The daily Alaskan., 1914-01-05


 house, Birch?'
 "Yes, and had a man to take records of all finger prints. say every room in the house There's one place I've been through. and I've a notion to go there again. Come with me"
 Sloan followed Birch through the hall and up a flight of stairs to the third floor. where there were several bedchambers and a billiard room un- der the mansard roof. From the pas sage door led into an open attic that ran across the back of the house. A window at the back overlooked the wing containing the servants quarters, and overhead was a trapdoor leading to the roof. A narrow ladder led to the trapdOor.
 From the doorway where they stood they could see that the dust of the floor was untracked near the window, and any hope that the murderer might have gained the roof of the wing and entered the house by the attic window was at once dispelled.
 Suddenly Birch touched his chiefs arm.
 Look there. sir" he whispered.
 Sloan bent his keen eyes to the floor and saw the trace of footprints in the dust. Some one bad passed from the ladder to the paSsageway and gone back again. Instantly Birch had made dctour so as not to disturb the tell tale marks with his own boots and he was up the ladder and was lifting the trapdOor.
 "UnGStencd. sir" be reported; levi dently pried up from the roof-IOck broken"
 He passed up on to the roof, and Sloan followed.
 The large eypanse of flat. timed roof was surrounded by a fanciful iron rail ing In one place the railing had dis appeared. There was gap of per haps fifteen feet. Birch crept to the edge of the roof and peered over.
 Funny thing" be commented; that iron railing is down on the ground there looks as though 1t had recently fallen. Let's have Blunt up here" He fetched the valet. and the two detec- tvrs pointed out the broken railing to the aS;ouished servant
 "Bur. sir" he protested. "I am sure it was not broken yesterday, because the gardener would have removed 1t. He cut the grass yesterday and cleaned up the yard thoroughly. You see, it has fallen directly underneath the H. brary windows. and some of it sticks right mp in the turf"
 You heard no sound in the night, you are SureE'
 "I am sure. sir. sleep in the wing wonder. and at the head of my bed is q bell that connects with Mir. Hin mans room. One of the servants in the house next door was coming home from a party very late last night or early this morning. and she declares she saw a big bIackbird lowering over this house. She is very superstitious, sir. and I suppose she's imagined that since hearing of the murder"
 "Very likely" said Sloan in a pecul- far tone. and his eyes met those of his young assistant with a significant glance. Thank you, Blunt. That will do for the present"
 When the valet had disappeared down the trapdOOr Birch dropped to his knees and made a searching ex- animation of the roof. In the slight layer of dust some clew might be found
 Its here. sir"-he looked up with a smiling face-"the tracks of the big blackbird' And the discovery reveals how the other two murders were com mittpd."
 Sloan knelt down beside him and watched the movement of Birch's fn- gers as he pointed out the tracks made by the rubber tired landing wheels of an aproplane. When the machine had made it's departure it had carried away fifteen feet of the ornamental railing from the roof
 Find q foreigner who answers to the description of Van Benjidck. If he is a skilled aviator he's your man" WAS Sloan'S decision.
 You remember that the residence of Mir. Fickingcr is of this same type fat roof and so forth?" questioned Birch as they returned to the office.
 "I remember. and also recollect that Thomus Benson lived at the Hotel Batwell. and his room was in the an- nex. flat roofcd wing.
 Once in the office Sloan picked up the afternoon edition of New York newspaper. Suddenly he uttered sharp exclamation and pointed to a gIaring headline on the front page.
 You won't have to look any further, Birch. Your mans found and lost gome to Lis reward. Listen to this;
 "'Another during aviator met death early this morning in some unknown manner. Rudolf Benjidck. well known as fearless dlCr. was found crushed to death under the body of his heavy aerouIunu on the grounds of the Broad brook Country club It is not known at what moment or under what Circum- stances BenjidcE met his death, but it is supposed that he was trying out the big machine which he recently pur- chased. Al investigation is being