Show s r CORING r j jI w SYNOPSIS I I I T THE E TOUY SO FAR Janice Trent runs away from Wedding Ned Paxton rich but bud ba a Cay gay blade Disguised as a tubercular youth she becomes camp secretary sec sec- In Alaska where Bruce Druce Harcourt had been chief replacing Joe Hale nale who had ben going down hill hUl Janice keeps eat cut bin sight of Bruce who knows her But Bui ne day while visiting the cabin of the Ute Samp sisters who run the Waffle Wame Shop he sees her asleep In a chair Jimmy Delevan the secretary Is the very Janice whom he had on his last visit to New York Impulsively advised not to marry mury Paxton n. n He ne decides de tides camp Is no place for a woman but bat Tubby Tabby Grant his Ws assistant Insists Its It's hard t to get a good secretary In the wilderness Janice tells Bruce Brace her stor story Mrs Hale Is attracted to Bruce Druce Hale nale treats her badly Hale Bale suffers a stroke and they cant can't leave as 15 scheduled Hale nale calls Janice to take some dictation Now continue with the story CHAPTER VI Janice wondered what Tubby and Bruce would say about her going She had a sense of breathlessness as she pushed open the door of the Hale cabin Joe Hale was seated In fn a 8 wheel chair near a window He would have been looking good had he lived decently Janice told herself hersel herself her her- self sel In that first glance Good of you to come Miss Trent particularly as I now have no claim on your time Feel like a boob not to bring up a chair for you but the doctors wont won't let me take a step Tyrants Mrs Hale Haleran Haleran Haleran ran over to see the Samp girls fifteen minutes ago Seized this chance to get an outline made for fora a codicil to my will Not that I have the least intention of passing out but Ive I've had a tap on the shoulder Curious that his explanation left lefther lefther lefther her with the same sense of uneasiness uneasiness uneasiness ness which had seized her as she entered the cabin Janice thought Was smoke coming from that pipe laid on the mantel Had Mrs Hale been gone fifteen minutes Would tobacco keep hot that long If It she were away and Hale himself couldn't move who had put it there He selected a paper Here is the memorandum of what I want to dic dic- tate You look as though you could keep a secret Miss Trent Beautiful ful women as a a. rule are dumb Ill I'll bet my gold nuggets youre you're an exception I kiss your hands hands in in inspirit spirit She had heard that caressing inflection inflection inflection in in- before belore too she told herself with a bitter little twist of her lips If 11 he wanted to impress her with a sense of friendliness not in the manner manner man man- ner of Ned Paxton should he approach approach approach ap ap- ap- ap her She responded in her crispest voice A secretary Is supposed to be a machine not a person when taking dictation Mr Hale Ready She tried to remain indifferent to the meaning of the codicil she was transcribing but it was startling Plop Plop Plop Plop Plop Plop The sounds came from rom behind behind behind be be- hind the screen Small revelatory crashes that meant but one thing A broken string of beads So Mrs Hale was at home Listening What was the big idea What was that Was it imagination or did Hale relax Buttons That nitwit dog of Mil Mil- Millicent's Millicent's work-basket work has upset her again A brilliant blue bead rolled soundlessly soundlessly sound sound- lessly across the rug and stopped behind his chair Janice brought her teeth sharply into her lip to keep back an exclamation was behind the screen Hales Hale's suave voice broke into her reflections So uSo you ran away from marriage Kiss and run type yes Janice's blood sang in her ears from fury She managed to keep her voice steady Go on with your dictation Mr Hale I have left important work at the office Where were we 1 I remember That's all aU He pulled a thick roll from his coat pocket Peeled off a ten-dollar ten bill Take this Ive I've no right to your time tune Janice rose Thank you no I will type the material at once and send it for you to look over Efficient arent aren't you Id I'd thought of letting the deserted bridegroom know where you were but we need you here She look looked d steadily back at him as I she the rubber band on her note book May I 1 suggest that you mind I your our own business The force torce with which she closed I the door behind her relieved her overcharged spirit In her dash from the cabin she collided with Jimmy Chester Someone told me that you were I here What do you mean by comI com com- tog lag when Millicent is at the I Samps' Samps For Fer an Instant Janice stared in in- credulously Then she twisted herself herself her her- self zeU free tree She vented the remainder of her fury on him What business Is it of yours why I went there I Ill make it my business he answered savagely and pulled open the cabin door J Millicent Hale stood in the door door- 1 way Under one arm was her toy Pekinese I ItI know that Im I'm breaking rules our four our rules coming to the office once I Bruce but Im I'm desperate I I-I- I I she he bit her lips clenched her frail I T tit Y tK I y I I I I r I LJ I ti 1 1 II I j a a ell z Hale said So you OU ran away from I marriage Kiss and run type yes hands as though with all her being she were holding back a flood of ot emotion Tubby Grant told me that tha t you and he were to trot air-trot tomorrow were to scout out a place on the river from rom which to start the road toward the new bridge Tha That t after that you would fl fly to the city Take me Im I'm up fed-up on myself myself my my- self on everything in this terrible wilderness I haven't left our cabin for more than an hour since Joes Joe's down break-down my nerves are on edge I If I go I can get some things he needs Mary Samp promised to look I after him Why not take Miss Trent that is i if Argus of the Hundred Eyes will let her go Her er voice her wistful lips her misty eyes set off oft fiery flery wheels pin of f fanger anger in Janice's mind Harcourt smiled indulgently Men were pulp mere pulp in the hands of ot a soft purry little woman like that the girl told herself furiously If U Miss Trent will come Care to go trotting air Miss Trent Fly Janice throttled her imagination tion attested fervently Id urd love it Then its it's a date Be sure youre you're ready on time The plane starts the minute the sun pokes Its rim above the horizon passengers or no pas With eager assurance of a prompt appearance Millicent Hale departed And by the way said Bruce Ill suggest that you go slow with Jimmy Chester A little demon of contrariness took possession of Janice She thoughtfully thoughtfully thought thought- fully nibbled the end of ot her fountain fountain fountain foun foun- tain pen as she looked up with ingenuous ingenuous in in- eyes Im surprised that you dont don't Include In clude elude Tubby Grant in the taboo immune Hes He's working to prove to a girl back home that he can m make ke good Jimmys Jimmy's different Janice indulged In a delicately regretful sigh He is fascinating even i if his eyes are tragically old Harcourt left his desk loomed i over her Attractive Jimmys Jimmy's a corking engineer but hes he's pulp where girls are concerned The war left his eyes old and his temperament temperament temperament tempera tempera- ment slightly twisted You might as safely play with high explosives Hes He's the type who would do something something something some some- thing desperate 1 if he got the wrong slant Squatted cobbler fashion cobbler fashion on the cot bed in her cabin Janice regarded herself hersel in the roughly framed mirror mirror mirror mir mir- fashioned above a table dressing from rom a packing She barely breathed as she met the mirrored eyes Who was that girl really What was she Did she herself know what lay deep in her mind What profundities of passion passion passion pas pas- sion and sorrow love and hate smoldered smoldered dered within her visible body She had come corne north In quest of a different different different dif dif- ferent self a fearless self Had she found it Dishes were rattling In the Waffle Waffie Shop That meant that supper preparations preparations preparations prep prep- were going forward Shed She'd better slip into her gown Miss Martha would be sending a tray into Into into In in- to the room living shortly The Samp sisters would not permit her herto herto herto when themen the themen themen to step foot in the Shop men were eating there was filling the wood box she could hear In the room living-room him shuffling back and forth Regular Regular Regular Regu Regu- lar as clock clockwork One could tell the time tune by his coming and going A curious character Sardonic when Taciturn She avoided him she could What was that sound Coat half hall halloff running running running run run- off she listened Something ning round and md round like mad Blot having a fit the back into She thrust her arm dashed through the satin sleeve threshold of the threshold passage stopped on Overturned chairs the living in m exercise exercise exercise ex ex- air though waved legs in as of their Daily Dozen Spools rolled on the floor from the overturned overturned over over- turned work basket A slammed terrified Meow in fn door cut a half By Blot Blot had been kidnap Bruce said that Hadn't the natives feared the cat as they would break It did the Evil Spirit the Samp girls girls' heart if it anything Could she happened to their pet rescue it She jerked open the door ran in figure pursuit of a bent scurrying Yakutat bla blanket Wan Wan- hooded in a brilliant ke ket The tip tit of a lashing black tail hung below it Where was the Indian Indian Indian In In- dian taking the cat Janice's breath came unevenly the wide full trousers swished about about her feet the strap of one parch parch- ment-kid ment sandal snapped He had passed the Waffle Warne Shop without being being be be- ing mg noticed To the kennels They were back of the office Surely someone there would see him What was as the kidnapers kidnaper's idea He didn't intend he intend he did He did Her shout of ot protest cracked In her dry throat throat for for all the world as though she were shrieking for help helpin in fn a nightmare nightmare-as as a struggling kicking spitting black ball was flung with terrific force into the yard I where a dozen or more slant slant eyed eyed tongued ruby-tongued huskies were yipping and yelping and rollicking They stiffened to rigidity as they regarded regard regard- ed the motionless black heap A trimly built Siberian broke the spell with a joyous yelp He nosed the stunned cat tossed it A husky with baleful yellow eyes caught it it sent it whirling back Like a shuttlecock shuttlecock shuttlecock shut shut- it flew from dog to dog to an accompaniment of barks and growls For a split second Janice hesitated hesitate ed as Imagination projected a picture picture picture pic pic- ture of herself being torn to rib rib- bons The kidnaper had vanished Then she fumbled frantically at the gate They would kill Blot Where was the trick latch She had it She dashed into the midst of the excited tormentors caught the black cat catin catin catin in the air ah- held it high as the dogs sprang for her Gleeful yelps deepened deepened deepened deep deep- ened to menacing growls She backed toward the gate Two or three huskies she couldn't tell how many sneaked behind her Her heart pounded in her throat She didn't know much about dog psychology psychology psychology but she knew enough not notto notto notto to run Claws ripped at her dahlia jacket at her satin trousers She lost a parchment sandal The slim gray Siberian carried Jt it off worrying it as he went She backed cautiously cautious cautious- ly saying over and over soothingly soothing soothing- ly I Nice boys I Down Down Her lips were too stiff to voice command The husky with the baleful baleful baleful bale bale- ful glare stalked toward her in a sullen wolf-walk wolf lips lifting In spasmodic spasmodic spasmodic spas spas- snarls Suddenly he reared His gold flecked eyes were on a level with hers his wrinkled nose bared yellowed fangs Sneering at ather ather ather her was he Would she ever get outside outside outside out out- side that fence Miss Martha would say Theres a gate in every wall my dear There was In this one 1 if she could only make it The wolf- wolf dog was leaping leaping- Drop the cat Good God Godl Drop the cat At him Tong Janice was conscious of ot a tawny shape flashing by her of ot the Impact of ot bodies of a yelp of at pain before an arm was flung about her ders She looked up into eyes blazing blazing blaz blaze ing in a face livid lined Bruce Brucel Of course Hadn't he appeared at atthe atthe atthe the exact psychical moment to pick pickup up her black slipper She still clutched the cat as he drew her outside the gate She looked over her shoulder Tong his brush hanging straight fangs bared beautiful head lowered glared at the dogs cringing away from tram him She controlled a shiver Come on She looked up at Bruce Harcourt whose fingers ringers bit into her arm Im going as fast as ns I can with one sandal This ground isn't a trot- trot ting She glanced down at her silk- silk foot regarded incredulously incredulously incredulously her shredded pajamas She laughed sobbed laughed again Stop it You'll have hysterics ina ina In Ina a moment Her voice caught treacherously inthe inthe in inthe the midst of indignant denial Without Without Without With With- out warning Harcourt picked her up free her her- in his arms She tried to S self Stop wriggling Youre You're heavy enough as it is I lean I can walk Its It's absurd to carry me Breathing hard bard he set her on her feet in the room living of the Samp cabin He closed the door and against it His face was backed up darkly red as he demanded Dont you know better than to torun torun torun run round this thin camp dressed in those things I saw you from the theoffice theoffice theoffice office window Couldn't believe my eyes eves Look at yourself TO BE lIE CONTINUED |