The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-10-14


 Your"
 "Jim Riddell-or Jim Randall don't know which,"
 "Why should it be you?" said Caroline.
 My dear, was there-we've got to face that. I was there, and saw the emeralds. I don't think I'm in position to walk into that registry office and ask to see the entry of Jim Riddell's marriage"
 "I could" said Caroline quickly.
 You mustn't get mixed up in it."
 "There won't be anything to mix me-the registrar won't know me from Adam"
 He put his head in his hands for minute, trying to get through the dull fatigue which clogged his thoughts.
 q don't want you to have anything to do with it. I'm too tired to think properly-but you're not to get mixed up with this you oughtn't to be here"
 She put her arms round him again.
 You'll come home with me-I'll make you a lovely bed on the sofa"
 "No-I can't"
 Because of us, or because of you?"
 Both. I'll Set in here somehow. I shall be all right"
 Caroline laughed.
 "The back door key Is under . loose stone in the yard-Mrs. Led ger always puts It there. She comes up once a week to light fires and air the house. Robert said she'd better when he heard you were coming home. She says the key is too 'drat- ted heavy to traipse up and down with This was one of her days. so the Kitchen will be nice and warm"
 Jim felt curious thrill of antici- patton as they skirted the house and came into the dark yard behind it. There was no moonlight here. The shadow of the house lay across it like fold of black cloth.
 Caroline caught his hand and drew him lightly on.
 Presently she was feeling with her foot. A stone tilted. She stopped, and came up with the key. She put it in his hand, cold and heavy, anf he opened the door. 'yI1HATEvER else he had forgot W ten, he had not forgotten the ways of the house in which he had grown up. He took Caroline by the arm and walked along the pitch dark passage to the kitchen without so much as false step.
 Caroline found matches and lit a candle end. Mrs. Ledger had stuck it into one of the old brass candle sticks. The yellow light showed the brass turned bronze with streaks of verdigris. The kitchen was warm and pleasant. There was ash still hot ir the range, and line full of blan- kets had been wound up on pulley and hung just clear of their heads.
 They look like ghosts" said Caro- line under her breath = "sheeted ghosts. don't think like them very much"
 But Jim was pulling them down.
 They'll make good bed" he said.
 Caroline gave faint shriek.
 T saw two cockroaches! You can't sleep here!"
 'I'll go into the study"
 "There's nothing for you to eat. I'll run home and get you some thing"
 T bought things in Ledhngton. I've got plenty left"
 "Oh-" said Caroline. She stood minute; then she said. speaking rather fast. Could you get along till tomorrow evening?"
 "Oh yes"
 Because don't think I'd better come up in the daytime-someone might see me. People have most awfully sharp eyes when you don't want them to. Will you be all right till then?"
 "Of course I shall"
 "All right, then I'd better go." She came up to him and leaned towards him across the blankets. "Jim = you'll be here? You won't go away will you? Swear?"
 All right"
 "You won't go without seeing me? You won't just vanish? Because couldn't bear it. You won't?"
 He shook his head.
 Caroline flung her arms round his neck, held him for a moment in a tingling clasp. and ran out of the Kitchen and along the black pas sage. Her footsteps rang on the stone, and the door shut. fcopwsoht. ross. .. B. Lsppsncott CO.,
 Caroline turns detective, next
 HHr..Hnu