The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-11-02
CHAPTER 45. q PREFER YOU DEAD,

'1 PREFER YOU DEAD, Rising above Jervis was a shee, and unclimaple rock. The liphd came up to the ledge where Leon. ard stood. 1t was a mere sill like a wide doorstep, with the mouth of the passage rising in an irregu- lar archway above it.
 Leonard swung the light round past his own shoulder and let the beam play on @ half open iron gate, heavy, rusty and strong Closed, it would fill the arch. A new chain and paddock dangled at it's edge; the light picked out the bright steel links. Then lms torch was set down again.
 Get that?" said Leonard. No getting up without ladder. The ladders up here, and it'll stay here until we come to terms. Now what about business?"
 What do you want?" said Jer- wis.
 Now you're talking. It's not so much question of what I want because I've already told you that you'd suit me best dead-it's a case of what sort of compromise I'm willing to make. You ought to be glad I'm willing to com promise at all"
 Jervis kept his mouth shut. If he could have laid his hand on a Moose piece of rock he would have chanced it and had a shot at the pale blur that was Leonard's face. But there weren't any loose bits of rocK, the drag of the tide saw to that.
 Leonard went on speaking.
 T prefer you dead-but you can buy yourself off, if you like"
 Look here, Leonard
 T don't want you to-" said Rob- ert Leonard. T keep telling you so. I want you dead. You'd be a lot safer dead. You'd be a lot safer, and I'd be a lot richer. It's money in my pocket if you like to be a fool and drown"
 There was a nara, bitter silence. | Jervis held his tongue and like David. it was pain and grief to lim.
 Well, if you are not going to ask me why it would be money in ny pocket if you insist on drown ng, III tell you all the same, be- ,ause I'd sooner have all the cards 'n the table. Mine are all aces, 70 I don't mind showing them. If ,ou're dead Rosamund gets Weare md the cash-and what Rosamund yets I get. You see, she couldn't marry you the other day, because he was married already. We've 'een married Il years"
 "Is that true?" said Jervis sharp J.
 You've got a nasty unbelieving nature as well as the devil of a emper. I don't think you'll be missed if the tide gets you. True? f course it's true! I married sosamund the day she was 2l.
 So you see, you've kept us out / Weare good long time. You now, I shouldn't have been brok- lt n-hearted if you'd been drowned { 1hen you came Ito grief on the ocks of Croyston 10 years ago."
 You were married to Rosamund hen?"
 Wed been married year. It i, vould have been very convenient you'd been drowned. I merely mention this to show you that I've Vaited quite long enough, and I'm 'etting a bit impatient"
 What do you want?" said Jer- is.
 "A hundred fifty thousand dol ars," said Leonard.
 Talk SenSe!" Sa1d JerVlS con- The sum staggered i'm.
 Sense" said Leonard. I'm giving ou your life. If I lock that gate ehind me and leave you here, I et Weare and a million, don't I? m asking you a seventh-I might ake the whole. I've only got to cave you here"
 Then why don't you?" said Fervis.
 He really wanted to know. If leonard was married to Rosamund | was quite obvious that Jervis Veare was worth a good deal