The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-07-11
Chapter 47 AGAIN DEATH

l points, Harper. It's Q .c Ii ty yarn. You've almost conyinced me of it's truth"
 We've had all these pierea e, evidence" the detective continued calmly. "but we couldn't get them into pattern. After We had a. .ralb with Ellen Becker we began to uils derstand."
 Pierre Dufresne jerked as thouya he felt a knife at his ribs. Ellen. Becker?" he echoed faintly.
 "Yes, and once again 1 can tell you something you didn't know be. fore. Your bribes to her were a waste of money. She had already put her silence in pawn-else- where!"
 Dufresne leaped up, his face working, his eyes glittering in stark rage. He gripped the detectives shoulder. My wife-?" he choked
 Harper nodded. "Ellen Becker has been taking money from both of you. When she confessed about those notes in the sand. it became obvious how you must have planned to catch that man in your house and murder him. But you have hope lessly prejudiced your case by being secret and subtle. with the result that a perfectly innocent man lost his life as well. That part is not so easy to forgive"
 Dufresne faced the detective Harper" he exploded. what would you say if denied everything. com pletely and absolutely"
 You may deny all you like. but you'll find it pretty hard 10 explain away Ellen Becker's evidence. or those letters. Then there's the pres ence of the masterkey on your ring. and the murder gun. first hidden in your room. Besides. there is any amount of corroboratiye evidence"
 But didn't you tell me you had two suspects on your list? Or were you lying to try to trap mel"
 Not exactly that, MT. Dufresne" Harper threw his bombshell. Mrs. Dufresne's actions are under equal scrutiny. She is known to have been away from Mrs. Morlock's house during that mysterious fire. She has refused to give any explanation or account for her movements"
 Dufresne halted in his tracks, a peculiar intentness coming into his eyes, as though looking at some thing far away.
 II suppose you threatened my wife with arrest?"
 ''l am giving her every chance 10 reconsider her decision Harper re piled. but continued refusal to an swer my questions will force my hand"
 Pierre Dufresne threw back his head and burst Into harsh, iarring laughter. Are you mad?" he cried No one in this house is ever going to stand trial for murder" "T>HE prize quandary of all time!"
 l Sergeant Stephen Harper. still clad in pajamas, was shaving him. self. He had just started the razor down the side of his face when the telephone by his bed began to ring. In moment voice he did not rec. ognize was pouring out an excited tale.
 "Wait minute. .. Stop shouting. I'm not deaf" Harper protested. "Who is it? .. O'Connor? . at Dufresne's. :. Yes. .. Who? .. Donaghy. the chauffeur? Yes, yes. go on =. Whitmore found him? ... You've kept the others away? That's the stuff. O'Connor! Hold everything! I'll come right out!" Harper sat down on the edge of the | bed.
 Joseph Donaghy, the chauffeur, Q suicide in his living quarters over the Dufresne garage! And there was a letter he had written-an open letter explaining his action. So this was the end of the trail for that cocky young fellow.
 He hurriedly finishing shaving, dressed. and was ready at the door when the car from the Homicide Bu. reau stopped to pick him up In the back seat were the fingerprint man. a police surgeon. and the official photographer. his two black boxes of equipment wedged between his knees.
 The snow-laGen streets made for slow driving but there was not much conversation exchanged on the run up to Powhatan Terrace.