Show 0 af LORING 0 service 4 SYNOPSIS 15 tim THE 80 VA faill 1 ti janice trent rum away from wedding ned paxton rich but A gay fay blade unbeknown to bruce harcourt Kar court a family friend the bi ba comes comei secretary of an alaska camp 0 ol 01 which ho he li Is chief en engineer sincer ellale vale wife of 0 the man whom ho he succeeded to li also attracted to him bruc illuce 6 at ont first wants wanti to send end janice janace back 0 on n a trip to the city she die encounters encounter paxton jand an d tells telli him she ino Is married to liar bar court the latter hears hean it and insists on a wedding hit day at the tha camp to which they return by evening tin samp sisters ten aided by tubby grant harcourt assistant as litant arranged a wedding party now continue with the tory story CHAPTER R X harcourt picked up tho the belt and holster which lie ho had dropped to the desk when ho he came in tho the shoulder holster which hold held its twin was ein apty pty pascal no answer to his call the boy was doubtless helping the samp girls in their preparations plump miss mary in a dove gray taffeta its balloon sleeves alcoves proclaim i ing it of the vintage of 04 its rose I 1 point bertha suggesting a grandmother of parts greeted him as he ha entered the samp amp living room well bowl well bowl janice la Is i dressing mr bruce mary and I 1 I 1 begged her to wear one of her lovely evening dresses for our party she bho let us choose it from a trunk in the storehouse she patted his lai leeve dont you look nice 0 that goes for you too miss mary you almost knocked my eyes out with your pretty dress ila ho bent his head and kissed her rosy wrinkled cheek thank yoa you for arranging jans jana room when did you hear the news youre e the tha most heart warming person mr druco bruce I 1 feel as though id been sitting in the sun after ive been with you she smiled through tears dabbed at her eyes mr tubby radioed the news before ho be left heft the city such a sur surprise prize 00 janice was wait lo lovelier leveller even than ho he had thought her iler her pale blue gown silvery as aa the edges of a cloud suggested a fairy loom slip pers pera which matched her gown had bows of sparkling stones which mere were repeated in the clasp of a i beg bag of antique brocade sho she laid a mandarin coat heavily embroidered with mauve and purple iris carefully r over the back of a chair ire ho picked up the mandarin coat taking this yes ill uso use it as a wrap lt it gorgeous I 1 found it in my room here tubby must have bought it for a wedding present when ho he went back to the city ile ho know knew that tant I 1 I 1 was mad about it I 1 suspect that it was frightfully expensive it is taking goods under false pretenses for me to accept it I 1 ought to give it back but I 1 love it can he afford to buy a thing like this V i probably not every day but weddings do not occur every day at headquarters headquarter a why hurt the donor by returning tits his gilt gift let leta 3 go of an orchestra consisting of if iddle fiddle fluto flute and saxo saxophone saxophone hone agonized into the wedding march from lohengrin as an they appeared in the doorway of the waffle shop janice laughed and parried questions played her part brilliantly no one ona could suspect from her manner that she was not the most gorgeously happy bride iq in the world Nar harcourt court told himself with a tinge of bitter bitterness riess her radiance vanished like sunshine blotted by a cloud us as millicent liale hale approached dear mrs harcourt how sweet of you to provide m or occasion for civilized clothes I 1 am consumed with curlo curiosity sity to know how you accomplished complis hed it ive hr hoard ard bruce declare repeatedly that never while he was in alaska would he marry what brand of coercion did you use the malice of the attack rendered Ilar cout speechless was e little woman whom he huh had considered pathetically helpless me like that was janice as amazed as he ile ho glanced at her in concern she was looking straight into the eyes watching her with catlike cat like intentness it was a my own mrs mr hale you possibly use it harcourt como come out of his of surprise laid his bis hand on her bare arm she shook it ca turned to extend her hand to cheater challenged gally gaily why the gloomy brow Cheer lot this Is a party not a memorial service ervice before he could answer tubby grant seized him want you jimmy going to a tage an old timer the samp girls are ra stepping out in a undrille quadrille 9 salute Partner sl miss martha pread her plum color taffeta skirts with work worn hands and curtsied to the floor recovered made a deep obeisance in response to a shouted salute corners her beautiful dignity set met the keynote tor for the dance the others othera kept watchful eyes on the sisters who ailed balled through the figures with the grace ol of an angular and a chubby wan change partners I 1 hale was first to give out she bhe turned to bruce 1 I danced ro 0 o much nor so BO hard since the winter I 1 came out do take me home bruce jimmy has disappeared joe will be furious it I 1 stay atay lonser r N P A I 1 V agia ai you cant lose what you never had ivill alicent for the traction fraction ol oi a second ilar court hesitated why pick on him better to humor her she might make a scene anything was credible after her hateful attack on janice of course I 1 need an escort this short distance druce bruce but I 1 had to consult you about jimmy jimmel wha ts the matter with jimmy what I 1 want to know today when I 1 entered our cabin ho he was threatening joo joe with a pistol an empty shoulder holster hanging against a log wall hashed flashed on the screen of harcourte Har Ilar courts mind tind and was gone As I 1 entered sold said millicent jimmy was sayings saying 11 send for her again and ill shoot you youve messed up my sisters life enough got get me 1 I believe it was joe huddled in hla his chair livid afraid joe As I 1 looked at him I 1 thought what a poor tool fool I 1 had been all these years not to stand up to him not to threaten him ho he Is a bull bully y and a coward bruce and ive never before found it out if you have lost your fear of him it Is a lot gained millicent for whom did joe send do you know no unless unless jimmy found out about taulma joe has mado made a tool fool ol of her with flattery nothing worse im sure but she follows him about like a dog ill speak to tn jimmy lie ho will have to turn over his gun to me it if that Is 19 the use ho he la Is making of it talk with him bruce poor boy he has never forgotten hl his expert encee overseas you will have more influence than anyone else she laid her hand on his arm we oil all dump 0 our ur worries on your shoulders dont we I 1 shant dare do it now that you are married I 1 feel as though I 1 had lost you under pretense of producing his cigarette case horcourt harcourt stepped back you cant lose what you never had millicent good nighat ile he heard her little gasp as he turned on his bis heel As ho he entered tho the waffle shop miss martha and miss mary crimson faced tram from the exertions of the dance with mammoth white aprons over their creaking taffetas taff were serving the ice cream which grant had brought hundreds of miles in a plane As he approached janice he heard jimmy chester say harshly Il hell willell never send tor for you again had joe halo hale sent tor for janice the suspicion tightened harcourte Har Ilar courts courVe lips the girl looked up at him there was a hint of resentment in her voice Oh you lyou have come back jimmy and I 1 had decided that you didot like the party we ve jimmy it was evident that she had seen him go out with millicent Millice nL ile he answered evenly im crazy about tho the party did you think I 1 would leave before I 1 had danced with my bride the musicians have fin finished dished their gorge and are tuning up by the way Ph chester ester be a track trade to go up the inlet at reveille you have all the specifications short notice but you can make it want to push the work while this weather holds lie he held out his hand my dance mrs harcourt ile he was conscious of jimmy chesters pale frowning regard as they moved away to in rhythmic step to the music ile he watched him until he be left the room janice looked up sorry I 1 was catty bruce ile he held her the traction fraction of bf a degree closer were you catty bill alicent was raw to you jan but dont lay it up against her this last year has set her nerves on edge 1 I wonder it if a year here will do that to mine you wont have a chance to find out wont IT I 1 perhaps you will like having me here so much beg roe rne to stay ills his arm tightened dance well together dont we there was waa a hint of strain in her laugh the fighting line again I 1 tubby wants me here if you dont yes we are good we might make a dancing team it if engineering fails a thought sorry but it Is time the festivities broke brok up all of us must bo be sons aona of toll again tomorrow we being the guests ol 01 honor should make a move that thal correct I 1 suspect tubby of a the adrical ical climax we will dance round to the door vanish and escape As they stole surreptitiously from the wame waffle shop the heavens still held a trace of the glory of the sun bun set act above the broken crater spread a coppery glow janice drew a long uneven breath it Is more gorgeous than I 1 had imagined As they turned toward the 11 II house she said lightly evex since I 1 arrived as jimmy delevan I 1 have been consumed by curiosity to toto to see fico the inside of your cabin 01 ire he answered by throwing open tin the door As they crossed the threshold a shower of confetti pelted belted them it if powdered their hair lay like colored snow enow on their shoulders one ona adventurous particle clung to danices Ja nices eyelashes she laughed unsteadily as she brushed it away the trail of the resourceful mr grant doubtless he expected you to carry your bride over the threshold as big strong men do in the tha movies and points south harcourt laid his hands ligh lightly aly on her shoulders we will postpone that ceremony take off your wrap the room Is hot pasca keeps these tires fires roaring 01 she slipped on off the tha heavily em cm brol dered mandarin coat ile ha laid it on oi tho the couch crossed to the tha fire place and lighted a cigarette arm on the mantel lie he watched her eyes travel from the indian blankets on the log walls to the russian samovar saw them glow with admiration as they rested on the chinese pewter tea service linger on the rich pelts on the floor they met mcl his like it love it how flow did these rare things get into this wilderness small trading vessels stop fox fot any one of a dozen reasons the captain or mate usually has something choice he will dispose of for a consideration im mad about that chinese pewter well have hava tea every afternoon everything I 1 have Is yours jan the huskiness of his volca voice sent the color to her face thal thai do ile ho opened a door snapped on a light sold eald gran grandale dile quent ly behold tho the kitche kitchenettes she stepped to the threshold pale green and a gray and white linoleum oh oft the floor my word but bul you are modern mo derril 1 I told you that I 1 lost my head over the it house alter after we had finished the chimneys they just naturally required bedrooms to utilize their other sides bedrooms required baths a house this size needed a kitchen I 1 have never re regretted it planning anning PI and ordering kept archie harper busy and happy ile he worked up to almost the last moment ol of his we and now I 1 have it for you lie he nodded toward a lighted room your things are in there it if you are riot not too tired I 1 should like to talk a while jan except for the fact that my feet feel are shredded to ribbons that a dance it was a riot 1 I am not la in the least tired I 1 will change my slippers and come back ill got get your sandals he the fan back chair a bit nearer the tha tire fire sit here As the she hesitated he added please ile he dropped to one diee ee in front ol of her stick out your foot he gently removed the high heeled blue slipper with its sparkling bow put on the sandal that better she nodded the other he held the tha slender foot in his hand after it was shod jan you understand dont you who the dickens Is pounding like that Is tubby trying to be tunny someone Is beating wl with th both fists got gol harcourt pulled open the door hale stumbled into the room brucel her terrified eyes widened as janice took a step toward her she shut them sobbed with arms she braced herself against the log wall brilliante brilliants Brilli ants anti swinging from her ears on hex het green frock quivered with light slid she shuddered gasped for control harcourt caught her shoulder TO BE CONTINUED |