The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-26
BLoND w GODDESS 1!!''e!, ,s'''.s
Herberf Jensen

 isn't dead .. See" He shook the paper They've found bottle pa per Washed ashore on an obscure reef in the Gulf. In Bill's handwrit- ing, If it's not hoax. Maybe he's alive-after all these months-down in the jungle somewhere. But why" His brow drew together in frown. little tanned corrugations, Janice thought. that made him look curiously like boy with yexing school problem.
 but why drift bottle. There are no rivers down there to float bottle out to sea. None mapped as I remember that coast. wonder. ="
 Janice felt an odd sensation of excitement and of unease. Frank. she remembered. was an explorer, familiar with jungle trails. Could it be that he was considering that this story in the evening paper might contain clue that would induce him to leave Hollywood for the south to search for his lost friend?
 Her heart beat a little faster. Per haps she could suggest that he go. It would be an admirable solution of her problem, or rather the problem he might prove to be.
 But Frank" she said. He's dead. They proved that months ago. If he was not drowned when his plane went down into the sea. he must have been killed if it crashed In the jungle. This happene1 months ago. If he survived, surely he could have reported"
 What was the matter with her? This was not what she had intended to say. She wanted to encourage him to go; yet her words would indicate nothing to him except that she did did not think there was any use for him to believe Langdon alive-and leave Hollywood to search for his friend.
 CHE continued, "Mr. Myberg is hay o ing contract drawn for you, heard. We are about to begin pie ture. You are needed now that MT. Ortega-"
 He tossed the paper onto an adja- cent chesterfield. He said something to the effect that evening paper had just the bare details of the bot tie paper-he would know more in the morning.
 He smiled and stepped toward her: had her life depended upon it she could not have moved. She stood transfixed, looking at him. His arms were about her She suffered him to tilt her chin and kiss her.
 "Renfember last night? I knew you cared. You don't want me to go away. do you? Oh, Janice, love you SOL"
 Words tumbled from his lips. Strong words. masculine words. Something about the non-marriage clause in her contract being drivel. that the idea of her working was drivel. He had enough money for both of them.
 Love. Love in cottage. A gay ad- venture. He would take her to strange places he had been. Where he'd been lonely. Where they could sit under the Stars before camp | fire dinner over, and the dishes washed
 She was away from him. The width of the fireplace was between them. Almost hystericaliy she real lized that she had struggled out of This arms and had struck his cheek with her open palm.
 | She saw the bewildered hurt in his eyes. and the unconscious ges- leture he made of lifting his hand to Iitouch his cheek. Her palm burned lfrom the slap: her heart pounded jswith a curious and delicious excite iment, her lips still tingied with the lfrm warmth from his kiss. And she
 had struck him! She wanted to cry 1 out. q didn't mean it!" But the
 words would not come.
 Frank said. "Oh -. I'm sorry"
 Even in the firelight his face looked pale beneath the tan It was as if a |lmask had been put upon him. so still were his features. The blue of his
 eyes had become a deep gray. Only This mouth had strange twist'to 1t. F She was conscious that he was leaving. She was unable to do or say anything that would prevent him l from going. But he was gone before
 she realized how desperately she thad not wanted him to go.
 | The need for activity descended l upon her. She flew upstairs to her poudoir. She dialed telephone
 number. There was no answer. | She realized that Frank could moi
 possibly have arrived back in his apartment in this short time. She I thought of telephoning the apart ment manager. and leaving mes lsage. But she would try again in hali Ian hour. During the interval she walked about the upstairs floor; she l descended to the drawing room and flung herself upon the chesterfield She phoned again. Still there was nc
 answer.
 | (coSy,isxt. fo34. 5y Hsr5srf Jsssss)