The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-06-26
Chapter 39
PUMPING WHiTMoRE

PUMPING WHiTMoRE THE Sergeant's meditations were
 l interrupted by the return of Johr Whitmore with the spells of his toul through the house. The booty was en tirely devoid of interest except fol the six or seven slips from Mrs. Du fresne's pad. Harper deftly rescued these, pretended to poke through the rest of the papers, then sent Whit more to dispose of the trash, telling him to return afterwards.
 While he was gone Harper ran through this latest collection oi slips. evidently covering the recent visit of Dr. Ulrich. But once again the almost monosyllabic brevity of the peEciled notes defied reconstruc ton. The lady was either distraughi or wary. Whitmore returned to the break fast-room with the sleek air of sue. cessful conspiratol. The detective realized that in this placid minded handy man of the household he had his best chance to get some genuine inside" information.
 The detective rose and locked the door with a theatrical flourish. "I don't want any interruptions for a while" he explained. as he returned to his chair. "Sit down. John. and make yourself comfortable. What do you say to friendly little chat?" Whitmore hitched his chair bit closer. "Yes. sir. Anything I can do-"
 "Oh. before we talk" Harper in. terrupted, there's a little test want to make" He then explained about the hand-lettered warnings and put Whitmore through the same paces with the dictated notes. first leisure ly. then rapidly.
 "J,st as expected. no similarity at all." Harper announced heartily, putting the sheets aside. Now that s put of the way, we cah relax" He drew out his pipe and tobacco pouch. Do you smoke. John?"
 Whereupon John produced a curved briar pipe even more scared from use than Harper's own and ac- ,epted a filling from tho detectives pouch.
 For a few moments they puffed away in silence. This is good to- bacco, sir" Whitmore commented, holding his head sagely.
 Harper smiled. "I have the mix. ture made up specially for me-" he explained. "I smoke a lot and it's worth the difference in price. There's nothing like pipeful of good to- bacco when you've got a bit of think. ing to do."
 John nodded agreement. "I guess this business has given you plenty of that, sir. It's queer one, all right"
 "As queer as any I've ever han. dled." said Harper. gazing thought fully into the circular view of the room projected on the Girandole mir TOT over the buffet.
 1.-Two murders in one night-right here in this room," Whitmore almost whispered. Tt doesn't seem real"
 Tt was real enough for the poor devils who were killed. You knew Officer Hamill. didn't you. John?"
 "Yes, I knew him. Talked to. him lots of times last summer. A nice, pleasant fellow"
 TIE was a fine man and a good
 l l policeman. Everybody liked him., John, from his Captain down He leaves wife and children and it's going to be hard on them. The other fellow may have been croo.., or blackmailer. or gunman. and the worlds better off without him as MT. Dufresne says, but the family of man like Hamjll has to pay the price for it."
 Whitmore nodded in sympathy.
 Eve heard what they have to say about the murder upstairs" Harper went on. land that's very little to go on. What 1 have been wondering John. is what the staff thinks about it?"
 They're not saying very much and that's a fact" Whitmore an swered, and chuckled. Between you and me, sir. you've got 'em all sus picious of each other. They're going around watching each other out of the tail of their eyes"
 Have there been any arguments or bad feeling lately?"
 Nothing to speak of, Sergeant We all get along together pretty well, better than in most places. Oi course, once in a while old Andrews gives Joe a raking over the coals out that's only when Joe ha- been too nip with his tongue. Joe's young and hot-headed. not as well broker to the harness as the rest of us."