The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1933-09-27

ness. Inc SHduOWS OIL swirl CidSuiHS
events moved in them. They were
like the shadows of fierce darting
fish seen through waters yelled by
mist. Mist-fog. Fog came into it
fog, and q voice.
His voice? Behind the fog. strange
violent things, happening at an in
credible speed, flashing through his
mind too quickly to be grasped -.
like beads of light, strung on dark
chain like kids green beads.
For an instant he saw small
brightly lighted picture. The light
came from above. and swinging to
and fro beneath it was string Of
square green stones. They swung
from mans hand. There were eight
Of them big, square. green stones;
a double chain of pearls between
every two.
He saw he mans hand. and tho
square green stones. and the pearls.
and the light shining down on them.
The voice said. Like kids green
beads" and everything went dark.
Some time after this Nesta was at
the door. He thanked heaven that
lie was up and dressed. II he had
had to lie there whilst she sat on the
edge of his bed and talked. he might
not be able to hide the violence OF
his recoil. Women always bullied a
man when they had him at disad-
vantage.
The thought of yesterday set his
teeth on edge. To-day they would
meet on equal terms. and he would
try and remember that the situation
was a horrible one for her. For him
self it was very nearly intolerable.
He hadn't job, and as far as he
knew. he hadn't a penny in the
world.
What was he to do? Live on Nesta
borrow from Ncsta? The situation
was not only nearly. but quite, intol-
cradle. FF'f9
These thoughts went to and fro in
his mind as they sat at breakfast in
the small lot kitchen.
Tom Williams bolted a couple Of
r2shers of bacon. gulped down his
! tea, and was off. saying that he would
be late. The chug-chug of his motor
cycle came back through the thin
walls of the little house.
WITH recovered confidence Min
w began to tell him how wonderful
Tom was at almost everything
"Why. he can cook as we'll as can.
And every bit Of paper in this house
is what he hung himself" 1t was
greet relief to have Minis prattle to
get them through the meal. She had
shy smiles for him now and no
longer kept her eye on the door. So
much for a shave,
When breakfast was over. he spoke
10 Nesta directly.
rs there somewhere where we
can TALK" ~
With no more than a nod she led
the way INTO the parlor, with its
5addle-back suite in bright shades
of red and blue. its crimson Amin
ster square. and its silver photo.
graph frames.
1 Into this room, so new. so garish,
60 commonplace. there came these
two angry. incongruou5 people: and
at once its slight emptiness became
charged with strain. pressure, re-
sistance
Nesta waited for him to begin. She
stood with her back to the window.
leaning forward over one of the red
: and blue chairs In a would-be easy
attitude. He walked to the woolly
mat in front of the hearth. and said
what he had planned to say.
"This is rotten deal for you |
want to tell you I'm awfully sorry
about it" ! - e
Heavens! How Incredibly dffIicult
she made it! His words. his efforts
to get her point of view, slipped
back from the hard surface she
turned towards him. 1t was like see.
ing a fly slip on a pane OF glass.
She was angry, hard. resentful, cold.
But there was something else.
He could feel the pressure of her
will. Why should she be putting out
her will against him like this? 1t got
his back up. 1t made 1t too damned
difficult to feel or say the decent
thing. What was she to him after all.
but stranger whom he disliked?
He said, Il really am sorry" and
the room filed again with her scorn-
full silence.
| She stood there leaning over the
back of the chair with bright close
set eyes and just hint of an angry
smile breaking the straight line Of
her lips. There was something secret
about that smile, something that
said. TAKE care-I can be even with
You II ! like"
| He spoke before he knew what he
was going to say.
why do you look at me like that?
What's behind all this?"
| "Ah!" said Nesta very softly.
You'd like to kncw-wouldn'tyou?'