The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-02-24
GODDESS
by Herberf Jensen

 I They burst through the matted growth of vegetation into the grove of palm trees where their fire still l smouldered. The girl uttered a sharp exclamation and stopped sud denly.
 A dim figure seemed to drift into the brush beyond the fire. Almost it seemed that it was shaped from the fires smoke, Frank leaped for ward. It was no figure of smoke.
 He heard the crash of shrubbery, the sound of heavy body breast ing the tangle.
 He saw the bushes waving ahead of him. Plunging through in pur- suit, Frank raised the heavy blade of his machete If this were the ahkin, come by some secret trail to molest them, he was going to have settlement now. To wait until dark would be suicidal with that maniac loose.
 He leaped a fallen log. Brush crackled ahead. Shrubbery tops waved; he caught brief glimpse of q human hand raised to pull aside a bough.
 Frank lunged. He heard startled cry. The hanc appeared again clenched about the handle of club tipped with stone.
 His machete flashed up.
 He chopped it forward. It changed upon stone; his arm was numbed with the shock. A bough switching backward caught him across the eyes. The pain blinded him.
 Human hands clawed at his throat. He reached forward and his arms encirced a body. He felt garments tear as he sought to tighten his hold. The creaiure-he could not see it-writhed and Topped in his grip.
 A fist beat at his face and he frightened his arms He felt beard. ed face crushed against his own. He put up his hand and clamped il under the hairy chin
 "DAMN you! Ton murdering-" O His antagonist relaxed Al most he fell forward upon him so sudden was the tactic. He opened his smarting eyes. A blond-bearded wild face opposed his own. Vivid blue eyes, wide with fantastic amazement gleamed above the bronzed cheekbones. The bearded lips parted in an astonished, unbe- lieving smile.
 Frank Grahame!" the man ex claimed. Frank ="
 Frank muttered, Billy Langton, He brought up his free hand and passed the fingers through his hair.
 The other said. Take your paw off my throat. you noodum.
 Frank dropped his hands to his side. Langton swayed. and would have fallen but for Franks in. stantly supporting arm. The man leaned against tree trunk, breath ing heavily, and looking unutter- ably weary.
 "I'm sort of weak" he explained quietly. His smile flashed again. And what brings you here, strang. CT? You always were fool for bust ing in places. l might have brained you with that swipe took. He glanced at the ground. "Ah. =. here it is. That club of mine is no plaything" He coughed. Hello, you old iackass."
 Langton's eyes were bright with tears. Frank understood His own throat was too tight for utterance. His friend. whom he had thought dead months ago was alive. ta swallowed bu. the lump persistee He sa,a gfuf!y:
 You damned ghost. l might have knocked your block off with that machete. Thought you were the ahkin."
 "Oh ,. you found him? dragged him out ot the water this morning. He's harmless .. now Back broken. How the devil he got-Did you? |. :"
 Frank interrupted sim. Tell you later. Tell you lots Of things later Let's get back to the clearing"
 Janice met them at the edge of the little savannah. Frank smiled slightly as with their appearance she dropped a knotty stick. She looked at them anxiously as they approached her.
 He said lightly. Janice may 1 present an old friend" He intro duced them quite formally.
 She gave little startled cry, "Langton!" Swiftly her glance sur. veyed him. Her eyes widened; they seemed to dim and soften and she took in each detail of his appear ance. Impulsively she stepped for. ward.
 Langton stood, a little weary smile behind the blond mask of his beard. His eyes seemed haunted with dull opaqueness behind the | bright blue irises. His right arm stood out from the shoulder at an odd angle: the hand seemed thin and wasted. One foot turned inward. the toe pointed to