The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-02
Chapter IT CURIOUS CALLER


MI MADAME entered as 1 held thu
 'A door open. She looked rather nice; she wore again the clinging coppery-green silk gown, and hei red hair shone under the light. Gold hoops swung at her ears; her face was white and soft and her lip. heavily rouged.
 The white cockatoo sat on hel shoulder; his crest was fiared hand somely upward. and he was twist ing his head this way and that in an inquisitive but faintly reprovine manner.
 [ l shouldn't have been at all sur. prised if he'd said to me conversa tionally. "So this is where the mur der was. Tut, tut!"
 Am I disturbing your" said Ma, dame Grethe. Her green eyes were shining. and her manner was very pleasant.
 Not at all," I said and then, as she gave every indication of having come merely to pay a social call, ] added: Wont you sit down?"
 She moved in graceful. leisurely manner to the chair opposite me and sat down; the cockatoo clung to her shoulder and made an admonitory remark which was aimed apparent. ly at me.
 "Pucci. Pucci," she said in a ca, ressing voice. "J am sorry about your being arrested. MT. Sundean My husband and I regret it very much"
 There was a shade of mockery in her shining eyes.
 "At any rate" I said. "it didn't last long"
 NO. Apparently not. I hope that is all you will hear of the affair.""
 Your hope is shared. madame"
 For the instant 1 employed the ghost of Marcels shrug, useful gesture which was growing to ad mire very much. It irritated her. Her eyes lit for a moment, then she dropped smooth lids over them, lift. ed one rather large but soft and white hand to Pucci's neck. caressed him for a moment, and then glanced about the room.
 How the wind blows!" she said. Doesn't 1t annoy you at night? Surely there Is loose shutter some where near"
 "one of those on the window, there"
 Il must tell Marcel to repair the catch. Although-shouldn't you like another room. MT. Sundean?"
 "Pm quite all right here. thank you" wondered what time it was.
 Come. come. MT. Sundean, admit that you'd be happier in another room. One not so far from the rest of us. One not so near" She moved one supple hand in a quick gesture toward the corridor.
 os "oo III Ill., iudiuly UeEduS6 she insisted. for I had no reason to like my present room. heaven knew! And l was beginning to wish she would leave. It would soon be time for Sues promised arrival.
 OH, very well. then" said Ma, - dame at last rather sharply. "On your own head be 1t. MT. Sun. dean" she leaned suddenly for. ward. and Pucci toppled. caught his balance. and gave a hoarse chuck of disapproval-"why are you here?" she asked almost in a whisper, her green eyes shining into mine.
 "I came to meet friend" 1 said. "Will you have cigarette?"
 You are evasive. MT. Sundean," she said in less caressing way than she had previously employed.
 Evasive? You ask me why l have come to this hotel. 1 tell you. to meet friend. which is the truth" smiled at her.
 At such time. MT. Sundean, one must ask questions of unidentified strangers"
 "No doubt" I said pleasantly. What's it all about. madame? An attempt on my life and murder at my threshold. That's more than co. incidence. Are you so determined to make me leave?"
 l had spoken experim entally, more than from conviction. and | was a little astonished to see how my words affected her. She leaned