Show B El ORING CHAPTER The Commissioner er showed to toms ns ms of apoplexy You could be jailed for holding back testimony Martha Marta Samp bristled Sakes alive could I 11 Because I Ial V waited al ed for Ms Hale to tell herself hersel She ane She's s been a loyal lo-al wife wile She's been through though oUgh hell without whimpering I Knew ew when she g got of to thinking shed she'd ahai straighten things out The worlds world's just just with stor stories es of mans man's loyalty to man but there isn't so much arach said about womans woman's loyalty to woman an an letting her tell her own tory story was my idea of loyalty to her ner Suppose she hadn't told She did didn't she But I provIded provided provided pro pro- vided against that When Ive I've read about trials its it's seemed to me that testimony hashed re-hashed months after the toe crime took place couldn't be bevery bevery bevery very accurate The morning after the I wrote down everything Id I'd heard and seen Sealed it Took it to the radio man He stamped it with place and date just as he does letters that go out Here it Is She handed the Commissioner an enve enve- lope He turned it over in his hand Conferred with the deputy Rose My associate and I agree that the late Joe Hale met his death by accident The Inquest is closed All you little doughboys come and ad get your chow The ringing call of the bugle pierced Bruce Harcourt Harcourt's Harcourt's Har- Har courts court's absorption as he left the Samp cabin Would he find Janice at atthe atthe atthe the office or would she have gone to luncheon She had slipped away directly directly directly di di- after the Commissioner had pronounced a verdict of accidental shooting Paxton immaculately attired attired attired at at- tired with deep lines of exhaustion about his eyes and an apparent stiffness In every Joint had come comeIn comeIn In had announced an afternoon de de- He had offered to take anyone who wanted to go back to the States Millicent had been tearfully tearfully tearfully tear tear- fully eager to get away Mallory advised expert surgical treatment for Jimmy Chester Janice was hooding her typewriter it er as he entered the office Her cheek still sUll bore faintly pink evidence evIdence evidence evi evI- dence of Blot Blots mercurial temperament temperament temperament tempera tempera- ment but her eyes and smile were radiant Now that the cyclone of excitement excitement excitement excite excite- ment has passed over I hope to accomplish something Harcourt picked up a letter from his desk This Is Alaska You mustn't expect life lie h here re to be like life in New York Its It's a different story In this wilderness yacht goes out this afternoon afternoon afternoon aft aft- with Mrs Hale Chester and the Commissioner aboard I want you you to go with them Amazed consternation wiped the happy radiance from her face I II On Ned Ned- Paxton's boat You advise that Two days ago I would not have permitted it but he has proved himself himself himself him him- self trustworthy This letter is from your brother Billy I wrote him after after after aft aft- er I discovered the identity of Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jim Jim- my Delevan Ive I've told you before that I will not let you spend a winter win ter here As M soon as I can get leave I will join you and well we'll well we'll-well well we will talk things over I will cable cable cable ca ca- ca- ca ble Billy to meet the yacht at Seattle Se Se- attle Just like that Her eyes were brilliant with anger he could see her throat contract You needn't trouble to cable Billy Im I'm not going go go- ing Tubby Grant hired me to work for the outfit I shall keep my position position position tion here You talk about my going back as though It were as simple as setting letting out for dinner and dance How am I 1 to earn my living when I get to o the States It isn't so easy to pick up a job Perhaps you think Ill Til live on my brother Absolutely not Indignation swept him like a red hot wave My wife docs does not need needa a job You'll have half hal my salary more if you need it it Your wife wie Im I'm not your wife Im I'm merely a companion on triaL Mo MoW doesn't figure in that agreement agree agree- men ment menI I D J y you u think I would accept accept accept ac ac- it it yo you You cant can't give me even under When you made good goon my silly lie to Ned Paxton Paxton Pax Pax- ton I saw sw myself myel as I was always at the mercy of my imagination I determined that I would do my utmost ut- ut most to make you happy I didn't know then that If you'd only waited waited wait wait- ed you would have married Millicent Millicent Milli Milli- cent Hale Jan That whitens your face doesn't it You can have her now Better along In the yacht yourself and g go o start annulment proceedings Once you told me that when you back behind the team dog-team and saw the H if house through the falling talling snow It seemed like coming home although you knew that only a 0 husky and a house boy waited for tor behind those lighted windows I you I had nad th thought that next winter you might be glad to find me there too Id My rIY mistake The picture she conjured of ot her lovely self sell waiting v for him to come comein comen L through the snow flied darkness in n act et Tel Harcourt's blood afire With all his strength he resisted her charm He kept his voice under rigid con- con trot That means that you will go go- go this afternoon Her breath was a straggling sob She caught her lips between her From the threshold the be def der de de- i r f i fled fied him Iceberg Ill I'll go but only from the H house Now that the one person to be impressed by convention is leaving leaving leaving-I I will return to Argus of the Hundred Eyes and Miss Mary They'll be glad to h have ve veme me back with them Grant pushed open the door Thank heaven youve you've come Tubby You almost lost your secretary Your superior officer was giving her notice Dont Don't ruffle ruffie up like a turkey She wouldn't accept it it IL The door closed behind her before Grant emerged from a stupor of surprise plane New orders for us came by this morning No building bridge-building this winter Retrenchment all along the line We are to push the tracks from here south while the weather holds the holds the Crowned Heads are all excited about wood pulp possibilities ties ties then then keep the repair shops at headquarters humming till spring Headquarters for us all Janice will be crazy about the winter here Well We'll teach her to pilot to handle a dog Harcourt crossed to his desk I want her to go out on Paxton's boat with the others this afternoon Says you The words bubbled with indignation Granted youre you're a wow of an engineer as a married man youre you're a total loss Isn't he Miss Martha he demanded as the theelder theelder theelder elder Miss Samp entered the office he what I heard you shout shout- In Mr Tubby as I came from Ms Hales Hale's cabin cabin she's she's pretty near packed up up an an dropped In to see if you were to talk with Fairbanks without a wire Grants Grant's grievance was too acute to permit of appreciation of her humor hu hu- mor shout when you hear that the chief wants Janice to join the party on Paxton's yacht Sakes alive has the excitement turned his brain Miss Samp dropped Into a chair Course any of my business any more than Mr Tubby's but why are you sending that child away Mr Bruce You have been so kind to Janice that it is your business Miss Mar Mar- tha I dont don't want her to experience the hardships of a winter here Remember Remember Re Re- member what this life did to Millicent Milli Milli- cent Hale Martha Samps Samp's gnarled fingers stroked the glossy coat of the black cat circling in her lap She regarded regard regard- ed Harcourt with shrewd eyes Did to her It made a woman of her didn't it Think back She came here just an ordinary spoiled flighty young married girl At first she fretted Then she kinder found herself hersel Never complained She developed developed developed de de- de- de the heart the endurance of a noble woman And how did it end You mean about her kinder fly- fly in off oU the handle at the last Ive I've got a pretty good idea of what caused it She got to on you Mr Bruce you were all her husband wasn't When Janice came along so pretty an m an gay an attractive attractive attractive tive she got to on her troubles an life lie played favorites fa fa- an something snapped She hadn't any notion of ot hurtin Joe Course she shouldn't have threatened threat ened cried him but who doesn't do a fool thing or two in the course of ofa a life lie Doesn't it restore your faith in human nature to find an officer of the law with the common sense to recognize an accident when he sees one an on not try to make a criminal out of a female who hasn't enough sense to leave a revolver hangin in its holster Martha Samps Samp's argument seethed like an undercurrent in Harcourt's mind during the afternoon as he packed for Chester sent messages helped the Commissioner with his reports Not until she came to the shore to embark In the launch which was to take her to the yacht did he speak to MIllicent Hale Her hand clung to his her violet eyes were tear filled J wish I were the one to stay with you Bruce He smiled and shook his head bead You have forgotten the long dark winter Im I'm willing to bet that with the first sight of the lights of Vancouver Vancouver Vancouver Van Van- couver you'll be thanking all the gods that be that youre you're back In civilization tion Side by side Harcourt and Grant watched the launch as It shot like a brown streak for the yacht indians Indians Indians In in- and Eskimos stood In groups on the shingle behind them section section section sec sec- tion bosses and engineers with unconsciously unconsciously unconsciously un un- consciously wistful faces waited for the Modern Modem Mariner to hoist the anchor Janice was leaning against the H house eyes on the pale blur which was gliding into an opaline mist Her Herlong Herlong Herlong long lashes were wet but she faced him with gay bravado Sorry not to have been moved out before you came back but Pasca Pasca Pasca Pas- Pas ca was so busy helping the travelers off oft that he had no time for me He caught her by the shoulders Youre not going back to the Samp cabin You will stay In my house She defied him flippantly Big Chief Heap bossy You tried to push me out of headquarters and now you are dictating as os to where I shall live I am working for Tu Tub I by Grant not for you I His hands tightened Jan my dear dont don't you know what It means to love a person so much that you I would tear your heart out 1 if you thought it best for her He cleared his voice of ot huskiness I know that you are forcing yourself to stay triumphing over what you think Is Isa isa isa isI I a fear-complex fear what I know to be imagination I know also that 1 If you stay here you are bound to be miserably unhappy Angry tears drenched the eyes which made them think of bronze pansies How do you know that I would be unhappy You and Tubby Tubby Tubby Tub Tub- by and the Samp girls think Mrs Hale a marvel of sweetness and light because she carried on Why shouldn't she It was her job You talk about love A lot you know about It I can see you following a person half hall across the world Not a chance Jan The Incredulous whisper brought her eyes to his Even his lips whitened Jan He caught her up in fn his arms kicked open th the door His laugh was a caress This time Ill I'll carry my bride across the threshold as big strong men do inthe In Inthe Inthe the movies and points south He set her on her feet gently raised her chin till her head rested against his shoulder demanded softly All right with you Beautiful Eyes valiant lovely color tinting her soft sott skin she answered with an unsteady attempt at raillery I III never did think much of that trial companionship idea of yours If It you care care care- Care If It I care In a fury of passion he kissed her eyes the hollow hollow hollow hol hol- low in her throat her mouth Kissed her vehemently thoroughly Said with a husky reckless laugh how I care Tubby Grant pushed open the door First call for tea In the din din- car ing You You You- His voice dwindled to a gurgle He blinked something suspiciously like tears from his wistful wistful wistful ful green eyes With a softly breathed Praise be to Allah Allahl he ha gently closed the door from the out out- side THE END |