The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-26

OUt uOuSCuSVp 4uOAoiCuA A<OA He Leave 1t to me. 1 will see that 1t is all settled with the police. Your room. monsieur?"
 She turned away with a gesture that brought Francis Tally after her. I suppose we all moved to watch them cross the lounge. Grethe led the way up the stairway, her body undulating gracefully under the green silk. and her red hair gleaming. But even cool Ma dame Gretthe had not wished to use the tiny elevator that hung there.
 Then I turned to Lorn. But he was suddenly withdrawn, his eyes yelled. his expression exactly as anil mated as that of a chair.
 Did you know he was coming?" l asked quickly.
 He did not look offended at my implication that he was concealing that important bit of knowledge from Sue and from me-a knowl- edge that. if he had had, in fairness he ought to have shared,
 "No." he said quietly. "I didn't know"
 This puts a different complexion on the affair.""
 "Yes." agreed Lorn remotely. I wondered what he was thinking, but the unwontedly. dlsconcerted look had entirely left him-had left, in fact. so completely that I doubted whether 1t had ever been there. He added:
 "In the meantime we may as well go to lunch. After all. one must eat" IT WAS a strained and dreo dful | meal. Not even the food was good. for Paurs hysterical nerves had apparently had their outlet in burning what was burnable and sea ,soning too wildly or not at all. The hors d'oeuvres were fiat and taste less. the fish crisp. and the only thing entirely edible was the cheese.
 Marianne came and went. still sullen and dark and wary.
 And the four of us in that still cold dining room tried to eat and drink like civilized people when I've no doubt our combined desire was to flee from the place. Mrs. Byng did not arrive at all.
 The priests table was still by some oversight set with the silver and glasses of the previous night, and 1t was rather dreadful to see 1t there. facing me, and remember how I'd last seen that flaming red beard. That thought spoiled even the cheese. and sat there crum mbling bread and not wishing. somehow. to leave the room until Sue left.
 It was true that she ought to be safe now. if she was ever safe, with her brother and his detective; at the same time I was perfectly aware that Francis Tally's unex- pected arrival might well give a last horrible impetus to the dread full wheel that was revolving SO ruthlessly. guided by unsee hands. there in the black depths of the old hotel.
 Francis Tally himself was admir- ably cool. He was also stoic, for he ate his lunch, crisp fish and all, with gusto. The two, Sue and the new comer. talked very little. and their every word was plainly audible in the silent white room and consisted of commonplaces.
 He told her what boat he'd sailed on: and when he'd landed-three days previously. 1t appeared. She assured him in that stiff voice that did not belong to her that, yes, 1t was cold. And. yes. the wind was apt to blow like this for a week at time.
 It was directly after lunch that Sue and her brother retired to the parlor. Lorn, always a bit mysteri. ous. became suddenly more mysteri. ous and. 1t seemed to me, more ac- tive and even little agitated under that mysteriousness. He disap. peared before could get word with him. Not that I really wanted just then. to hear his customarily unper. turbed half-statements.
 For had even then that feeling of approaching climax; of haste; of urgency. There were things that must be done. If the views that I was beginning vaguely to entertain proved to be faulty and clumsy and entirely incorrect why. then. no one but myself should ever know 1t.
 It was sullen. breeding Marianne who found me in the dark corridor near the dead priests room. waiting my chance to dodge the policeman on guard and enter. 1 wanted to search for myself
 Marianne indicated that was to follow her. and when we reached the lobby l found the entire estab- ! iishment gathered there. We were, it seemed. going to the police. (Copyrioht. 1883. Mignon c. Eberhortj
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