Evening star., 1921-08-12
HOW MANY CARDS?
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.
Author Of The Island of Intrigue Suspense Ases Ashes
Robert Co

quiousness. but he still blocked the
doorway. What name, sir?"
''Timothey McCarty, though twill
mean nothing to him. Just tell him
that I'm here on most important pri-
vate matter"
Come in, SIR" The man threw the
door wider and turning led the way
with tottering but surprisingly quick
footsteps to second door at the side
of the dim hallway. Il do not know
that he will be able to see you, but
VIII take your message
Thanks McCarty said drely. He
was accustomed to encountering effront-
cry. insolence and servility from the
domestic staff in the homes of the rich
but the formal dignity of this ancient
retainer was new to his experience.
When the latter had disappeared the
eX-roundsman a n e d wonderingly
about him. The entrance hall had been
SO dark that coming in from the glare
of the street he had been able to make
out only vaguely the outlines of enor-
nous. oddly shaped chairs and settees
and chests. the great fireplace and curv-
ing staircase with heavily carved bal
ustrade, but somber as it was he had
gained an impression of space and
grouping. OF unostentatious elegance be-
side which the costly luXuriousness of
the CrevellnS house seemed tawdry and
blatant in comparison.
AS boy in the old country he had
once been invited together with other
village children to memorable treat"
at the castle which dominated the coun-
try and had strayed unbidden into the
great hall: the one through which he
/ had just passed would have filled barely
corner of it and yet something in its
atmosphere recalled that glimpse of the
splendor of long-past feudal days as
nothing else in America had ever done
and sensation of awed admiration
stole over him.
The little reception room into which
he had been ushered seemed on the
contrary to be almost bare, with it's
deicately carved chairs and tables, it's
grotesque lamps and the curiously lac
quered cabinet. upon the broad top of
which lone vase of waShed-out-look-
ing blue stood in solitary state. Dennis
Riordan's comfortably married sister,
Molly. was the only woman whom Nc
Carly admitted to his friendship and
her cluttered "parlor" was to him the
epitome of cheerful good taste; give her
few dollars and she would have had
| that room looking like something that
was meant to be lived in. yet it had
| could not have told wherein lay the dis
tinction. Had he known that each
article it contained was well-nigh price
less. that some of them-like the
| washed-out-looking vase-had sraced
the palaces of emperors long dead. and
| have rivaled an Arabian Nights of the
antiquarians he would have been duly
impressed, but it would have made no
difference in his personal opinion.
| The old man servant had closed the
door upon him with a certain definite
to reopen 1t and listen, but he had not
long to wait. Almost Immediately the
! former reappeared and this time he
beamed upon the visitor.
"Mr. McCarty has been expecting
you, sir. Come this way.
McCarty followed dumb with aston
! ishment. as the other led him across
| the hall and tremendously opened an
! other door. How could the man Cutter
have anticipated his coming? Was 1t
sheer bravado or was Cutter informed
| by the papers of the investigation and
| the names Of those in charge of it, and
prepared to give him some facts which
! would help in the solution of the mys-
| terry?
! AS he passed over the threshold he
was aware at first only of a rich, ruby
glow falling on rows upon rows of ex-
quisitely fooled books which lined the
walls, tipping with gold the magnificent
bronze groups that stood here and there
! in the vast recesses of the room and
cleaning softly on warm -hued silken
! tapestries and mellow, deep-piled rugs
| into which his own heavy-soled boots
sank with what seemed to him an al
most profane pressure.
He started when the butler touched
his arm and murmured deprecatingly:
''Your hat, SIR" and relinquished it with
the same feeling with which he would
| have handed over his favorite black
thorn at the entrance to some museum.
Then all at once he was conscious of
tall, distinguished figure advancing to-
! ward him with erect, soldierly bearing
and a rich, musical, hearty voice with
lJust hint Of amused tolerance running
through it exclaimed:
81 have been awaiting you, Mr.. Nc
Carly! Take this chair and have a
cigar; I think you'll find these to your
taste"
AS though in daze McCarty felt the
grip of soft but vigorous hand, and
| found himself in the depths of great
chair with the best cigar he had ever
smoked between his teeth and keen, in
scrutable' gray eyes smiling down at
| him.
you're Mr.. Nicholas Cutter, sir?" he
asked when he could find his voice, and
then at the others nod he added:
you've been waiting for me? 1 don't
get you-?
(Contin led in Tomorrow's Starr