Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-20
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER
rshe's a fipe. looking woman. ~ Nc

rShe's a fine looking woman Nc
Carty turned again to his task Are
they a grand family, the Alexanders?"
Good blood in them old stock but
It's run TO seed, The money went, too,
during the past generation or SO, and old
George Alexander helped it along with
q lot OF fool speculatiofs. He must have
been very nearly at the end Of his rope
when Creveling married his niece and
put him on his feet again.
What do you know about the set
they've been going with?" McCarty
spoke with studied carelessness. "The
Waverlys. and Fords and man named
Nicholas Cutter and this Mrs. Baillie
Nip, OF East Sixty third street?
can't recall all the names heard men.
toned in connection with them"
You heard an earful,' Jimmie as
sured him. They're pretty swift
bunch, but all well connected and there 8
never been any actual scandal about any
of them. The Douglas Waverlys are all
right financially, though he's rotter
and. like Creveling, his wife comes Of a
far better family than he. II by the
Fords you mean Lonsdale Ford and his
wife, they're climbers never heard Of
until few years ago when he bought
a seat on the exchange. ut is a mys-
terry how they managed to get into that
set, especially on footing with Nicho-
las Cutter. for he's dyed in the wool
laristocrat"
What does he do for a living?" Nc
lCarty asked.
Nothing, though he is an honorary
director Of half dozen banking insti-
tutions. His father left him millions,
but he doesn't seem to care much for
society beyond small circle Of intimate
friends, and he never entertains on Il
large scale, though he could have tn,
|, smartcst people in town about him If
he liked. =" Jimmie stood up and thrust
his bands in his pockets. See here,
lac, I'm no walking'Blue Book. You've
seen Mrs. Crevcing; what did she say
How did she act? Had she been mott
. fed of her husbands death before she
arrived?"
Wait a bit" McCarty admonished.
You haven't told me about this Mrs.
Kip yet. Who is she?"
Jimmie shrugged.
Nobody knows. Widow of west
ern mining man, I've heard. She blew
into town about six or seven years ago
rented big house and went in fol
charity the old short cut to social posi-
tion, you know. 1t didn't work in hei
, case, and after vainly knocking at the
. portals for two or three seasons she
|, dropped out of sight. only to reappeai
last autumn in the Crevelings' set, bu
the Lord knows how she got there-nov
come across, Mac; give me the straight
: dope. You talked with old Alexander
or at least YOU must have been ther
= when Inspector Druet questioned him
for the report says that he was the frs
, of tn: family to appear on the seen
after the discovery Of the body"
McCarty complied, and with certai
. mental reservations gave his youn
y friend a sketcby account Of what ha
taken place, emitting all reference (
i the mysterious telephone messages whic
had summoned George Alexander an
T Mrs. Creveling. as well as his own dis
e coverfes and conclusions. II satisfie
Jimmie Ballard, however, and he GROVE
y exultantly.
u "Oh, boy That'll be some scoop II
,. get down to the shop in time. Thanks
e Mac. I'll do as much for you son,
n day"
At the door McCarty halted him.
''One second, Jimmie. Every gan
y has Il leader and I misdoubt but it
u the same in society as down on tn
3 docks. Who was the head Of the Creve
'e ling crowd? Himself?'
Jimmie Ballard shook his head.
a No. Usually woman Is the cent?
~ OF any social clique and Mrs. Crevelir
i has been mentioned more often and mo-
). prominently than any Of her immedia
'e friends, but that il because of the pc
I'd sition her family have held for so lonl
he I think the real leader of their crow
is Nicholas Cutter"