The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-07-02
Chapter Al
FULFILLING AMBUSH

.i D his jaunty manner. Certainly I've got a big roll of bills, a regular mans size stake.
 What of it? There wasn't any money missing, was there? I didn't win it on the horses. That's just a yarn I pitched to nosey John, to makes his eyes pop. This is money I've saved up from my wages and I'm not trusting it to any bank Now, if you want to count 1t, or write down the numbers, or look for fingerprints on it, it's all Ii ght with me-"
 Harper waved aside the mocking ly offered wallet. "So you carry your hard-earned savings around with you, yet you borrow small sums oi money from your fellow servants to tide you over to the next pay, day? must say I like the horse story better, Donaghy!"
 This time the chauffeur's temper blew up. q don give damn what you like or don't like" he sputtered "It's my business. If you think you've got anything on me. go ahead and make the pinch. You can't bluff me and you're not going to hang anything on me, either, by hanging around the kitchen and wheedling gossip out of the help.
 Put the screws to the servants, make 'em jump through hoops when you crack the whip. Ask anything, we've got to answer. But l haven't heard you making any noises like that upstairs. Try badgering them and see what you get!"
 Donaghy went on. unheeding, There are lots of things you don't know about, MT. Sergeant of Detec- tives. for all your snooping. I'll give you a couple of hot tips and dare you to do something about it.
 You can't question Mrs. Du- fresne because her face is all wrapped up in bandages. Question her. hell. you cant even get into the room. Well, she can talk, be. cause I heard her talking to the doctor, and talking plenty.
 Here's another! MT. Dufresne hasn't been near her since she came back to this house last night. Is he staying ort, or is he being kept out ? If you can spare little time from the butler, the chauffeur, and the cook you might look into a few things like that, going on right under your nose"
 Harper got down from the table. "Donaghy, I'm running this case in my own way. Right now we're dis cussing your part and I'm going to tell you what think, in plain words. It's for your own good.
 T am convinced you hold the key evidence in this case, because you know who that dead man was and why he came here. If you have accepted a bribe for your silence, or levied blackmail on the strength of that knowledge, I warn you that you're playing with dynamite.
 Both those murders were treach- erous. cold-blooded affairs. There may have been a strong reason be- hind the first killing but Officer Hamill was murdered for one req. son, and only one-he knew the killers identity. Any one who will kill, and kill again to cover the first crime. can keep right on killing so long as there is danger of discov- cry"
 THE dark blue limousine with the l blue and gold seal of the city blazoned on the door slipped swiftly past the snow banks that lined the country road.
 Harper and Lafferty had gone over the scene of Dufresnes am. bush of the day before with extreme care and with the help of Officer Watson. to whom Dufresne had first reported the affair. And they had found exactly nothing whatever. No cars had been seen. no trains had passed that could have served the hidden gunman. and all traces of his hiding place had been hidden. if they existed at all. by the snow. Ut looks as if we're up against | an invisible man," Lafferty re- 1 marked.
 Make it plural" returned liar. per with a sharp look. "The sniper vanishes in few minutes in the midst of bare. flat country. But he must have been back in the city almost as soon as Dufresne, who drove like mad.
 And then a still smarter man murdered the sniper. and CSC lped from Dufresne's house without leav. ing track in the snow. Eth 1T it's