The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-11-05
CHAPTER 47. A GHASTLY TEA PARTY


 clothes on the high ledge
 He shot out a hand and caught her by the wrist as she leaned forward and called his name He felt her stiffen and fall back His grip frightened She began to try to wrench herself free. He got her other wrist with his left hand and pulled her down on her knees. She kept ner hold of the torch
 After moment, Rosamund laughed.
 You needn't hold me so fierce ly"
 Jervis' grasp relaxed. He drew his hands back through the bars and was humiliated to find that they were shaking. Rosamund flashed the light on his face and exclaimed:
 Are you all right?"
 That comes well-from you" said Jervis.
 Whats the matter?"
 Nothing. I'm thirsty"
 .Damn!" said Rosamund.
 The torch swung round in an cratic search as she jumped up. Next moment she was round the bend He could hear her run- ming. The dusk went black.
 Robert Leonard heard sounds in the kitchen and went in, to find Rosamund coming out of the pan- try with eggs in one hand a jug of milk in the other. She had set a kettle boiling on the stove. She turned on him in cold fury
 q didn' save you were to starve him"
 Dead men don't eat.'
 Don't push me too far" said Rosamund. T got him out of the house for you, and you went back OF me by hitting him over the head. I could have brought him down here and you could have drugged hinl-but, no, you must behave like a savage and risk killing him. I won't have it! And I swear to you most solemnly that if you do him any harm I'll give you away"
 Have it your own way" said Leonard.
 He shrugged his shoulders and went back to the front of the house.
 Jervs remained staring into the blackness. And then the black turned grey, and Rosamund came round the bend of the passage. She had a blanket over her arm, and she was carrying a tray a little in front of her, and on the tray there was candle in a guttered candlestick, a teapot, milk and sugar, half a brown loaf, a rough chung of butter and a couple of eggs with one clipped eggcup between them.
 Rosamund sat down the tray close to the bars and stuck the candle on a ledge about three feet above the floor.
 I've been as quick as l could, :" she said in a perfectly natter-of- fact voice. Then she pushed a cup through the bars. Jervis' hands closed on it hard, but a third of the tea jerked from the cup before he could get it to his lips and drank
 Better have your egg next" said Rosamund They're very soft boiled--I knew you'd hate them raw" She was cutting and but tering piece of brown bread. Jervis eyed the knife. It looked very sharp, but he couldn't reach it.
 Why doesn't Leonard come him. self?" he said.
 Conscientious objectors to feed- ing prisoners"
 Are you really married to the swine?"
 dill. w yOA " AA@A " tilt you. Simple affair-wasrt t it?"
 What was the point of getting engaged to me?"
 q don't mind telling you the whole truth She passed and blew out a pale cloud of smoke I've been married to Robert for ages one of the fool things one does. 1t was just before came to Weare. The great idea was that I should do the angel niece at Uncle Am brose. confess all, and get him to nroyide handsomely for us" She shrugged her shoulders. Well, of oo,,rse I was a fool Robert came to stay and Uncle Ambrose sim ply loathed him-you remember, it was just before you had that ac- c;dent on Croyston rocks"
 "Accident?" said Jervis. slff wasn't it one?"
 Leonard tried to do me in."
 "Who told you?" said Rosamund. d. Nan. She saw him. I didn't believe her"
 "No-you wouldn't. There was bitterness in her voice. Well, Robert had to get out of the country. He went to South Amer