The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-02-09

ing room and sought out Marks mother.
 T hope you got some sleep" he asked.
 Slept like log-I always dol" When she had laughed, she con- .inued. T hear they'll have done he elevator job by tomorrow night. You don't tell me it's your habit to cut up your house to suit ev- ryone who comes to stay with you .0r few days?"
 I'd been planning to extend he elevator shaft for a long time," 1aded Armitage. "As for this ak of a few days, surely, you'll
 i've us longer than that? Poole las only just got back after a cugh month in the States and .e's looking forward to a little fun.p
 He seems a nice, cheerful sort If boy" nodded Mrs. Lodely. "Bit allow, I should say, what?" Hardly" murmered Armitage juggling with recollections of his ecretary's peculiarly sophisticated encounters with life. 'iAt any rate f youn let Poole amuse you while Mark is busy, you'll be doing a 'avor all round. Mclaughlin, the Watcher cartoonist, is interested n Mark already; he rang up las. night and he'll come around and zee him this evening""
 Did he really! Well, it certain y. does seem as if Mark was tc flsve his chance at last and I'm iure I should be the last to stand $ his way-his own mother! On ty-"
 "Only?"
 Only, if you don't mind my say ng so, my dear boy, I don't for he life of me see what you'rE loin' it for! After all, it's ono hing to give strugglin' artist ] couple of useful introductions and a weeks holiday and quite mother to build him an elevator and a studio and put up with him until's he's ready to leavel"
 What about getting Philhay tc ook at him?" asked Armitage quietly.
 "Phillhay? Sir Robert Phillhay he bonesetter But I though he'o -etired?" Mrs. Lodely looked, fol once, startled and impressed.
 He has, but it's my experience hat man can always be lured 1ut of retirement by a case that's oaffled his colleagues"
 Mrs. Lodely, smoking fast, star ed at the ground. A faint fear slot through Armitage-he hao lot foreseen difficulty with Mark's mother and he felt he would have liked to think out his line of at .ack. He said 1amely-
 T gave your son his telegram last night, but I could not induce him to send any answer
 "Telegram?" Her thoughts were elsewhere. Then-"Oh, yes, From Barbara"
 "Yes."
 She looked up sharply, spilline 'her ash.
 Barbara" she repeated.
 Armitage was tense, waiting.
 If you don't mind my sayin 90, my dear boy" = that same. deadly opening!-'you surely aren't thinkin' in any particular, personal way about Barbara?"
 Tt is true that I hope to per- suade Miss Quentin to marry me instead of your son."
 You'll never do that" said Mrs I,odely.
 She said it casually-as casual- ly as she dropped her half-smok- ed cigarette upon the Aubusson carpet and stamped it out with her big, shabby shoe. You'll nev- CT do that if I have to lay down my life to prevent it. You can't understand, but it's matter of getting justice for Mark-his mar ryin' Barbara. And if needs be, shall tell 'em both why.'
 Into Armitage's mind flashed the memory of what Leila had said at South-the-Water. T may have absolutely no right to all this. It may be really Marks" And Armitage remembered his own re- joinder-"Or Barbara's?"
 Armitage felt anger rising. What cadgers and suckers they were, mother and son! They took and took and took from Barbara; her young strength was caught in their weakness, her life tied down under their feet and dark with their shadows.
 Anyway, put the notion out Of your mind" Mrs. Lodely told him. you'd get the same advice from Babs, too, if you talked to her about it. If you don't mind my