The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-06-21
Chapter 35 MRS. cRoYDEN

MRS. CROYDEN
 "T>HIS luncheon is Mrs. Croyden's
 l kindness, not Dufresne's," Har- per explained.
 "Lafferty put down his empty cup and looked at his companion mean ingly. Well, Mrs. Croyden may be very gracious and I'll go bail that she's certainly not hard to look at. but Bob Johnson told me that she leads her husband merry chase. And come to think of it. Croyden does have a sort of pained and wor- ried expression. That's what comes of marrying money. When two per sons marry, there should only be one bankroll and that should be in the pants pocket"
 Harper drowned. Jack. you sound like an old gossip at a tea fight. Mrs. Croyden is the only one in this house who has shown us any cooperation at all. If she hadn't acted as a buffer, we'd probably have come to an open breach with Dufresne before this" sf'
 "O.K." said Lafferty. with an imp ish twinkle in his eye. '1 was only passing on what was told to me. l forgot you have soft spot for the ladies of the house"
 Luncheon over, they fingered at the table, smoking and talking over the amazing feat of the murderer in escaping from the house without leaving a mark in the snow. It was a problem that gnawed and bit at Harper's mind, presenting bold challenge to his wits and ingenuity. While they were still at it. Mrs. Croyden appeared in the doorway.
 "Oh, I'm sorry" she said quickly, as both men rose to their feet. "l had no intention of interrupting you"
 Not at all, Mrs. Croyden," Har- per rejoined. We finished some time ago. Thank you for your kind ness. We enjoyed the luncheon very much"
 AS Mrs. Croyden graciously dis avowed the necessity for their thanks, Lafferty left the breakfast room. Mrs. Croyden advanced into the room, glancing about curiously. How is the case progressing?" she inquired.
 Harper shrugged "Slowly, per haps," he confessed, "but that's the order of nature"
 The bright hair of the lady shone with rich golden gleam as she crossed the bright shaft of winter sunlight coming through the win dows. She glanced curiously at the photographs scattered across liar per's table.
 The detective noted her interest and held out several for her inspec. tion. Those are the fingerprints of our unnamed victim" he explained, taken from the liquor glass found on the table. They're greatly en- larged, of course. Here are the ones taken from his gun-not quite as clear. you will notice"
 "But how do you tell one from the other?" Mrs. Croyden asked. "Why, the world must be literally covered with fingerprints!
 "No. for not all substances or surfaces will retain print" he ex- plained. "A smooth. hard, polished surface, like mirror. or table top. or polished metal, makes the ideal contact. Let me show you how it's done."
 HARPER went to the luncheon l l table and carefully lifted the goblet of water that stood by his plate. You see this? To the casual eye it is clear. unmarked glass"
 The detective took the insufflator and sprayed the body of the goblet with a dark powder. When it was sufficiently coated he tapped the rim evenly with the dull edge of knife. The looser grains of fine powder fell and the remaining ones settled more firmly in place. Harper held it at eye level against the light. where three prints of Andrews fingers were plainly revealed.
 Mrs. Croyden stood by the detec- tive's shoulder and looked at the glass. That's very mysterious, and rather terrifying" she murmured. But were there any strange finger prints in this room, besides those of that mani"
 "Not one, am sorry to say. Other signs of this visit. yes. but no finger prints"
 The lady turned to him with serious mein. "Mr. Harper" she said earnestly, "are you sure that your deductions are correct? Are you positively. absolutely certain there was a third person in this house last night? Otherwise you have made a very serious charge. This is terrible thing that some