The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-01-28

to his little patients.
 Any date would be agreeable but he was leaving the hospital within the next few minutes. He had a call in Park Avenue, and perhaps, if it was agreeable, he might drop in an arrange the de- tails with her personally. Since she could not very well decline, Aileer made the appointment for five that afternoon.
 Fair enough" said Jimmy. "Ap- parently cid sawbones is partial tc the ladies'"
 Dent be silly!" Aileen was al- ready sorry she had agreed to re- ceive the man. If being a mystery meant interest of the sort that Jimmy hinted, she would need to be more careful-since she was a mystery that must remain unsolved
 I'm not silly-I'm optimistic I'll tip off the hotel reporters to the fact that the Doctors on his way. Then I'll be back in time to be helpful when he comes"
 Aileen tried to be glad when Jimmy had gone but she found the effort pathetically unsuccessful. She had a natural desire to crown their camaraderie with a greater reward than friendship. And yet how pitiful was the return she could make to Jimmy! How empty was all that she might expect when her soul was longing-to give and give unstintedly.
 In spite of it's great consolation, she almost hated the porcelain smile which masked her unquench- able yearning. She would have liked to tear it off, but even though she was alone, Aileen did not dare. Nora Nolan had gone out and at i any moment, hotel attendant might knock She went to the pi- ano and drifted into the hit num- Der of her radio program.
 Had she fancied she heard a tap ping or was someone at the door? For a moment she feared Doctor Saunders had come. His visit would prove embarrassing if Jimmy was not there. But it would not be the doctor. It was barely halfpast four, and the hotel would announce him over the telephone. Making sure that her mask set perfectly, Aileen went to the door. It was a page boy with a silver tray on which were two envelopes. One had been mailed, and the other, which had not been stamped, bore the crest of the hotel. "Just a moment" Ali leen said, meaning to tip the boy. She knew he was looking at her mask with the well-trained curiosity of smart hotel attendant.
 If you please, ma'am," he stop ped her. "a gentleman is waiting. 10 UllClC ally dlloWCl
 ITO this?' Aileen asked, and rip ped open the Ambassador envelope On single sheet was written a scrawl in hand distinctly foreign Please pardon if this seems l impertinent but may I have a
 few minutes if it is not incon- venient. My room is in the op- i posite wing from the window of i your suite, just now I heard l you singing the new Valse Par fum Masque. Making inquiry at | the desk, 1 am told that I heard the voice of Mile. Masque her l self
 Perhaps my name is known to I you, and if you will grant an interview, there is a matter of business I should like to pro-
 pose. Since I am about to leave | the hotel, may see you now? The note was signed Arnold Kronberg.
 Aileen was nonplussed. She had never met the man, much less even suspected that he was at the Am bassador. It was entirely possible that his request was genuine, and without ulterior motive. On the other hand, she doubted it, and if Norah Nolan had not come in as she stood hesitating, Aileen would have made some excuse to say that she could not see him. AS it was, it might prove an advantage, if she heard what he had to say. So she told the boy to send him up and opened the other letter.
 It was addressed to her pseudo nym, and might be from anyone i who had seen or read about her. There was nothing but a picture in the envelope-a conventions, holiday greeting, with the usual holly wreath and a Santa Claus. But the Kriss Kringle had been cleverly changed, so that it re- sembled girl and not a man. Pasted across the features was a l tiny domino cut from court -plas- fer