The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-03-07

u 10 WAAO dAiA AAOAAOANo oNA~ replied. But it isn't possible"
 Jacques Malavie Ltd, allowed a smile to lift his austere lips.
 T congratulate you,' he said, "on having-ah-definitely elimin- ated one of us"
 Barbara saluted the little joke gratefully and went back to her own room. She put on outdoor things and ran down into the sunshine.
 Beautiful, these October days! And on the thought there came scurrying the ghosts. Autumn in the west country--the wandering leaves, the snap of bracken iln- derfoot,. the swelling murmer of the sea. And for the first time in more than twenty years she re- membered, here in the dirty little London street, that on such day as this she had promised Marks father to take care of Mark and that she had had in her hands ball, a gay, big, bouncing thing. Her fingers curved, remembering it.
 Barbara found her thought in- evitably swinging from Mark to Farrell, keeping his steady course, confident and powerful. Barbara told herself that if, after year, she could not choose between these two men she was answered. She was not meant to marry at all.
 Old maid? Old maid? tapped Barbara's heels on the pavements. She shook her head, protesting. She loved her life, the life of these last twelve months, but just because she loved it she desired it's fulfilment.
 Good morning, Barbara!"
 She checked and turned with real pleasure.
 MT. Frere? How in the world  could have passed you! Oh, I am so glad to see you! suppose you are staying at Brandish Place with Farrell?"
 Well, I thought I was" The bright eyes snapped mischievously at her. But I'm not at all sure now that I'm staying at Brandish Place with Mark"
 Barbara looked amusedly at the distant pile of Farrell's house, just visible from this part of the Park.
 "Ah, a year ago you would have apologized for him." commented the old man. You would have rushed to his defense"
 He doesn't need defending any more"
 He never did; but you wouldn't see it! Now let us just sit down for a few minutes on this sunny bench. Don't say that you haven't really time to stop and talk to me, because know nobody ever has. Were you going to Bran dis h Placer"
 "Yes. have bone to pick with Mark. About the announcement he put in this mornings papers"
 Well, then you will be disap- pointed, because he is not at tiome.'
 Where is he? Do you know?"
 T understood him to say last night that he was dining and sup ping with Miss Patsy Raoul. Let us hope,' added MT Frere non- commitaly, that her hospitality will include morning paper, too"
 Barbara watched the vicar's stick tapping and churning there in the loose earth, poor substi- ute for his pond.
 Mark does almost everything de- she said after a while. He guessed I should come straight to Brandish Place this morning, and I expect he wanted to show me" She broke off, retreated along the ordered line of her thoughts and began afresh T broke with him, you know, because felt bored him."
 Go on.'
 Tt was a wrench for me. It had been so many years that I'd loved Mark. And Farrell saw it and didn't want me to feel-re- jected. So he promised me he'd make Mark want me again. And he has"
 Things very often come too cas- Ily to Farrell" said MT. Frere.
 Ut was my money, at first" went on Barbara, painstakingly clear about it. When I could af- ford beautiful clothes, when could afford to be amusing and careless and really young, then Mark was not bored with me any more. Then bought a partnership with Mall avie's; I thought Mark would call hat stuffy of me and drop me R,1f lo <l;lxy4