The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-08-28
Chapter 56 aEoReIE's CA.

THE first thought in Georgie's
 | heart was one of exceeding bit terness that Nicholas had not told
 her himself. Then with an effort she recovered herself.
 After all, he owed her nothing; he had never pretended to return her
 love for him, had never even asked for 1t, and by the strength of her own sorrow for him, she guessed what he must be feeling-the bitter disappointment. and even some thing of shame.
 '' And he was on his way home! At
 any moment he might be in London,
 near to her, and yet so many thou
 sand miles away by reason of the
 fact that Bernie, his wife, was also
 here.
 Germany had seemed close at
 hand in comparison with the gulf
 made by Billy's presence.
 Nelly said quietly:
 Sorry if gave you a shock;
 thought you'd know" She touched j Georgie's unresponsive hand.
 Georgie said faintly. after mo-
 ment, Do you know-I suppose you
 don't know-when he will arrive?'' ! T tried to hear" Nelly admitted.
 "But they seemed to guess l was
 listening, so they lowered their
 voices, but it's my opinion that he's
 due tonight"
 fs+sThen he won't stay with herr"
 Nelly laughed. 'T should say
 not" she said. She hesitated, then
 added: Look here, l may as well
 own up. knew you'd be interested
 so when she'd gone to the studio,
 had a look at the letter."
 "Oh, Nelly!"
 Don't oh Nelly me-" Nelly said
 stoutly. And there wasn't anything
 50 private about it when alPs said
 and done-just the sort of letter he
 might have written to anybody.
 And it said?" Georgie breathed
 Tt said she was not to bother
 about him; that he was going to
 stay in a furnished flat for a few days before he left for abroad" ! She fumbled in a pocket and pro. duced a crumpled envelope. fp"Here's the address. l copied it down for you. 1 never can remem. Der names and things" "Oh. you are kind" Georgie said Nelly made a little grimace. "Thought you'd soon get over be. ing shocked" she said bluntly. q think you're wasting your time run. hing after him, but that's your busi. ness. Here. take the address. must
 be off," but she fingered yet another moment to ask with pardonable curi-
 Usity. "I say, what are you going to do?"
 h"I don't know" Georgie said, but in her heart she knew well enough i If Bernie was content to let him creep back into London. unwanted and unheralded, she was not con tent; she remembered with a sigh ofrelief that her mother and BishoI we're both dining out that night. It was an official dinner whict ] Evelyn had been loath to attend. Dull women, uninteresting food !, and dull speeches" she had said Bishop will say the same things he has said at dinners ever since mar
 ried him. and I shall have to smile
 and look proud while all the time .
 feel more like screaming" : DOOR Bishop. Georgie thought; i As had been almost on the tip of hel tongue to suggest that she go tt the dinner also; she was glad now
 that she had suppressed the i'm
 pulse, for it left her with free eve
 ming.
 At last they went. Georgie ha( done her little best to speed theil r departure; she had told Evelyn tha she looked lovely--that she woult be the prettiest woman there. s, (Which is saying very little if yol Dnly knew" her mother retorted 'The wives of men who go to officia dinners never have decent frocl [ between them" s''Well, you have" Georgie said. Bishops slow smile lit his sombr, eyes.
 Some people might call it inde eent," he said.
 Evelyn turned on him sharply. "Ii that is your idea of joke, it's very poor one," she said. Fortunately I have given up hoping for admira | lion from you"