The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-03
Chapter IS SUES FEAR


 SUE took a long breath. Her hand had met and were faintly pinl against the black velvet of the coa she wore-the same coat she'd wor, the previous night. and the sam, slender scarlet slippers with thei shining silver heels were there or the rug with the fickering lights or them. too.
 I've come to let you know-what l know. Because you sec" she hest tated-"you see. I'm afraid that the man was killed" she hesitated again, and then the words came out in little rush-"because of mel she said amazingly and looked a, me again.
 Because of you!"
 She nodded.
 Its terrible, isn't it?" she said. Are you sure you want to hear?"
 "Of course I want to hear" said. But don't be frightened. Don't look as if you were blaming yourself. Let's talk about it coolly and sen. sibly."
 Her cheeks grew pink.
 I'm being sensible" she said in- dignantly. But it is dreadful. I shall never forget how he" She stopped herself abruptly and went on: I'm not frightened. And I'm not silly and nervous over nothing" |"
 "1 know that" 1 said hastily. And l did know it. There was courage in the very lift of her head on her slender white neck.
 Tell me anything you wish, and don't feel that you are burdening me with your troubles. As a matter Of fact. I'm in rather unpleasant sort of fix myself. and I've got to get myself out of it. And while I've got notions in plenty about all this business there are few things l know definitely. And I thought. of course. that your-experience of last night"
 Abduction" she said firmly.
 "Yes. That it was likely the mur- der somehow concerned it. Other. wise one would be expecting too much of coincidence"
 Very we'll" she said. I'll have no more scruples, then. But it's a rather difficult story. and 1t has to do with things that one does not or. dinarily tell = strangers -" she paused over the word and chose an. other-"that one does not ordinarily tell friends. don't know where to begin"
 Tell me why you were abducted" l said. liking the word friends. Do you know why?"
 "Oh, yes." she said at once. q was abducted because of something 1 possess" She laughed rather sadly and continued: "I haven't any money. But I've got something that's worth, roughly. about five millions" She looked at me doubtfully and added: Dollars. mean"
 l believed her. l was a little stunned. but believed every word she'd said.
 The amazing thing about it was that I believed it in spite of voice which was saying inside me: That's right. Believe her. She'll say next that she's got some of the Russian Grown jewels and that a gang of Bolshevists are after her and them. And you'll believe that .oo."
 "In that case" l said, you'd bet. ter put it in safe place." lVoU don't believe me-" she said
 ! quietly.
 "Yes, l do. I don't want to, but I do l know that every word you've said is the truth"
 And after I've gone," she said very quietly, "after I've gone, you'll wonder how you came to credit 1t for moment. We'll, I can quite un. derstand It."
 You don't understand in the least" said brusquely.
 offered her a cigarette. lighted one myself at her nod, and threw the match toward the fire and said: f"All right. What next? As l say, you'd better put 1t in safe place, whatever it is."
 "Oh. it's in a safe place." she said. And actually I've only got half of it-what l have isn't worth a cent all by itself. But you see-this Is the