The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-09-24

, of again without blushing scarlet.
 He turned to Nan, his ginger heat
 on one side, his eyes snapping
 "Jervis is romantic--but it's sec, ret vice-he considers in indeli cate"
 It was perhaps a minute late! that MT. Francis, looking round tt l catch the walters eye, saw some thing which distracted his atten. ton. He gazed with frank inter. est at table set against the wal on the far side of the room. Two
 people had just risen from it, 2
 man and a woman. MT. F'ranci!
 gave his whole hearted attention to the woman.
 Nov that's what I'd call : lookerl' he said.
 The woman stood against the golden wall She wore a dull gilo dress that matched her hair. Il clung as. closely as a dress can cling to a singular1y perfect figure It was so plain and so heavy as to give her the appearance of a statue-a golden statue set against golden wall. Then, as she moved, the statue came alive. The glow ing white of the neck and arms, the brilliance of her eyes, took the light and enchanted it.
 F.F.'s admiration rose to enthus- iaSm.
 Too marvellous" he repeated Do you see her-over there by 'the wan?"
 Jervis Weare had seen her twen- ty minutes ago. It was like Rosa mund to be facing the music-hs could still admire that in her She was with Robert Leonard Was she facing the music? Or had she perhaps counted on meeting mo- body who would know her? A bit of folly that; for nowadays even August is not to be counted upon. since anyone may turn up from anywhere at any moment.
 He smiled slightly as he glanced about the room. Already, as they came in, he had returned an in- terested bow from Mrs. Manning Temple. From where he was sit ting he could see at least half a dozen people whom he knew old James Mulloy, a very compe- tent and industrious gossip; Janet Tetterley his nearest neighbor and a far-away cousin on his mother side; the Carters-Nonie Carter pop-eyed with interest; and Mrs. Mellitner, with Enid who was to have been one of Rosamund's bridesmaids.
 With a faintly sardonic gleam in his eye he turned from Enid to watch Rosamund. She spoke smil- ingly over her shoulder to Leon ard and moved clear of the table, He looked away from her to Nan She was sitting back in her chair, and she too was watching Rosa mund Carew. Jervis looked at her, and, for the first time, really saw her. sft
 It was as if Rosamund had flung him a challenge, and he must lock to his weapons. From the first Nan had been a weapon agains' Rosamund. Now, in this public place. there came the first en- counter.
 He looked to see how his weapon would serve him, and was faintly startled. She was sitting back in her chair. A pretty turn of the neck and graceful pose-that was what he saw first. And directly upon that, he received the strong est impression of youth. Rosa mund and he were nearly of an age, Rosamund a few months the elder.
 Nan, sitting there, with her eyes wide, her dips little apart, and a flush on her cheeks, had the air of a child. Rosamund was a beau- tiful woman. Nan had freshness and grace, direct gaze, young round chin, and on occasion dim- pie. Her hands lap in her lap. The direct gaze was fixed with interest and admiration on Rosa mund, but the interest and ad- miration were alike tinged with something else. Jervis did not know what the something was. It drew her brows together and put a faintly distressed curve upon her mouth.
 He looked where she was gazing, and saw Rosamund and Robert coming toward them. Something inside him laughed-a hard, angry laugh. The challenge was to be pressed. And how damnably clev- CT! If he could be pricked into rudeness, Rosamund would most undoubtedly score. She was count ing on his quick and sudden tenn per.
 Rosamund Carew came on with Robert Leonard at her shoulder. Mans lips parted wistfully, her