The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-09-23

"He did not"
 "And you call that a coinci dence?"
 q think We will both call it l; coincidence" said Jervis. Hi tone was light, cool, and even.
 Nan took a breath and sat back She felt easily, cooly, airily pu in her place. Her place was ; long way off. But by the tim they reached the Luxe she hat herself in hand. Jervis talke, pleasantly and lightly all the way she lad only to sit in her corne and listen.
 Ferdinand was waiting for then in the lounge. He looked very odt in evening dress. His tail coa was not only an archaic model but it looked as if he had mad' a habit of sleeping in 1t for years His white tie was ready tied. Be heath the electric light his hail was Ike a newly scraped carrot IA prolonged hand shaking at.
 ested his enthusiasm.
 This is topping" he said, anc went or saying it at intervals a he piloted them to the famou: Gold Room.
 He had an eager affectionatt manner that was pure balm tt Nan. For the first time, she coult see herself as Jervis' wife. F. F.. admir.ng gaze approved her. I darted from her to Jervis, and tolo Jervis that he was lucky man.
 "If you aren't hungry you car go home, I'm going straigh' through this menu-and shan say that I mightn't have sec ond helping here and there" I've felt hungrier, but I've nev. CT fel. greedier"
 He skidded off into the story ot how he once walked from Vienna to Berlin without cent.
 Nan enjoyed her dinner very much. It was rather like a dream to be wearing a pretty frock anc dining at the Luxe. In dream there is not past and no future She gave herself up to the dream and reviving tide of happines! rose ii, her and plotted out ev- erything except the present. She watched a new Jervis. Shs had never seen just that amused sparkle in his eyes or heard that warm. bantering note in his voice She listened in smiling silence whilst they capped stories and re- minded one another of ridiculol' or strenuous adventures shared She learned by piecing scraps ol their talk together that they hae knocked about Europe and the Near East for the best part of c year in one another's company
 T was doing awful articles or Great Mems Hats, and Brigands Shoes-that's why we had troubl; in Anatolin-and What Criminal: Like for Breakfast. The biggest rip of the lot began the day or bread and milk-in bowl witf pink rosebuds round the edge"
 You were writing articles. Ant what was Jervis doing?" said Nan @Jervis was mending a hole ir his head" said Ferdinand Francis Was it fancy, or did he hold hel eyes w1th his for a moment? Sht repeated his words mechanically
 "A hole in his head?" With wrenching sensation she looked away and saw Jervis frown- ling.
 I'd had a fall," he said. q came down on some slippery rocks and broke my head I was jusl home from Harvard, so I got g years holiday and went racketine round with F. F. He picked me up just as the tide was going tx finish me off and has stuck te me like a burr ever since"
 DO burrs pick people up?" sail Nan. T thought it was the othel way round?" She laughed to GOV CT the faint tremor in her voice and was aware of Ferdinand eyes upon her.
 Mrs. Weare, don't take any no tice of him. He's rotten at telling a story, and I'm whale at it Besides, he was unconscious, ant if the tide had drowned him, h. wouldn't have known a thin, about it."
 I His restless, curious eyes thrus |questions at her: Am l goin to tell the story? Do you want m to tell 1t? If not-why not? Ye why, why why?" The high ligh in the brown eyes was like
 bright elusive question-mark. | Jervis' voice broke in on then
 There's nothing to tell. F. F professional yard-spinner." Don't you want the story, MT Weare-exclusive tale of eye-wi' ness? Or-do you know 1t a eadya"
 Panic knocked at Mans heart.