The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-01-18
Chapter Al THE WILKMAN'S SONG

Chapter Al
 THE WILKMAN'S SONG
 ''Oh," Venice cried, "You?"
 Her hand went out to the wet strings of her hair on her cheeks and she felt her face growing hot beneath it's tingling, icy surface. My God Venice, what have you been doing?" asked Drake.
 s'Battling the elements. couldn't get taxi. And I fell down at the corner of Fifth Avenue I must look like ghoul?"
 sYou look like a drowned red fox" Drake said Come along. Why are you out alone on a filthy night like this?"
 i've been up at Columbia. An English literature course" Her heart was humping with the quick linking of his arms in hers. He was marching her briskly towards Park Avenue. In her sudden excitement she forgot to think how ridiculous 1t was after all her planned en- counters that she should meet him looking worse that she prob- ably ever looked before in her lie.
 "Come in," she said at her apart ment entrance, We must have something hot. You're drenched too -s1sfsg .',12eg.s epea se Bounds excellent. You're wet through. Venice"
 sBut I don't run or fade and my spirit is undaunted." She suddenly felt happy and gay.
 They ralked the fire to roaring blaze in the living-room and Venice showed him where to find Scotch and soda while she hurried to change her clothes. She put on a flimsy, jade neglige without stop- ping to wonder whether it was proper or not. She was too excited to miss a moment of his visit. He was sitting on the floor by the fire with tall glass in his hand and one nearby for her She sank beside him with little "Oo-o" ot quick pleasure at the warm blaze Even mysinsides are iced" she cried, holding out her hands to the fire.
 ''Take a quick drink You'll gel 4lu or something"
 She gulped eagerly.
 ''Ch, Drake, your shoes! Won you take them off?"
 Hardly the thing when calling on Miss Muir"
 But look at me-" She gave { glance at her chiffons and lace and knew a sudden overwhelming embarrassment. She felt wordles and unbearably shy
 "You look to me like the Venic' who broke the Marquis heart" h. laughed. It was said with no ma Ice. just jovial badinage.
 Venice forgot her sudden diff dence. She looked bravely int his eyes.
 AYou've avoided me purposely Drake, haven't you. Why?"
 He hesitated an instant.
 DO you want the truth. tn whole truth and nothing but tn truth?"
 "YeS, please"
 tits difficult"
 -Go on"
 .sIt's more or less case of mis taken identity"
 .sWhatever do you mean?"
 sI-when I found you on tn stairs at the Goadby's though you were a sweet, shy, unhappy sort of gdrl I remembered yo' often when you were abroad ans looked forward to your comin home again. Then I ran into yol in the park. You still seeme' What I thought and understoo Ypu SO well and wanted to get un derneath that shell of yours tha ras so difficult for you to lift. aeeaned to, too. There was a peal there. Then-oh, don't know. He hesitated.
 ssGo on, Drake"
 T met Lola on my way up her ttaet night. The gossip she ladle olt to me about you didn't belon h the sort of girl thought 70 gere. It didn't fit with the venic Muir I'd treasured in my memor. fhe pearl was only cultured afts oH. It was puzzling. It's disillus doping to see lovely picture an Ulnen you look at 1t again discoss tk,et the brslsh strokes are super fIc4u. the colors hAckneyed. You p0u mistake. You'd read thing