The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-09-01

ing, and the boy left him.
 Gabreau started up the stair
 came down, walked back to Led
 better's door. It opened at his touch. He released the latch again
 went in and closed the door, turned on the soft light of a single sconce.
 He had never seen such place Richness of walls and hangings, of lamps and paintings, divans and deep chairs. Gabreau stole across the rugs, opened the door upon a bedroom with canopied bed and mirrored bath beyond Opposite the bed hung a painting, Venus reclin- ing amid velvet. Gabreau could see the white body dimly, by the light from the adjoining room. Above it was shaded globe. Ga- breau pressed a button. The light came on.
 Voluptuously beautiful, languor- ous dark eyes. Eyes as dark as those of his Madonna. Did this
 man think . . Had he bought
 this as he-Gabreau-had bought
 the Madonna?
 Gabreau caught sight of him.
 self in one of the mirrors. He twist ed away from the livid reflection
 starting sharply at a sound from the hall. Quickly he turned off the picture. He waited in the dark Of the bedroom while the big clock on the mantle struck ten.
 He had hoped that he would find Ledbetter at home and alone, that seeing the satchel and thinking it's contents gift, Ledbetter would admit him and close the door It had been too much to hope for Things didn't happen that way with him-Gabreau But he could wait. He was used to waiting.
 The sound died down the hall. Gabreau brought chair into the recess behind the door and sat down. Ledbetter had gone to some festivity; he would be late now Perhaps he would not be home till two or three o'clock
 The thought made Gabreau ner- vous. At eleven he began to pace the rooms. Once he lay down on the bed. but even in the dark he could see the white outline of the rccumbent Venus, feel her dark eyes. He went to his chair behind the door.
 Two o'clock came. Three. Gabreau sat very still until the dawn be- gan to gray the windows. to sift into the room, till the street nois- es and the noises of the house told him that Ledbetter would not come. Fury greater than the fury that had brought him there possessed him. He began to fling open draw CTS of the table, the bureau. But drawers that opened so easily did not interest him, and many of these were empty Others contain ed only apparel, belongings so sug gestive of their owner that Ga breau's rage increased at sight of them. If he might find some locked drawer
 There was none. Apparently Led better possessed no treasures, No treasures except the things that were on the walls. about the rooms. Gabreaus eyes fell on a Nubian dancing girl in black marble, slim Tanagra vase. These were precious, he knew, but he could not take them away. He might smash them in little bits to strew the floor. The vase sat on a desk in the shadows by the bed-an old escritoire with drawers. Gabreau went over to it.
 The drawers were locked. Ga breau laughed, drew a ring of keys from his pocket. There was none that fitted the lock, but Gabreau's hands were strong. A key turned in his grip. The lock broke. Papers. Nothing but papers in any of the drawers. Gabreau, in his rage, threw the papers on the floor.
 He started Something among the papers had fallen heavily. A carved sandal-wood box that look ed like a jewel case. Men did not have jewel cases so far as Ga- breau had observed. but he could believe any discrepance of Led better. The box also was locked. Gabreau with a smile dropped it into the satchel, put in the bot .les with which he had come.
 His eye fell on the painting at the foot of the bed, the painting he seemed to see in the dark. He mounted to a chair, drew the dirk from his belt. He would slash the thing to ribbonsI Gabreaw drew back his hand, a sound in his throat The flesh was too beauti- ful. The dark eyes looked at i1m
 He pulled the chair away, took his satchel. Quickly he went through the outer door and down he stair.