The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-07-15

N"0S AAOAAA AlAAA4s CO elA4NA 4oOAltl ought to be ashamed of yourselves. !"
 Bruce controlled himself with an effort Listen, Ann. I've told you over and over that this Red Butte, Nevada, gold mining proposition is my big chance to make a killing and get out of this small-town banking game which will never get me anywhere"
 Ann retorted hotly, And I've told you that you have no right to ask Pierre to let you risk his school money in a business about which you know less than nothing"
 But l do know all about this Red Butte mine"
 Ann's only answer was a gesture 1f hopeless resignation signifying ,hat it was useless to continue such fruitless argument. Bruce moved uneasily about, con- idering whether or not he should ell his wife something which he dad so far kept from her. Then he said Ann, if I tell you how I know this Nevada mining proposi-
 ion is all right will you promise lou won't tell Pierre?"
 Ann was surprised. Not tell oierre?"
 "Yes-do you promise not to re- ,eat what I say to Pierre?"
 She considered a moment, then:
 Why, yes, Brucel of course I promise not to tell anybody any hing you ask me not to mention"
 Well, then" said Bruce, T know Ill about this Nevada gold mine because it is Roy Donovan who old me about it and wants me to 70 in with him. Donovan knows he mining game from the ground lp He was born and raised in the West up to the time he went into
 he theatrical business. And when le quit Pierre's mother and the sheatre he went back west again nto mining"
 Ann drew back in amazement. Bruce! Are you talking about Roy Donovan. Pierre's father?"
 Yes"
 Well, no wonder you don't want Pierre to know who is back of your mining scheme. A fine chance you'd have to ever get penny of 2ierre's money for it after the way his father treated his mother when ne was child. Shame on you, Bruce Careyl"
 Now you LOOK here, Ann, it's rue enough that Donovan left Pierre and his mother flat and has never been heard of by them since, but don't forget that he was my stepfather and that even after my mother died he continued to take care of me as if I were his own son"
 Ann returned indignantly: And lon't you forget, Bruce Carey, that when Roy Donovan married liar riet Noel she mothered you as if you were her own son, and that even after her own boy, Pierre, was born she treated you as if you and Pierre were brothers You talk about this man Donovan being like a father to you! You owe thous- and times more to Pierre's mother know because Father Tony La tour has told me all about it"
 Leave that old fool Tony, out of this will you?9 growled Bruce. It 1t hadn't been for him you and I'd have had this deal clinched long ago."
 Do you mean to tell me, Bruce, that all these years that you have been growing up here in Orchard Hill you have known where Roy Donovan was?"
 No, I never heard from him after he quit the theatre and came to live in Orchard Hill, until he wrote me about this mine"
 Ann returned thoughtfully: T see-your precious stepfather evil dently knows about this money Pierre received from his mothers will on his twentieth birthday, and figures that he can get hold of it through you. I'm sorry I promised you I wouldn't tell Pierre"
 T suppose you wouldn't believe that Roy Donovan really wants to do something for his own son, Pierre, and for me?"
 No, Bruce, I couldn't believe that"
 And you still refuse to help me persuade Pierre to let me invest his money for him?"
 T certainly Bruce-more than ever, after what you have told me. Are you so crazy for money that you have lost all sense of what is honorable?"
 Al right Now listen to what I've got to say. No man can do big things without his wife's help. You have no ambition either for yourself or for me. You would be content to have me a bank clerk I.o~o ;,, n,.ol,o,l Ir;iI tf,a ,o~4 DF