The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-15

arch, survey me unWiuhiuBiy anu leisurely and then pop back again in a way that left no doubt in the world that had actually the closest of company.
 SuspicIously 7 sniffed at the to- bacco the priest was smoking, could no. trace in 1t the fragrance of the tobacco smoke that had inexplica- ply drifted into my room during the night and fell to speculating regard ing that enigmatical figure. Why had he taken so much trouble about an alibi?
 The fact that he had so carefully arranged a needless alibi was in it. self suspicious. Highly suspicious. I told myself, looking at his long black legs and American shoes. He'd explained the shoes when he'd said casually that he'd. spent two years in America.
 But 1t suddenly struck me that his beard itself was a suspicious point. As a rule, only missionary priests or Russian priests wear boards. and he had the appearance of being neither. And yet. if as- sumed for purposes of disguise. 1t would have entailed a long and pa- tient process, for 1t was a real beard.
 He had not only taken pains to arrange a false alibi, but he had lied himself. and-which was still less what one might expect in man of God-he had practically forced lit- tie Marcel to lie in order to support his story.
 Pucci croaked. scratched and dut- tered clumsily down from the chair. The bird had been in the lounge with me just before Marcel had en- tered it the previous afternoon. wondered what he had seen. wished there were some way to wrest from him the knowledge that might be back of those bright. shoe. button eyes-eyes that looked as knowing and secretive as his mis. tress' eyes.
 'T'HlS time Pucci croaked as dis.
 z consolately as he had scratched. sidled over to the priest and pulled himself up on his knee. whence he scrutinized the beard closely.
 There was suddenly an impatient rustic of the newspaper. and behind it the priests red beard and angry eyes appeared. did not realize that 1 must have been looking. as felt. faintly amused at the cocka. too's cynical expression until Fla ther Robart snapped:
 Well. have you stared at me enough? And is 1t so amusing an occupation?"
 lo "As a matter of fact. was watch. ing the cockatoo." l said. and think. ing of what Marcel told me-"
 I was looking directly into his eyes. and it was with interest that l noted the singular way they be came fixed and rigid like a cats. His face, too. looked suddenly rath. CT yellow back of that flaming thin beard. Presently he said. his yel. low-gray eyes never wavering in that rigid secret stare into mine:
 Marcel? And what was that, since you've introduced the sub. ject?"
 l hessitated. resolved in a frac. tion of second that 1 was doing no harm. and replied:
 He told me the truth about the story you gave the police concern. ing your whereabouts the night the unknown man was murdered. He said yo1 were not i'll and that he was not in your room with you"
 It occurred to me that he had braced himself for it: had perhaps known what was coming. He said coldly:
 "Nen"
 I shrugged. and promptly re- solved not to indulge in that gesture again until my shoulder had healed.
 "Well?" l said. with his own in. fiection. His eyes remained still, and yet 1t seemed to me there was an angry flash back of them. Clear ly he resented the implication that 1t was not my place to speak.
 He remained stubbornly silent for moment. but he was not of the temperament to keep his feel. ings in leash for long. Fully con. scious of the seething rage back of those still yellow eyes. took out my cigarettes. In leisurely fash ion l leaned forward. extended the package toward him. and said pleas antly: Do have a cigarette"
 He made an angry notion with his hands and sprang to his feet.
 "Oh. you are insulting!" Father Robart cried. You are insulting!"
 "Oh. come now" said mildly. Ut IS scarcely an insult to offer a man ,a cigarette. Hey-don't step on the ! ,rd'"
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