The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-07-17
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 " ROCKING HOUSE / H RR0NkM
.BY WGlfER (. BROWN.

 then?"
 q sat down and forced myself to be calm. It seemed hours, but sup pose it was really only for few minutes. Then I began to consider how to make it look as though the two men had killed each other- Their position, one at each end of the table, gave me the idea.
 q didn't see how any onc would be able to contradict the evidence or even suspect. their separate deaths. I thought had covered up every trace of my presence. Then comes a tiny thing like the marks of my ring to spoil 1t all"
 When the police got here. the front door was banging" Harper prompted. "Did you leave it that way?"
 "Yes. when I. was ready to go l, opened it and dropped the bolt. l thought the bodies would be discov- cred quickly and my alibi would hold good"
 "You got away safely by going back over the rope, carrying this mans things with you? You went back to Orpheus Hall to listen to your husbands concert? Is that cor rect?"
 "Yes. I was late and stayed in the ladies lounge until the first number was over. then 1 went to my seat. There were lots of late corners, so no one paid any atten- tion to me-"
 :" A T what point did Joseph Don 4 \ aghy enter into the picture?"
 The lines about Mrs. Croyden's mouth deepened. "Extortion and blackmail." she stated crisply. He had become suspicious that some thing secret was going on in this house. He watched and waited until he finally caught a glimpse of us. The disguise misled him into think ing that l was meeting MT. Du- fresne."
 You had to buy his silence then?"
 Yesterday he came to me and demanded money. gave him all 1 had in my purse. He was insolent and demanded that 1 get more and bring it to him last night. In des- peration promised-and kept my promise." she concluded grimly.
 For a few moments there was dead silence, then a racking sob, and the woman, overcome by the flood of memory. stood swaying. With a dull thud tEe hidden gun slid down inside the coat. bounced as it struck. then lay flat and still on the.rug.
 Mrs. Croyden caught her breath with an audible gasp. but the detec- tive made no move to spring for the weapon. instead, he looked somber- iy at the woman. Now l under. stand" he announced. rising slowly. You never meant to run away"
 As Mrs Croyden made a quick. but befated. movement toward the gun he kicked it across the floor. Don't toiich that" he warned. He backed toward the wall and pressed the ser. vice button.
 What are you doing?" Aline Croyden cried, and he noted the tenseness. the tightly coiled physi. cal mechanism of her body.
 Harper came over and stood fac ing her. That was an interesting recital. Mrs. Croyden. but you haven't fooled me one bit. You had no intention of fleeing, in spite of your words and your gun. You wanted to confess. You wanted to be arrested for these murders!"
 "What do you mean?" she stam- mered. wide-eyed.
 That was fine story you told. but it was not the truth"
 She stared at him, stricken numb. There was discreet rap at the door. Keeping one eye on that stat. delike figure of despair. Harper turned the key in the lock and opened the door part way. Andrews. get Detective Lafferty at the garage and. tell him to come here as quickly as he can."
 The detective closed the door again. Mrs. Croyden held her place Only her eyes moved, following his movements. "I did it," she repeated. "I'lt swear to 1t. You can't prove that [ didn't do it."
 Harper looked at her steadily. That's quite true. Mrs. Croyden. Ii you swear to 1t I'll have trouble proving otherwise. But 1 know you didn't do the actual killing. Those marks on the table were not made on the night of the murder. because that ring was not in tEis room then. nor the wearer of the ring. I've had suspicion that some one was com, ing into this room in my absence and looking over the evidence as 1t accumulated. When you included those ring marks in your story. knew you were not the actual mur. defer."
 (Copurioht. 1881. bu Walter c, Brotow)