Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-21
CHAPTER II

CAtl Lll II
house
" Of a thousand chances-rearing its four
stories of brown stone, spreading itself out |
literally on the north side of one OF the |
side streets which is fast being given over |
to fashionable clubs and restaurants. is n |
thoroughly up-to-date establishment. Here |
tho jeunesse dore of the city are made |
we, ,come--once the critical eye of the senti-
mel behind the triple steel doors at the
top of the brown stone steps has recognized
in them the essential qualifications. In
appointments the house Is luxurious and
gorgeous, and is so closely shuttered that
not n ray of light from outside is per-
mitted to penetrate 1t. Cradlebaugh's day
and night night and day. is lit within by
the glow of artificial lights the sunlight
has no chance In Cradebaugh's In addi-
tions to the main hall of play, there are
accommodation for parties wishing to In
dulge in quiet games among themselves
Meals are served at all hours-supper being
the speciality of the house-and notwith-
standing that no charge whatever is made
for them, the cuisine and service are beyond
reproach. II can truly be said of Cradle
baughs that 1t has all the cheerfulness OF
the hearth. the quiet of the sanctuary,
mingled with the glare of Irresistible reck-
lessness.
It was to this establishment then that
after hours of unsuccessful attempts TO
borrow money from his friends-unsuccess-
full because they had come to know ms
irresponsiblity and to realize that his obli-
cations were not the obligations of his wife'
The consequence was that man after man
invented an excuse or refused MN en-
phatically. And finally in desperation he
| had offered to sell the Mastodon. But the
| dealers knew who owned the car-one OF
| the hansomest cars in town-and on Chai-
| loner disgustedly ordering his chauffeur
| home, a dealer more daring than the others
had said to him with aggressive familiarity:
Get your wife's bill of sale, Challoner
| we'll buy it then, all right"
| A shark Of anger Immediately lit up
| challoner's eyes, resentment was deep down
| in his inmost soul; but his brain had been
| absinthiated for days, his sensibilties
| blunted and indgnities fell from him like
the proverbial water from ducks BACK
| Nor was it solely with his mentalities ina,
| the destinations of the last hve years nae
| nlaved havoc His face. his body were
| unnaturally thin, and his glance had become
| fixed and strained. Nevertheless, overindul'
gence had not grossened him. he was stu
| good looking and there was an air abou'
| him that few men had. In all his reckless,
| ness whenever he wanted money he mao
| not forgotten that fact. 1t had always
| counted with Miriam-until now. II counted
| still with Miss Lefty Love OF the frlVohty
| There had been moments, 1t Is true, wher
| rushing madly about town Tor funus tna'
| he had felt it would surely have been peter
| for him II he had never gone TO Craoie'
| hauph's. but then like flash would come
| the thought that II he had not gone te
| Cradlebaugh's he would never have knowt
Lefty Love! And by no means mad h'
| arrived at the state where he could nave
wished that
With the thought Of Lefty Love there
came another indissolubly connected VIII
II, Was Colonel Hargraves slowly under
mining, ousting him out Of her affections
Not without reason he argued that Colone
Hargrayes had plenty of money, and I'M
| man with money was going 10 win OUT u
the graces of the Frivolity actress! Chai
loner could see 1t. could feel II, and now II
| this crisis he could not raise pairy 'hou
| sand or two
Suddenly n voice from overhead broke II
upon his thoughts with:
Front entrance, sir?
Challoner started The query was peril
nent, frequently important, sometimes vita
Rut in all the times that Challoner ma
driven TO Cradlebaugh's. never until nov
had this question been put to him.
The entrance on the street above, he wa
quite well aware, was for those whose liVell
| hood supplied sufficient reason Tor pre-
| ferring the more secret way, whlle the man
about -town-such as he hattered hlinsei
stranger even those whose reputation mlgh
! suffer found that the arrangement OF IN
, main entrance furnished them with ampl
protection Nevertheless. far from feezln
him Challoner felt that in some subtle wa
! the question fitted In with his scheme o
: things For shadowy purpose was slowl
. | forming in his mind-a purpose that re
ouired thought His answer was OF para
mount Importance, he must make no mis-
Q take 'The rear-no," he quickl
I corrected, "the front entrance"
Before the main street door the drive
Q pulled up his horse and Challoner hurried
D walked-as one whose nose was straigf
5 and who followed his nose-into the white
, | sepulcher caddle Cradebaugh's.
. No one greeted Challoner as he passe
into the main hall II happened there wa
s | no one present at the table that he kne'
Y | In the old days II had been the custom I
v Cradlebaugh the human spider. frankly
q exhibit himself in the middle of his net, h
!. grim smile and dry hand extended to eas
a | guest who came or went. But OF late yea
since he had shuffied off this mortal &C
. there had been no one TO make the
obsequious greetings; for. though Cradi