The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-05-22
Chapter II
OPEN AND SHUT

DEFORE the discomfited servant D could reply, the Superintendent of Service arrived with bunch of keys on a heavy ring. The third key he tried did the trick. Harper and Andrews entered the bedroom, and the detective, after one look. closed the door on the others.
 A disheveled figure lay across the bed, fully clothed except for coat and shoes. The coat was flung care lessly across chair, the shoes kicked or thrown under the bed. Harper lifted the lolling head. The eyes were closed and puffy, the fla cial flesh flabby and loose, but there was the meticulous beard, the fine, clearcut features of the real Pierre Dufresne.
 Who, then, was the dead man sit ting at the head of the table in that mansion on Powhatan Terrace, with a gun in his hand and neat round hole through his brain?
 At first glance Harper had been deceived by that corpse in the arm chair, but closer view had revealed differences in the hair, the facial structure, the ears, the age lines of his features, while still closer scru- tiny had shown him the fact that the dead mans beard was artificial. ? So he had turned the key on that room of death and followed the sud den, overwhelming urge to go back and make certain that Dufresne himself was still in safety.
 The behavior of Andrews had been very peculiar and Harper had not been too absorbed to notice it. When the bedroom door had yielded under the master-key, the old butler had stumbled into the room like one in a daze. and now he stood use lessly around, with his eyes staring at his masters inert figure with a peculiar fascination.
 The detective saw that his hands were trembling and that he grasped at things for support. This was the more notable when contrasted with Andrews unspoken truculence he fore the door had been opened for at ohe point Harper had felt that the gray-haired butler was consider. ing forcible resistance.
 The detective heaved the sagging figure around so that the lolling head rested on the pillow of the bed. He picked up the brandy bottle which stood on the night table be side the bed It was empty. Some of the liquor had been spilled on the rug by the bed. 4
 The detectives lips curled as he shook Dufresne brusquely by the shoulders.
 Harper soon realized that more heroic measures would be needed to restore this inert mass to reason and consciousness. He turned to Andrews. We've got to get him sobered up," he declared. You get on that phone and order up bowl of cracked ice and couple of quarts of the blackest coffee they can make"
 WHILE Andrews was carrying out W this order. Harper admitted the two guarding detectives into the bedroom. He gave a brief but ade quate account of the situation in the house on Powhatan Terrace.
 "Markison." he went on. we've got to get Dufresne sober. I'm leaving that to you. They're send ing up some cracked ice and black coffee. Open those windows and get him over to the cold air. Rub the back of his neck with the ice. Then fill him with as much of the coffee as he can swallow. Walk him up and down. If that doesn't work, give him an emetic and start over again. Let him growl all he wants, but get him on his feet"
 Harper looked at his watch. Eve got to get back on the job. l haven't even started the work up there. When you get him fixed up, Marki- son. bring him up to Powhatan Ter race. You two will ride with him. Of course. We've got to try to get some sense out of this queer busi. ness and want Dufresne to see that room and the bodies in it as hey were found"
 Andrews had been listening. ashast. to the detectives descrip sicn of the grisly scene inshis mas tas house. "Mr. Dufresne's car is here in :he garage, sir" he re- ma sc-, cn hearing Harper's plan.
 "WA~e .s .he chauffeur?"
 "SOw<1!.ero in .he building. He