The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-22

| me ana lntO uy 6TmSs It was very sudden, and 1t caught me of my guard. and there was no l one near, and the corridor was dark and empty and still, and my arms were tight around her. and holding her close to me. and her hair brushed my face. And immediately the empty cor. liridors and the hotel and the world lceased to exist, andthere was noth, ling but darkness and warmth and Sue in my arms with my mouth against her mouth. }a. Then Sue was a small figure Ii the darkness apart from me, he face a white blur, And I was tryini to steady my voice 50 could speak and my heart was pounding as fl I'd been running a race. and T wanted her in my arms again, and I Edreaded what she might say. Its ffrue that kiss Is only kiss. But the girl was Sue. It made such . difference.
 "I'm sorry" :, waited. thought of trying further apology.
 Then all at once Sue spoke. She spoke in breathless little voice that I'd never heard before. But she said coolly enough:
 Weren't we going to look at, the Pope's piano?"
 ' OPENED the door and then paused.
 Its dark in here." I said, with perhaps note of warning in my voice.
 We'll" said Sue, and there weS just spark of laughter in her eyes. "Well-open the shutters"
 But as she followed me into the large. empty. funereal room the laughter fled. ''~.
 How cold 1t isl" she said with shiver And how musty." She followed me to the window and held back the curtain while l flung back the window. which let in breath of crisp fresh air. opened the shut ters. and as the gray light crept in closed the window again.
 The light did nothing to remove the gloom that hung over the old room. Even the lowered carpet and the gilt cup.ds on the mantel mirror looked garish and desolate and ugly.
 The color had gone from Sues face. ~
 Tt isn't exactly lively In here" 1 said, fin spite of the frivolous furni- ture." - titr.a fE-I
 The furniture makes 1t worse." said Sue with a shudder. However, there's the piano." .a ts5
 It loomed up in the shadowy cor ner-enormous. dark. long. like a great black coffin on legs. Neither of us was in hurry to approach 1t. Sue looked about her. walked over to long. white table with faded pink velvet coye9 which stood under the dead chandelier. and paused there meditatively.
 Dust, she said. drawing slim forefinger across 1t.
 Her voice broke of and changed. and she said with sharp impatience: What is the matter with this room!"
 Its been closed too long," said prosaically. though knew what she felt. And it's cold" --a The room had all at once become intolerable. It's silence brooded; the cold was musty: the shadows dim; there was an intap gible feeling uof menace hanging over 1t and us. Instinct bade me get Sue out of the place. But in that little moment of si- Hence between us came a very strange and startling thing. ,, Someone-somewhere near us- sighed heavily.
 s It was long sigh--long and strug- gling and inexpressibly weary. It was distinct and unmistakabie and 'd-eadful in that chill. breathless si- fence. a
 Our eyes leaped to meet. was on my feet. So was Sue. Neither of Us spoke. [
 Then went to the piano. It was dark in that corner. held the re- volver in my hand. : There was no one there.
 lifted the lid of the huge shape.
 After a moment my fingers drop ped the revolver into my pocket again. and I touched cautiously something inside.
 What" whispered Sue,
 l closed the lid. It was, then, in very truth coffin.
 "Please leave. Leave at once."
 Sue did not move.
 I was thinking that the crowded thing under that lid couldn't DOS. sibly have uttered that heavy. strur. gling sigh. It was too long dead. fCopyr|Dht. Isss. Hionon c. Eberhcrty
 The third victim Of the kllts. i.