The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-03-05
Chapter 27
BY WAY OF EVIDENCE

Martha; Martha-on the lon: distance!
 . Enid's hand trembled as shi swung around in the desk chair anc lifted the receiver from the hook She listened a moment and ther to the Big Shot, as she rose anC surrendered her chair. Its not Martha. It's man who wants tc speak to you
 He slipped into the desk chail she had vacated and in turn picked up the receiver. "Shootl' he said. Who is it2"
 For a moment he sat listening without a word; then, with an abrupt injunction to hold the line, he shifted the receiver to his left hand and, reaching out oyer the desk, pulled the pad of blank man uscript paper toward him.
 He took a pencil from his pocket. "Go ahead, then"--he was speaking into the transrnitter again-"and slip it over in code What? <. Yes, surel Give me that, too! I'm ready! Let 'er gol"
 Enid watched him with worried eyes as his pencil flew across the paper h codel There was some thing premonitory in that, From where she stood she could hot sec what he was writing; but she saw that the sheet was almost covered before he spoke again.
 Now hold the line" he in- structed for the second time, while I dope it out"
 He set the receiver down on the desk and began to decode the mes gage. At the end of a few minutes he picked up the receiver once more.
 "Helloe he said briskle @As wide open as that, eh? Itli save a lot of troublel So he found the whole works did he? i. Good Nobody home, eh? When did you say the old boy pulled out? This evening? Yes, I know about the rest of the family" He chuckled sud denly They've been slipping, meal tickets to Florida for the last two mcnthsl . What did you say? Send who? i. Nothing doingl He'd crab itl We'll, know that, don't I? Leave it to me, I'll take his place =. What? Yes. that's what I saidl Well, maybe couple of look -outs--that's all that will be needed Whatp Some thing else? Isn't that enough for one night? Well, spill itl"
 For perhaps minute, then, the Big Shot sat in silence with the receiver to his ear. When he spoke again his grin had been re- placed by narrowed eyes and an outthrust jaw
 "Oh, he is, is he" he snarled. ''Is that sol Well, maybe it'll be the last crack he makes! ,. What '
 Stop the trucks? Not by a damned sight, Curse him, he's ask ing for it, and he'll get itl I'll show him who he's stacking up against I'll be right overl Tell the boys to stick around until I get there. That code stuff can wait for an hour or two-itll be safer to pull 1t linen anyhow How's that? . Yes, I've got my car here, Sure, I get youl Kou bet your life, I'll step on it!'
 He slammed the receiver back on the hook and, scowling, swung away from the telephone. Then, rising to his feet, he snatched up the sheet of paper on which he had taken down the code message, crumpled it in his hand, and thrust it into the side pocket of his coat.
 eI've. got to gol" he flung out. You know Twisty Morgan, don't you?"
 T know what happened the night before last she answered.
 He was suddenly clamp jawed again. "Yesn' he said viciousiy. aWell, the words out that he's look ing for a showdown tonight. You didn't know it. but he took Maloch for a ride last night-just as a starter, he called itl"
 "But the paper, said he was in hiding from the police" she ob- iscted. How could he do any thing?" n ga.y
 aHidingp le laughed mockingly .sTnat don't count Maybe he is from the police. but the police don't draw cards in our game, kidl If they get in between they get hurt--see2 M s ep at~He won't be hiding long from anybody if he starts anything to- night, for then even the police Will Fuow where he is tomorrow morn i-,0 because he'll be parked on a