The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-23

Sh in the end Sue and both went
 -, cal the police and tell them of z lal was there in the White Salon. v;,e went together. for 1 could not
 jsar to let her out of my sight in tEat menacing place.
 don't remember that told her what lay in that black coffin. but somehow she knew. l do remember -our calling from the very landing where had stumbled upon the dead man whose murder had ushered in the dreadful business. to the DO liceman in the court below.
 And 1 remember how he sprang to his feet and stared up at us. and how his jaw dropped. and the blank astonishment in his face when he comprehended Sues rapid French.
 And that he had visibly to try several times before he could quicker his open mouth to give the shrill whistle that brought two other policemen tumbling into the court and eventually up the little winding stairway to bring in their wake turmoil and search and in- quiry again.
 The whole thing couldn't have taken more than four minutes. but 1t seemed at least ten.
 |DUT the thing that stands out D sharply in my memory is the thing that happened on the very second preceding their entrance into the White Salon.
 Ihad left Sue under their eyes on the landing and had myself turned back into the corridor and then into the room. suppose had ap- preached the great plano merely in order to show them where the body lay. for I could hear their hurried feet on the stairway.
 It was only chance that I stood in such a position near the plano that wisp of white on the carpet caught my eyes. l bent involuntarily and took in my hand small hand. kerchief. It had been concealed from my eyes until then by . massive carved leg of the piano.
 It was a woman's handkerchief, but 1t was the faint scent clinging to 1t that brought 1t upward nearer my face. I was familiar scent: a faint delicate whiff of a fragrance that swiftly brought Sue to my mind. Then I recognized it: it was faintly like gardenias.
 There was no time to think, for the steps were at the open door of the White Salon. But I knew that during our moment together in the ghostly room Sue had not been near that end of the piano.
 And I slipped the thing into my pocket as three blue-caped figures burst into the room, and the air began to crackle with excitement and furious questions and sputter- ing exclamations.
 The whole thing was like a re- ,peated nightmare with the results that have mentioned. It was noon before I had a quiet word in the lounge with Lorn and Sue.
 Lorn had. of course. turned up hot-foot at the first news of the new tragedy. And he felt. as did I. that the thing of supreme importance was to remove Sue at once from that death-ridden place. And Sue at last agreed.
 T can't stand 1t any longer" said Sue. She was white and frightened and taut-lipped. "If the murders are. as you believe, actually the result of a scheme to rob me of my in. heritance. let's make an end to 1t. Heaven knows. I'd rather lose every cent of the money than be even re- motely the cause of such-such-" She shuddered and said in a breath less way: Its as if caused 1t all" II "Nonsense." Irsaid brusquely. not | liking the look in her face or the way her little hands twisted them. selves together. You aren't the lcause of this. The cause Is tho scoundrel who's back of 1t. Don't look like that"
 We can't even know with cer tainty," interposed Lorn dryly, "that this last murder has anything to do with your inheritance" Don't put me oil like that,a flashed Sue. "You know what you
 think. no matter what you car 1 prove"
 "Yes." agreed Lorn. imperturb ably. "I know what think. There h a plot against you. The peculiarity of the terms of your identifyina yourself and receiving your money practically invites such thing. And I'm willing to admit that this-er- | priests surreptitious visit to youi room links him with you and your i've millions"
 "Why do you think the priest was tkilled?" asked Sue.
 | fCopyrs0ht. 1888. Aionon c. BbsyAortj