The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-05-27

| NlLH WHICH COlulOIlluS Ieu6SLlCu he left me alone.
 Alone, 1 thought wearily, at last. I hoped most heartily there would | be no more intruders. To make sure of it I went to the door. But Sue had been right; there was no key and no bolt. I moved the table against the door in such g manner that anyone trying to enter would immediately wake me.
 must have gone straight to sleep from very weariness. Once 1 woke with an immediate recollection of where I was and what had hap pened, and the impression that there was a sound like sobbing somewhere in that deserted wing. But must have sunk back into sleep at once, for in the morning it was only a faint recollection.
 The morning was cold and the wind was still blowing. I woke late, and when 1 rang for coffee and Mar eel brought it l asked him what had been done.
 Nothing, monsieur" he said. He looked tired and hollow-eyed but his eyes were still excited. "The po- lice were here again but have gone. They are making inquiry"
 That was curious day.
 On1u Ovcobto,,, v,oc obo,,t ,,,1, 1,, 1 went downstairs-Lovschiem and his white cockatoo. The cockatoo greeted me with a chuck and looked with interest at the cigarette in my hand, and Lovschiem said good. mo. ming unctuously and was I go- ing for walk. He made it clear at once that. to him at least. oes some. what strained relation of the previ- ous night was a thing forgotten.
 "A little fresh air" I said. "Is there any news?"
 THERE was, he said, no news. He looked bad in the clear morning light: dark and liverish; but he was still suave.
 Did you have a good sleepy" he asked too pleasantly and with an oily effect of rubbing his hands to- gether which in actuality he was not doing at all, one hand being en- gagged in stroking the white neck of the cockatoo.
 Pucci was watching my hand with his head on one side and ap peared to be meditating as to the taste and biteable qualities 'of cigarettes. 1 drew my hand away and replied shortly and honestl, that l had slept very we'll, upcfl which Lovschiem looked incop sistently disappointed.
 Americans" he said. forgetting for the moment his own claims, are like the British. You are phlegmatic. You have no nerves. You would not believe how ner, vous I become. 1 did not sleep >t all. I could not"
 l thought but did not say that bad conscienees had been known to have that effect and walked out.
 The little town was strange to me. but l did not feel like explor. ing it. Instead I followed the road to the bridge, walked half across it. found spot sheltered from the wind and stood there, leaning against the railing and watching the water flowing below, or look ing at the white. clean-swept old place. with it's stretch of white wall that the Romans had built, and its close-huddled peaks and red roofs. and I smoked and tried to think out the grisly puzzle of the night.
 After a while walked some, but thoughtfully and without noting anything in particular. and 1t was not until about lunch time when I turned again into the hotel that l happened to look around and dis cover a blue-caped figure at a dis erect distance. l did not know or care how long he had been follow ing me. but I must say it gave me rather chilly sensation up my spine.
 And the edge of my appetite was a little dulled when I discovered that during my absence my room and my bags had been thoroughly searched, and that with no attempt at concealment. which could only mean the police.
 l ate alone in the chilly dining room with Marcel serving me a really excellent lunch. Father Ro- bart had apparently eaten early. for his table had been cleared. Mrs. Byng and Sue Tally did not appear.
 fingered for some time in a not unnatural wish to see her again. She played so large and important a part in the train of surmise and supposition that had set itself go- ing in my mind that I wanted very much to see her. and that in the cool and logical and unemotional light of day.
 It was not, however, until toward evening that saw her again, and then she was with David Lorn, and they were talking.
 (CopyrtOht. 19ss. Mionon c. Eberhart)