The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-02-21

I'm going up to Mark" she repeated, and stepped out again into the strangeness of the house.
 She came back to the staircase it was still deserted-and then a light high up, outside her vision, was turned out and everything beyond the turn of the stairs was in darkness. Involuntarily she paused in her ascent and at once Mrs. Lodely's voice whispered be- hind her.
 That's because someone's danc- in or somethin', I'll bet. Come on, let's go and see"
 Mrs. Lodely. who had dragged 3 coat over her kimona and now presented an even more strangely !" Bohemian spectacle, battered past her and led the way up- stairs. Here a faint light guided them, a light that set Barbara's nerves on edge, for it was sickly yellOWlSn green.
 There! I said they were danc- in, didn't F"
 Barbara pressed steadily forward. She was now in small upper hall, over which occasionally the yellow green radiance glimmered and threw into relief the forms of people sitting or standing round her, servants probably, for the er- ratio illumination revealed tired, impressive faces of contemptuous cut. The guests were evidently on the further side of an open door.
 She went cautiously on and found herself on the threshold of what must be Marks studio. The sticky light hit her across the eyes for a second and she could distinguish nothing. Then her sight was released and drawn to the center of the big room, where a woman was dancing.
 Barbara felt her face scorch and burn. She was not prudish-it was not that. But there was about this posturing, these soft, padding movements, something inherently animal The woman wore a mask, and little else.
 My word!" breathed Mrs. Lode Fly. 'Bit darin'-what?"
 Before she could say more, the music shrieked and blared and in great curving leaps the dancer sprang toward them, fleeing for the door Barbara, slower than others to give way, was for a mo- |ment in her path and, ducking iher head, she let the sickly light flood full upon Barbara's face.
 There was screech of laughter from somewhere and then lights sprang up inside the studio, and Barbara looked over the heads and recumbent forms of a small crowd |of people, straight across the space of the room to Mark.
 Mark! Her first thought was that he was i'll, for he was all aSkew upon couch, his fair, tou- sled head in a woman's lap. Then he put up a long hand, seized her hair and dragging a jeweled slide from it threw it into a group of squatting people.
 She struck at him, freed herself and made after it; and Mark, turning on his side to watch her |go, caught sight of Barbara. Mrs. Lodely had disappeared in the wake of the dancer.
 Barbara looked. back at him waiting for him to welcome her to this gathering of his friends. A young man had captured the piano stool and was playing loudly and formlessly. Mark sat up on his couch and reached to table behind him. He appeared to be writing something = no, he was drawing. His hand hovered, then swooped and curved, as though it had separate life of it's own. Bars bara could not look away. Her eyes were still fixedly upon him when he spoke smilingly to a lovely girl whose head was near his shoulder. She jumped up and drew from the wall an easel. She arranged it and he handed her a white square-evidently sketch to prop upon its ledge.
 Barbara saw the girl look at the sketch, then towards herself in the doorway; she heard her squeal of silly laughter.
 Barbara backed, turned and ran. Mark was going to be cruel in front of those people. No, she couldn't stand that!
 She plunged in panic towards the stair-head, pushing aside vague obstructing shapes-for this land ing was still in darkness. Just at the turn of the staircase, she paus- ed and peered back.