Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-25


Maurice to modest quick lunch cstab
liShment near the Grand Central Sta
non. lie had forgotten all about break
last in tho excitement of the morning
aud now he ordered hearty meal pom.
uering as he ate upon the information
10 had just gained What could be
the explanation Of Mrs. Kip's mys-
trrious conduct? What dominating
actor caused her to set aside the social
ambition which had been her ruling
passion for years. ignore invitations
For which she had long anglci in vain,
and stcal almost surrcptitiously from
her own house on secret crrands?
The questions multiplied in Nc
t'arty's brain. Where had she been on
the previous night that she found it
necessary to lie about it? What was
III that message which Waverly had
'ent TO her. and what was her conncc.
tion--a rank outsidcr-with the set iu
which the Crcvelings had moved? That
'ome community of interest 'lrew them
together was plain, but what could
there be in common between n gentle
man like John O'Rourke and bounder
like Waverly, an aristocrat such as
Mrs. Creveling and n climber Of Mrs.
Kip's type? Could the answer be found
among the others of their immediate
circle?
1t was almost 3 o'clock when. having
finished his meal, McCartv hailed taxi
md drove to the 81. Maur apartments
on Madison avenue. Mrs. Ionsdale
Ford was at home and would see him.
Reluctantly he dropped in the elevator
the newspaper which he had purchased
on leaving the lunchroom and in which
his interview with Jimmie Ballard ap-
pcared with arrant embellishments,
trusting that copy OF 1t had not yet
reached the eyes Of the lady upon whom
he was calling but his hope was vain
one. Even as an obseauious Japanese
butler ushcrcd him into the drawing
room the curtains lending to the library
parted and a slender. little woman with
round, china blue eyes and hair like
spur fax fairly prccipitatcd herself
upon him
"Oh, you re Officer MrCarty, who
found poor Mr.. Crcvcing'S body sh'
exclaimed in high. bnbblng voice.
I've been reading about you in the
paper Please. please tell mo how. 1t
happened I tried to get Mrs. Crcveing
on the phone, out she wouldn't tax to
me or else Stella Wavcrly wouldn't let
her. can't get my husband until the
stock market closes and I've been just
wild :"
The Crevc!ings are great friends Of
yours. md'amt'
"Of course This is the most shock
ing thing" She seemed TO speak in
italics and her tone suggested that the
shock was more exciting than deplor-
able. "Lonny-my huIband--and Mr..
Crcvcling have put through several deals
together and they were great pals
think Mrs. Crcycling is Just the sweet
est thing; I've missed her horribly since
she has been out of town But did Mr..
Creyeling kill himself? Of course. you
found the pistol in his hand the paper
says. but then there was that burglar
you captured think it was too brave
of you for anything
McCarty eyed the doll like face be-
fore him with its insipid prcttincss and
his wondermcnt grew. Sweet" was
not term ne would have applied to the
strong, self contained Mrs. Crcvcling.
What could there be in common between
her and this shallow, empty headed lit
tie creature?
I" 'TiS the opinion Of the medical OK
aminer that il was suicide. ma am.
nc said gravcly "W''rc trying to hnd
out from Mr.. Crcvcling's friends it they
knew Of any rca son he could hav" for
killing himself: If he seemed in trouble
or low in his mind when was the last
timp YOU or your husband saw him.:
"I think Lonny saw him only yes
tcrday on business The last time we
met him together was on Tuesday eve
ming. and we expected him last night,
but he didn't appear. -,
"He had an engagement with you:
Mrs. Ford bit her pouting underlip
and for the mcrcst second the round,
childish. blue eyes narrowed with Il
shrewdnesS oddly foreign and incon-
gruous to them.
Not with US. and it wasn't an-an
engagement exactly. My husband and
I dined and spent the evening with Mr..
Cutter and they are such inseparable
friends that we rather thought he might
drop in.
4 sudden remembrance of Douglas
Waverly's testimony flashed across Nc
| Carty's mind. The last time hr ad
mittcd having seen CrcvclinS had been
on Tuesday evening also, at the house
| Of Nicholas Cutter.
" Twas at Mr.. Cutters that YOU
saw him on Tuesday, then, wasn't it:'
| he asked. "NVho else was there
"Thc O'Rourkes and Mr.. Douglas
Waverly and Mrs. BailIic Kip" Mrs,
Ford spoke haltingly and the high treble
hand lowered. Mr.. Creveling seemed
in the very best of spirits; he always
was when he
when he what, ma 'am?' McCarty
prompted quickly as she paused
The blue eyes fell and She began
fddling ncrvOuSly with the many rings
which covered her small fingers.
when he'd got something that he
| wanted" The words came in II little
rush. He had n perfect craze for
antiques, you know: musty old tapes
tries and faded rugs and books that
nobody ever heard Of. This time il was
rug, think. with some queer un-
prOnounccablc name. He's been attrr
| il for mOnths---''
II see" MrCarty interrupted dryly,
"Do you remember. ma am, whether
him and Mr.. Wuvcrly had much talk
together that night"
"Why. no." The blue eyes opened
wide once more. Il don't remember
that they even spoke, but | wasn't pay
ing any attention to them. know Mr..
CrCvclng left carly, very soon after
Mr.. Wavcrly came. -
Is it habit of Mr.. Cuttcrs to on
tCrtain 50 much in his own house,"
Mrs. Ford stared at him aud opened
her lips to reply when there came the
sound of IL key grating in the lock of the
hall door, and with glad little cry she
sprung up and rushed from the room.
McCHrty heard the door open and close.
a mufiied exclamation" Lonny :"
and then mans voice raspcd out
| hoarsely:
"You'vc heard, Nellie: You know
| We 1nnn for uirl Hama 4,