The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-11-09

without word she ran from him round the bend
 AS she came to the steps which led to the straight paved end ot the passage, she caught her breath in a gasp of relief The trap was Tstill open, and a faint candle-light showed.
 And then all at once there was something wrong. The light was brighter-it was too bright fol candlelight. Nan stood stock still and stared at the open trap. It was about dozen yards away. A broad yellow beam was coming through it, and suddenly there was a mans foot in a heavy boot or the topmost step. Robert Leonard was coming down.
 Nan turned and ran wildly down the steps and along the black pas sage with her hands stretched out in front of her as if to ward off the darkness from her face. The turned the bend, lighted the torch and ran back to Jervis.
 He's coming" she cried, and tearfully flashed the torch about the place. There was cleft, wide enough for her to stand in. Leon- ard came up.
 You're spelling my rest, you know" Leonard said to Jervis. 'Rosamund just rung up"
 Good of her." remarked Jervis
 "Her wishes are my law. I've come to give you your last chance flor a half million dollars" He dansled the key to the grill be- hind which Jervis lay. With the tide like this, it's cheap"
 Nan slipped, blundered mortified ou of her narrow shelter. Leon- ard started, and the lamp fell from his hand. There was a sudden flare of burning oil, and the two of them were running back up thc passage. Nan ran for her life for Jervis' life. If only she could throw herself beneath the edge of the trap before he flung it down!
 It was hopeless The door slammed, the darkness reminded Nan that she still had her torch. Shoulders sagging, she made her way back to Jervis.
 Jervis said, He caught you?"
 "Yes-I fell"
 He hasn't hurt you?"
 No He's shut me in"
 He held her close and kissed her. Nothing mattered. The wa ter rose and would have lifted them if they had not held to the bars. Strange and cold, to have bars between them.
 Why did you marry me, Nan?" said Jervis.
 Didn't you know?'
 NO. I thought. i. Why did you?n
 Nan tremlbled. His arm was cold and stiff, and it held her close.
 T loved you so much"
 Then? You loved me then?"
 "Yes. And then when you came in that day and said that Rosa mund had thrown you oyer, I couldn't bear it."
 "Nan-Nan! I'm not worth it.. I've been a beast to you. But do love you now"
 The cold wash of the water shook them.
 Nan" said Jervis. You must not stay here.'
 Nan pressed closer.
 "Nan-darling-you mustn't. Go back up the passage I may have 10 swim for it."
 A sudden movement of the whole flood thrust Jervis hard against the bars and almost took Nan out of his arms. It dragged back again, and he was put to it to keep his feet.
 T can't go," said Nan. I'm not afraid if you hold me"
 That surging lift of the tide came again. They simply clung togeth- CT, and felt the bars between them strain with the force of the wa ter. And then with the backward pull something hard whipped about Mans left ankle and clung there. She pulled herself free of Jervis and stopped down into the water.
 And then she felt a chain. Her fingers closed on it, and she came up laughing and crying, and thrust it into the beam of the torch for Jervis to see it. Eighteen inches of bright chain, and a small bright key.
 He dropped it with the lamp' said Jervls. He turned the key in the lock. The surge of water flung them forward with the gate; they splashed precariously to slal- How water, to the dry passage. Nan had lost her torch, but they did not miss it. Their rnipdc ,,,a,.o ;,1,,..