't true. Tell me what you want~
 How should I know?" he shrug- ged. T suppose you were listening in tonight when the lady who's wearing Channing's mask made her debut on the air. If this little af- fair of mine should come up for consideration-it might be sup posed that you and she-are friend ly, shall we say?"
 Vivienne's fingers worked con-. vulsively as she tried to control herself Surely you don't suppose that I--you don't dare suggest that she"
 Wears mask; outside the stu. dio-and that she might have fol- lowed us to the office in my the- ater? That would seem quite logi- cal-if the lady is who I am sure she is. Then her close association with the artist who-discovered me lis easily established"
 "Suppose--I deny it-and it's proved that the woman you hint about was elsewhere at the time?n
 Then, unless Charming saw some one else, it's likely that suspicion would narrow down to you"
 Vivienne covered upon the bench. She knew Kronberg was relentless, but would he go through with what he proposed if Aileen proved innocent. At the time of the shoot ing Aileen had been alone in their own apartment. For that reason there was no one who could testi- fy to the fact. Any evidence against her would of course be circum- stantial
 Yet, if Kronberg pressed the charge it would ruin Aileen's ca reer. Her identity would be re- vealed. both of their names would be on every tongue-and even their 'acquittal would leave them damned in the judgment of a sensation. loving public.
 "Oh-what do you want? I'll do