The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-09-27


 You say last time?"
 Nan caught the corner of he lip beneath her teeth. Have we met before, MT. Fran. cis?"
 "Oh, yes, Mrs. Weare." Have we? Are you sure?" "Oh, quite sure. I've been quite sure since twenty minutes pas four this afternoon" Nan caught her eyes away iron his. They were twinkling, but un der the twinkle he was dead SC. rious She looked down into hel lap, and then of her own free vii. she tilted her head and looked back at him.
 .'Well?" she said. Her lips just parted on the word, and then clos ed in firm, sweet curve that was not quite smile.
 "If you'd go back in your mind said Ferdinand, maybe you'll re- member, that after I'd picked Jer- wis out of that pool in Croyston rocks, I came back for the plucky child who'd saved his life by holding him up in the water. She grabbed me with both hands and said Is he dead?' And l said Not within eighty years of it thanks to you Come-you remem- Der that?"
 "I?" asked Nan.
 "Yes, you, I said, I'd like to know your name and she said Nan And when you said I'm Nan this afternoon of twenty past four at the ferry house-well II knew you at once-so, whats the good of all this in and out fighting? I'm an inquisitive man, and I'd like to know what's be- hind all this, and why Jerv.s doesn't know you saved his life
 Well, I think you saved it, said Nan.
 Ferdinand shook his head.
 He'd have been gone long be- fore got him out of the water ] it hadn't been for you" The bright, dartdng eyes went through her ar mour. You were clever at din- ner, but saw the scar before you moved your arm-juSt where knew it was bound to be. Well, now I'm being impertinent-but why doesn't Jerry know?"
 T don't want him to know, Then, as if putting all that on one side. MT. Francis, want to talk to you. IT must talk to some one, and-perhaps Jervis will list en to you!"
 What is it, Mrs. Weare?"
 Nan clasped her hands in her lap.
 I'm very frightened about Jer- vis,"l she said. Hes in danger, but he won't believe it."
 ''Danger?" said Ferdinand. that has very intriguing sound" You're laughing at me- said Nan in a despairing voice.
 How can I, when don't know the ,first thing about the situa- ton? Whats the matter with it, anyway"
 s'You don't believe me-" said Nan. But its true. He tried to kill Jervis ten years ago, and he tried to kill him again today"
 My eye" said Ferdinand, and then, Who did?"
 Robert Leonard did"
 "Is that SOP" he said. "The chap with the bulging bradn-box and the jaw-bone of an ass?"
 "Yes, he did" said Nan.
 "The Devil" said MT Francis, with simple fervor. 'TIe did, did he? Why?
 "Rosamund would get all the money" said Nan.
 Mrs. Weare, you're not teillng me tha. that beautiful lady is gurning for Jervis."
 'I don't think she knows" She threw out her hands in passion ate iesture. oh, she can't know. '
 They were alone in the huge formal room. Mans little voice quivered on it. and was smothered by the silence and the emptiness. To say the word murder in the gilded, rose -colored room, with the soft carpet, its glittering chande- Hers, its painted ceiling. was like firing a revolver shot in pup pet show. MT. Francis looked al her.
 I'm an inquisitive man." hs said, land if you'd begin at the beginning. and give me an idea ot what this is all about, Id ap. preciate it very much" Nan leaned back, too.
 Its all so tangled up-but Tn frightened-In tell it as well a I can-it goes a long way back.
 Take your own time," sait Ferdinand. "Nobody's thought o taxing that yet. so you can hav'