Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-06

u look an started to make my get
away; Don't send me to de chair ~
Chair, is itP, McCarty gave the
policeman significant glance, I've
9een trying to get out Of him what he
did do in there while was waiting for
you to show up"
r,Well take him along and find out"
Clancy declared briefly.
Noi Don't take me back in dat
mouse ] the wretched youth walled. ~
oont wanna look at it again !
Unheeding his protestations. they
dragged him back the few steps to the
mousse. where McCarty pointed to the
opened window from which the subdued
iight hltering through the lace curtain
ieil y delicately patterned square on
the Pavement.
WHO lives here?" he asked, as the
policeman pressed the button at the en-
trance door.
Creveling, the millionaire" Clancy
Not Eugene Creveling, the fellow
who used to pull of all those wild stunts !
on broadway a matter Of ten or fifteen /
years agog' McCnrty demanded. "T'hcy |
cling! !"
II don't know anything about that"
Clancy asserted. Must have been be-
fore my time. All know is he's got u
grand looking wife and barring the big
entertainments they give the house Is
me duietest on the block. Here, you:
Quit that or Ill give you n rap that'll
put you to sleep!" This to the strug-
Cling youth who now, utterly unnerved.
was sobbing wildly. II wonder II
they re all dead in here. Mac, go and
try the other bell"
McCarty obeyed, but with no result.
Save for' the low light glowing from
the open window the huge house might
have been indeed tomb.
There's nothing to it, Mac. We
can't get anything out Of this bird
either, now. You get hold of him and
III go in the way he did, through che
window" .
McCarty gripped the shabby sweater
up. caught the sill and swung himself
over 1t, sweeping the curtain aside. 1t
fell again into place and for minute
there was silence.
A second bus rumbled past, limou.
sine or two and prowling taxi, but
none saw the two figures huddled tense
in the shadows.
''Say, what are you, mister: n dickF'
the youth whined. passing his sleeve
across his slobbered face. III you
trailed me like youse said. you know
you didn't hear nottin'! You know |
wasn't dere long enough to croak him.
:,Crosk who?" demanded McCarEi
"De guy in dere in de soup an fish,
know didn't do It Dere amt pill
gone from my gat! If youse an de
bull frames me-"
There came a rafting of bolts and
chains on the inner side OF the huge
entrance doc- and It divided and swung
slowly inward. revealing Clancy stand
ing grave faced in the aperture and be.
hind him the wide marble staircase and
rug hung gallery Of an imposing ro-
tunda. ., a.,
switched on these hall lights myseh, put
there was some already going in this
room back hefc; come and see what
found
He led the way across the marble
hall, rich in the mellow. subdued col
orings of the rugs and draperies under
the soft lights. but funerenl with the
huge. carved chairs ranged in mathe-
matical precision against the walls. Nc
Carty followed with the tagging, hand
cuffed youth in tow. -.
The door of q room beside the stair
case was open and as they reached 1t
nil three paused for a moment on the
threshold. IL was spacious in itseit
although small in comparison with tns
| vastpess OF the hal, ana was lurnIsncu
aS a study, with two davenports facing
each other projecting from either side
of the fireplace and long Jacobean re,
! fectory table between. bookcases lined
tLe walls. n massive writing table stood
hntween two windows nt the rear ana
JesnIv upholstered chairs were scat
tsrad here and there. each with smok-
inc stand beside II, but McCarty,,s eyes
took in the details with mere glance.
His attention was riveted on the long
6sure clad in the perfection OF dinner
clothes which lay stretched upon tne
aoor. The feet in their glistening pumps
we're upturned and gleam OF i Whue
showed where waistcoat ana shirt,
srort met. but all the upper part OF
tho body was stained crimson.
C,lancy's own face was white, ana
;,nred os he was to sights as bideous
90 this McCarty felt a wave OF nausea
swcen over him. while their captive put
b;s mapacled hands over his eyes ana
moaned. ~. ,.,, ia van
Think" McCarty asked in lowered
'' Tor reply Clancy knelt beside the bod,
and slipping his hand in the stained
woiscoat pocket pulled out platinum
cigarette ease as thin as knife oiade'
the top of which, barely protruding'
had caught his eye.
the latter plainly read the ih'''uiS "po"
| it: "E. 9. c.
sobcrIy. "I saw the name in the papers
ofte. enough. years past, to bring 1t
back to me; Eugene Christopher Grew
cling
Clancy replaced the cigarette case
corefuily and pointed to something
which lay beside the body. 1t was
huge army pistol and it lay almost
within touch of the finger tips OF that
linn, neryeless right hand. :.
"I'U have word with you, Clancy.
McCarty turned and showed his captive
into Tho nearest chair. "Sit there and
il Won stir I'll blow the head of you.
Rut there was plainly no thought OF
either resistance or fight left in the
boy: he half turned and, resting his
arms upon the wide spreading ones OF
the chair. he buried his face in them.
McCarty drew his confrere to the
other end of the room and with an ever
watchful eye upon the thief he whis'
pered: . ,
saw he was up to mischief and |
trailcd him for four orlfve blocks, as l
told YOU. WASH 4 more than block
away when ho skinned in that window
and I didn't lose any time reaching the
outside of it. There was no shot fired
in lie meantime and I'd hardly got here
when he came squirming out ngain.