The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-14

| murder l SalQ.
 "oh,"-she spread out her hands n a hopeless gesture-"I don't know. Anything could have been done that night. Perhaps that way through the hotel gate was known to more people than l thought. At any rate it's not to be thought of that the murderer is here. now. in this hotel. But I promise you. MT. Sundean, that shall be very care full" Her breath caught in what was very near a sob. How could help being careful after what I've seen" Her face was tired and white. There were slender blue marks un- der her eyes, said:
 See here. We'll cut this talk short. We can finish it tomorrow The main thing is for you to keep your door locked and bolted tonight. And the first thing in the morn ing"
 I hesitated, for after all what l was about to say was Lorn's busi- ness, not mine. But continued: "The first thing in the morning 1t might not be a bad idea to get the papers that you gave to Lovschiem out of his safe and take them to the bank"
 That's what MT. Lorn advised" said Sue wearily. "Very well. I'll do it. But the Lovschiems-" She broke off abruptly and said instead. "Tm going now."
 We both went with her to her room. Lorn stood with her at the door. while 1 searched her room: there was, of course. no one hiding in the great wardrobe or behind the curtains or in the bathtub. and there was little other place in which to hide.
 But l wanted to be certain, and waited in the corridor until she had whispered Goodnight" and vanished and 1 heard the key turn. ing and then immediately the bolt slipping into place.
 THE corridors were deserted. and
 \ there had been no one to see us Lorn turned in another direction. ] walked toward the north-wing cor ridor again. The halls were half dark. as usual.
 It was just as 1 turned suddenly around the angle above the steps that thought l saw darker shadow down the length of the cor ridor ahead of me which moved quickly out of sight beyond the angle of the intersecting corridor. ran lightly and rapidly toward where it had been. but when reached the angle there was noth- ling but blank doors and narrow hall l leading back to a window at It's end Probably. told myself. turning | finally into the long bare corridor of the north wing with It's cold shin ling windows all along the court side and its bitter draft-probably a mere optical Illusion composed of nothing but shadow. The court was crazy again that night; though the wind was not as strong as it had been. and the gusts were not as wild with their flying shadows. Still. 1t did not look in- viting: neither did the little iron stairway descending into darkness In the turmoil of the day l had again neglected to ask Lovschiem for key. and again. with kind of grim amusement at myself propped the table against the door was determined to stay in that room. but never liked 1t. Neither did l like the cold. de serted wing with its mysterious creaks and rustles. And neither. confessed to myself. had l liked that flying shadow.
 It had had. somehow. a substan
 tiality one does not associate with mere shadows.
 My shoulder was aching and throbbing damnably. and took one I.of the pills the doctor had left me Fand finally went to sleep. l I awoke with start. I'd been dreaming wildly of Father Robart'f black soutane with its full black lskirt and of Sues red slippers and fthe wind. The wind had lulled again into such quiet that probably the
 mice in the old walls were noisy
 again.
 I listened, but if a noise had
 awakened me I heard no further sound. And if a proving ghost had come to visit me. awakening me with a passing touch or sigh. ther
 1t was a lively ghost indeed. for
 smelled very definitely the odor ol tobacco.
 sniffed again and sat up. <
 There was no ghost about 1t.
 Someone. somewhere near me
 was smoking.
 fCopyrioht. 1893, Xi0non c. Eberhdrt, n s