The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-05-23
CHAPTER 12 ENTER MRS. DUFRESNE "NOYLE left Sereeant" CIvmo,

"DOYLE left, Sergeant" Clymer
 answered.
 Did he do any telephoning ?"
 "No, sir. We heard your orders about that"
 Harper nodded. He supposed that the reporter had become anxious and nervous about his scoop" and had gone out to try to find another telephone As he turned to his work there came the sound of hurried steps entering the hall, doors slammed, and woman's voice cried out, hysterically. Pierre! Pierre!' she walled, where is he? Oh, where Is he?"
 The detective understood in a flash why Doyle had left the house. Laboring under the delusion that Du. fresne had been killed, the reporter had taken it upon himself to carry the news to the mans wife.
 He nearly collided with the on rushing figure. She was wrapped in a fur coat and out of it's huge collar her lovely head rose. hatless. and with snowfiakes glistening and melt. ing on her soft hair Her eyes were wide with terror and despair. the beautiful mouth twisted pitiably.
 Blocking the doorway, he laid his hand on her arm.
 Steady, Mrs. Dufresne," he said trying to lead her back into the hall, there has been a terrible mistake. Your husband is safe and sound. The man who was killed here is strang, CT. He wore a disguise that made him look like MT. Dufresne. Do you understand mel"
 "Yes, yes," she breathed, "there has been a mistake. Pierre is safe. But let me see-let me see!"
 Are you sure you want to look into that room. Mrs. Dufresne?"
 "I must see." she declared. in a low voice. "I must see for myself.' Harper moved aside from the door Mrs. Dufresne stepped into the room "Oh!" she gasped when she saw the weird tableau of death.
 "I'll show you how it is," Harper said. The detective stripped away the beard and moustache.
 When Mrs. Dufresne saw the na tural features of the man, she made strange, wordless sounds. Without warning, her knees buckled. she reached forth vaguely to support herself, then collapsed. As she fell her face struck the sharp corner ol the center table. opening long gash across her cheek.
 Harper leaped to her side with g cry of dismay as he saw the blood pouring from the wound. Calling for Dr. Miller, he gathered the hn conscious figure into his arms anc strode from that ill-fated room.
 Dr. Miller gave a little grunt as he strengthened up beside the bet where Mrs. Dufresne lay stretched out.
 How is she, Doc% Harper in quired, anxiously.
 "Well, I've stopped most of tht bleeding, but these old hands O mine are too clumsy to attend tt that cut properly"
 twill it leave a scar?"
 That's what we must avoid. Som' of these new chaps do wonderful work along that line. It'd be best t' have one in, think"
 Wed better get hold of her owl doctor first and let him handle this I hate to think of her being scarre' or disf1gured."
 TYR. MILLER bent down and aske' D his question. He scribbled tn doctors name and initials on hi prescription pad and handed the lea to the detective. "Get his 'phon number and tell him to come as 500 as possible. The sooner, the better.
 When Harper left Mrs. Dufresne' room to go downstairs again. h found Howard Doyle waiting at tn foot of the stairs. How is she, Sel geant?" he inquired at once, visibl perturbed.
 Harper replied angrily. If Mr. Dufresne's face is marred for Tiff you ought to pick out high bridg and throw yourself over." "Why didn't you say something then, before you left? This is D' fresne's house and the dead ma certainly looked like Dufresne. Yo held us all back, locked the door. an went away without saying an. thing"
 Harper's face famed with ange Listen to this, Doyle. warned yo not to release the story until gay the word. Hold on, now-ive T time to argue. I'll talk to you later
 The detective looked up Dr. o. {