The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-10-14
Chapter 23 HoUsEBREAKERs

HoUsEBREAkERs T CAROLINE came nearer, pressing " against him as if she could pro teet him from this something which Threatened. Whatever it was, he was Jim, and hers. She had pas sionate conviction that she could keep him safe whatever happened.
 "There's another bit about the emeralds. can see them under the light. can't see Elmer-only his hand under the light and the emer- aids hanging from it-eight of them, with little pearl chains between them-like a kids green beads
 Caroline put her arms round him.
 Don't, darling!"
 "Do you think shot him?"
 "No!" said Caroline. in quick, fierce voice.
 She said did-to get the emer- aids"
 That woman?" "Yes, Nesta. She said Jim Rid dell shot him and took the emer- aids. She was in it too. And he hid the emeralds and went off up to Glasgow by the Alice Arden-only he never got there, because she was wrecked"
 a What has that got to do with you?" said Caroline, still in that new fierce voice.
 "She says Pm Jim Riddell."
 "You're not. Why should you be?"
 "I don't know-Caroline, don't know" She felt shudder pass over him. "If I could remember-but cant remember"
 You will"
 He was silent. Her words went echoing through the empty spaces of his mind: "Remember-rem ber-you will remember" They re- peated themselves endlessly and died away. Suppose he didn't re- member. There was six weeks gap in his life. Suppose he never re- membered what had happened in those six weeks. Suppose he did re- member. Suppose he had really shot Elmer Van, Berg.
 "You didn't" said Caroline. She pressed against him and laid her cheek to his. "Jim-darling-don't go all away by yourself. Talk to me. We'll find way out" He put her arms away from him.
 Suppose there's no way out. Sup pose I did it."
 Caroline sat back little. She put her hands in her lap and lifted her face to the sky. She had clear, un- troubled look that was very comfort ing. She spoke softly and steadily, as if she were reasoning with child.
 Why should you have shot him, darling?''
 T don't know-I was there-I re- member drinking with him"
 You wouldn't have shot him with out reason. You don't just 50 about shooting people for nothing g-nobody does."
 "The emeralds are not exactly nothing"
 That's rubbish!" The words were touched with light scorn.
 "Is it?"
 "Yes, it fs-you know it is, really, Jim. Do you remember anything at all about that Nesta woman?"
 NO"
 Well. wouldn't you have, if you had married herr"
 T don't know" His voice sounded hopeless.
 "She didn't touch chord? mean, sometimes you meet total stranger and you don't know where they come from or who they are, but something goes click inside you and you feel as if you knew them. You didn't feel anything like that?" LIE laughed grimly. AA T loathed her." he said.
 50 did l." said Caroline happily. Well. there you are-if you loathed her. you wouldn't have married her.
 There was rather a horrid pause. Then he said,
 Perhaps I loathed her because l married her."
 Caroline cried out quickly.
 "Oh, you didn't!"
 The silence fell again. She had to break it herself.
 Jim, listen-I've got an idea. You can look up your signature in that registry once. No, it's not your sig nature-it can't be! It's Jim Rid dell's signature. You can look 1t up,