The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-05-30


 Certainly. Pm aware that there
 was dinner party at Mrs. Morlock's
 last night and Mrs. Dufresne is a
 house guest there. But, you will hear that Mrs. Dufresne was so upset over
 the news of the attack on her hus-
 band yesterday afternoon that she
 developed severe headache and re-
 mained in her room. She did not come down for dinner.
 "I've found out that you tried to reach her by telephone from the Austerlitz and couldn't get an answer Perhaps you haven't had time to find out why. so I'll tell you. By most strange coincidence. there was a fire last night in the Morlock garage and the telephone wires, strung just outside 1t. were burned and put out of commission.
 "When got to the house the con fusion was at it's peak-fire engines all over the street. salvaged auto mobiles parked anywhere. guests and servants running in and out to watch the show. No one knew where any one else was. or had been."
 Doyle lowered his voice impress sively. While was looking around l saw woman's figure going into the house through the side door. 1 couldn't see her face. but l got a good look at the fur coat and the shoes. This woman had come up the rear walk. could see her footprints in the snow, Everybody was over on the other side of the house, watch. ing the garage burn.
 WELL. finally found house.
 W maid running excitedly around the hall and 1 asked for Mrs. Du. fresne. The girl went upstairs and in minute or two Mrs. Dufresne came down. Harper. you can ina zine the jolt got when recognized the slippers.
 Not only that. but they were soak. ing wet from the snow. as wet as my shoes were from walking over mile in it! And when Mrs. Dufresne sent for her coat. to go along with me, there was the same fur coat had seen disappearing through the side floor. the fur still damp from melted snow. Now. what do you make of .hat?"
 Harper was silently digesting this story of the reporters. That will bear lot of thought. Doyle," he answered slowly.
 Get this-my final broadside. Harper. don't know how far you've gone with your investigations but it strikes me that there's something n this case resembling the state of Denmark in Hamlets time."
 Doyle stood up and pointed through the window. Do you see hat stone wall? That's the boundary wall of Dufresne's property. On the other side of the wall are thick pushes. Last night some one hid here between the bushes and the wall. walked up end down and this house. most likely this rery room. There is your witness. Find him. and you'll know what vent on here last aight!"
 A few moments later Sergeant Harper and his assistant. Lafferty. ,ent thoughtfully over the sketch he former had drawn of the Du. resne house and grounds.
 They just had come in from their inspection of the spot Doyle had discovered by fortunate chance. The reporters final broadside had been very telling. indeed. riddling nto holes the inferential evidence ,o far provided by the killings. A witness, and secret one. certainly substantiated Harper's doubts that the affair had been "haphazard." Here was the first hint of premedi. .ation.
 That is certainly a choice bit of uck." Lafferty chuckled. Wait till we blaze away with that and see whose feathers fly."
 That's exactly what we're not going to do." Harper countered. "It's Tn ace up our sleeve. but that's the pest place for it at present. It's some hing to think about quietly. not brag about"
 Well. you're passing up a fine chance to put on the screws. You're giving them too much time to get their stories ready. I'm sure that smart chauffeur. Donaghy. is wise to and then there is old Andrews and that sour-faced Mrs. Nhitmore-all likely material to york on. You can trust the servants Q know things"
 Harper smiled. Don't let your patience get out of control. Jack. I'm deliberately giving these people sIenty of time to think 1t over. ! they're concealing something. hevre sure to elaborate too much ini take enough rope to hang them 
 oDn'ioht. 1881. bv Walter c. Bro.onJ