The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-11-11
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twenty mlieS
 "Why not? l told you I was short of exercise"
 "Mr. Van Berg didn't ask you to stay the night?"
 "Yes. he asked me-"
 "Why didn't you stay?"
 "I didn't want to. wanted to get back to London-Fd my boat to catch"
 "So you walked to Ledlington?"
 "Yes. took the first train on up to town and went on board the Alice Arden. You know about the wreck, so l can skip all that. l was washed overheard and flung up on piece of rock. It didn't take me long to find out that the tide was coming in. didn't thinl, much of my chances. be- cause l didn't think my rock was above high water mark.
 T shouted as loud as 1 could. Presently something bobbed up and hit me. It was a man. A wave fairly slung him at me, and grabbed him. At first 1 thought he was dead, but he wasn't. He began to cough and choke. and curse and cry. He was out of his head with terror. l held on to him, or he'd h..ve been off the rock a dozen times.
 "The fog was so thick that l couldn't see him, and he couldn't see me. and he was out of his wits with fright. couldn't make out whether he thought he was dead. or whether he was just afraid he was going to die. Anyway he was talking-crazy. l don't think he ever stopped. and it was all. Jimmy Riddell, and, Eight green stones-like a kids green beads He must have said that hun Greds of times. It was like having a talking machine record going round and round in your head.
 'l couldn't stop him-he just went right on: Jimmy Riddell.' and. "A kids green beads,' and, No one knows where they are except me- And then piece about, Five win dows-like slits-' and, The finest emeralds in the world" Jim paused and looked from one to the other.
 All those things he kept on say ing stuck in my mind, and when I'd lost my memory and didn't know who 1 was, there they were. and l didn't know what to make of them. said them in my sleep, and they made Nesta Riddell think knew all about the emeralds."
 He pushed back his chair and got up. T can't tell you anything more. That's the last l remember being on the rock, and the tide com ing up. They say they found me on a ledge, but l don't know how 1 got there. And suppose Jimmy Riddell must have been picked up by the life-boat. He wouldn't have given his real name.
 THE inspectors eyebrows twiteh- l ed again.
 You say the emeralds were hid den at Hale Place. How do you ac- count for that?"
 "I can't account for it. The five windows like slits are in the Blue Room at Hale Place. The emeralds were hidden there."
 How"
 Jim hesitated for the first time. Oh well, it was bound to come out. He said,
 There's a secret hiding-place in the room. The emeralds were there"
 Gan you explain how Jimmy Rid dell knew of the secret hiding place?"
 "No, can't"
 Caroline got up and came to the table. her eyes very bright, her cheeks flaming.
 His real name" she said = Jimmy Riddelps real name-do you know it?"
 The inspector shifted his light, impassive stare. It rested upon Car oline and took in her color. the ex- citement in her eyes, and the slight tremor of her hands. She was bare headed, with bright tossed curls. Her hands were bare too.
 The inspector spoke.
 His real name-well, it isn't Rid dell. He's had ot of aliases Rudge = and Ray - he generally sticks to an R. As far as l know, his real name is Rudd."
 "Oh!" said Caroline.
 Jim turned to her with puzzled look.
 What's all thls?"
 Emily" said Caroline breathless- ly-"Emily Rudd! Oh, Jim, don't you remember?"
 A half memory jigged through his mind. It was like a leaf blowing. He couldn't catch it. It blew away and was gone.
 Emily Rudd?"
 fcopwioht. f9ss. J. B. Lippincou Col