The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-19
Chapter Eight A CLUE

Yl WI cred. Their glance interrupted Greene as a blow would have.
 Greene" said the chief executive of the Consolidated. this iss not one of your monkeyshines?" ?"
 Greene opened his mouth to pro- test. Winslow waved him to silence. q think it's on the level, Mir. My. berg" Grahame noted that Wins low's--the scoffer's-yoice held a tinge of respect. Whether 1t was for consideration of the seriousness of the situation or for Myberg. he could not tell.
 The newcome. asked to be told what had happened and what they knew
 He listened. drowning at the car pet. There was something Napo- leonic about his posture: yet. too. something that derided the compari. son. Finally. without looking up. he asked, Who iss this nan?" His arm sestured vaguely.
 A.s Frank Grahame."
 "Oh. the jungle man. eh?' Ora shame was favored with a swift glance. You get people out of trou. 5les. eh? All right You get Janice put of this jam she iss now in. and
 hire you. hire you for the new pic lure. pay you" He pursed his lips and stared at the ceiling. He took put a small black notebook and tore 'a sheet from it. Carefully he un. capped his fountain pen and scrib- bled something on the paper. He handed 1t to Grahame.
 Grahame with some astonishment look the paper. He glanced 1t it.
 Tho salary seems sufficient" he said somewhat stiffly. But does 4his seem the time to-"
 "Any time iss all right to talk business. said the man in black. He strengthened his shoulders. You call up that feller Ortega. and ask him what he knows. He hass ants. know when a man hass ants" He looked cryptically upon the three men and the woman. and turned through the door. He called over his shoulder:
 "Grahame. :. That figure on the paper is for the week, not the month" He disappeared through the doorway. <
 Grahame glanced again at the pa per he held in his hand. He hissed I soft whistle through his lips.
 And thought it was for the year." he said. He laughed with 8 trace of uncertainty. "I can't figure him. The mans a nut .. or a fool.' yIIINSLOW smiled faintly. "Yor .yI don't know him, Frank. He may be nut . perhaps :. but nobody ever proved him a fool. You're lucky. He likes you. And" Grahame gestured impatiently He crumpied the paper he held in hi! hand and tossed it toward the waste paper basket. He said call up Or tega. Good idea. Know his number?'
 'T don't" id Winslow. He stared blankly toward the girl. Paula. "Bu she does"
 "No. =" began the maid.
 "Call him up," snapped Winslow
 Paula went sullenly to the phon' on the night-stand next to the bed Ostentatiously sho thumbed througl the telephone book; she glance, once with shade of defiance towarl Winslow. who met her look with ; faintly mockilg smile. She bent he head over the phone and dialed tn number. "
 There was slight delay and sh held the receiver toward Winslow ''It's his hotel" she said. v
 Grahame said, Give me that" H took the receiver.
 "I want to speak with Mir Ortegs What? He's left? You mean lei the hotel = checked out? Wha timer" For the space of minute Q two he listened attentively. .. "0f all right .. :" He put the receive back upon its stand. He said:
 "I feel so damned helpless in a this. There's something wrong. know. l felt that the other nigh That accident was framed. To laugnad at me. Spin. but I'm righ just the same" He strode toward tn door, turned. and paced back. 70 tega checked ou. hours ago. Left n forwarding address. The bellhop D, l hls hags in a cab while Ortega mad a call on the lobby phone That's a the clerk knows"