The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-06-15

luton to tHdL QueSllOu. we IOuUQ a box of candles in the drawer of the buffet. This box originally held a dozen, which are now only short stumps, more evidence of prior meetings in this house. The four candles you put in the holders, Mrs. Whitmore. are lying there in the buffet. untouched"
 Mrs. Whitmore shook her head "This is all news to me-"
 Another thing-last night the electric current was switched of at the fuse-box. Is that the way you left it each night?"
 Why. no. The only times we cut off the current was when repairs were being made to the wiring or the fixtures. The lights were all right when left yesterday"
 Harper paused again and there was more curiosity than animosity now in their locked glances. Tell me-" he began anew. did MT. Du- fresne ever come up here in the evening? Any time since he took up his quarters at the Austerlitz?
 "No, he did not"
 "Did Mrs. Dufresne ever come up here at night-alone?"
 The housekeeper's eyes took on a venomous glitter. q see what you're driving at," she snapped, "and you ought to be ashamed to ask the question.
 The detective smiled exasperat- ingly in the face of her fury. Aren't you little quick on the trigger. Mrs Whitmore? 1 haven't made any ac- cusations. I merely asked If Mrs Dufresne had ever come up here at night?"
 Mrs. Whitmore sprang up. "She did not. See if you can twist that around. The idea! If that's whats buzzing in your head you'd better open the windows and let some clean air in!"
 THE incensed woman stalked to- ward the door. leaving behind her Sergeant of Detectives who seemed no whit abashed nor em- barrassed by her vehemence. h. deed, his face assumed the pleased expression of :. man who has sud denly collared an elusive idea.
 Her angry suggestion about open ing a window. by some hidden proc ess of mind. had linked itself with a piece of twine tucked away in his pocket. In a flash he grasped the significance of that clue and the force of this intuition carried certi- tude with it.
 Mrs. Whitmore. throwing open the door for her wrathful exit. hit the lanky Lafferty, who had that instant put his hand on the knob to enter tho room.
 Lafferty hunched his shoulders and raised his arm in front of his face in mock defense. What did you do to the old crow?" he inquired. s'Her feathers are all ruftted and, unless my ears deceive me. she was cussing as she left"
 Harper had unrolled his piece of twine and was lingering it thought fully.
 Charming woman, Mrs. Whit more," he exclaimed. "She thought she was giving me a piece of her mind, but she just told me where that missing gun was hidden"
 That's as clear as mud. Where do youthink the gun is hidden?"
 "Come on." Harper invited, "l can show you quicker than can explain it. know I'm right-it must be there. l ought to have fig ured it out even without finding the string"
 They made their way to the top floor, without meeting any one en route, and mounted the cramped and sharply.turning shaft of steps that led to the square, glass-en- closed cupola or tower that crowned the house.
 The detective raised one of the windows, after stubborn resist ance, and slipped out over the sill Lafferty followed. What now?" he queried. turning up his coat col | lar.
 Harper stood looking around. From this elevation the surround | ing world appeared like soft white wilderness, stretched away to in- finity.
 But the detective had only a mo- ment's thought for this. His feet left clear tracks in the pristine whiteness as he went carefully to- ward the edge of the roof. "Watch out you don't start slip ping down that slope" Lafferty warned, "or you'll end up with a broken neck"
 They walked gingerly along the danger line, careful to avoid any sudden slip. Harper with his eye cast on the short. steep slope te his left. Suddenly he stepped ahead and pointed down to dark blotct in the snowladen spout that edged
 the roof.
 "There it is! There's the gun!" l(Copyright, 1881, by Walter c. Broun. Tomorrow, a revolver tells Harper
 things he wants to know.