Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-09
the examination and his small eyes
snapped viciously from between the rolls
of fnt which NIL hnt hlnti cd ihnnn nut

stood out suddenly upon the lattcr's
brow.
Say, what in hell are you getting
at?' he demanded. "I'vc humored you
with your absurd inquisition and your
damned contrivance long enough ~
That is a very satisfactory reply,
Mr.. Waverly," Terhuuc responded, un.
moved. ~ have only one more word
to suggest to you and that is 'olibi.' "
Tt s one word too many, you petit.
Jogging meddler!" Waverly sprang
from his chair. "You claim that this
Is only a scientific experiment and under
cover of 1t you dare to insult people
with a lot Of Internal insinuations and
innuendoes you haven't the nerve to
come, out with openly! Try this grand.
stand play of yours on some other
sucker; I'm through Coming, Nick?"
No. l haven't had my turn yet, and
confess l am interested" Cutter
smiled inscrutably into the angry face
looking down upon him and mnde no
c.hMange in his easy, relaxed attitude.
1ou re acting like an ass, Doug! Sit
down and calm yourself"
Not :! You can be the goat If YOU
want to, but m of. Inspector. il you
or any other of the accredited author-
ties want sine you know where TO find
me; lie flung himself from the room
and they heard him funbling in the hall
Tor his hat and stick, and then the
"esounding slam Of The entrance door.
disgusting exhbition!' George
alexander commented with dignity. II
never could understand why Eugene toll
Grated such boor Mr.. Terhune. like
Mr. Gutter, find your experiment pro
toundly interesting Pray continue.
personally, l feel that this otherwise
rcgrettable interruption has somewhat
cleared the air"
knowing Terhunc's ultimate nurnose
McCarty nearly choked and glanced at
Dennls, who responded with an ex-
hectant grin. The inspector was eyeing
Ierhune quizzically.
-. shall not be long now." The
cGriminologlst G smi led an acknowledgment
OIL the older mans remark. "Mr C,ut.
ter, may I trouble you next?'; ~
with pleasure" Cmtter trr,.d
toward him. II am quite al your sery.
Jhank you. What. then. does the
"ord friend suggest to your
Eugene Creveing. Cutters tone
and regret. " " ''ii'"
Trouble
Mental and imaginary. II any," he
rep1sd as though to himself.
Weakness. I"
Lack Of restraint"
ne Inc hgures which appeared on the
tionary, and when they changed at all
varied only slightly 1t seemI TO Nc.
oarty as though Cutter were initiating
! perhaps unconsciously. the monotonois s
pitch of his interrosator's voice.
Attack
pare moment elapsed before the
reply, but 1t was sufficient to suggest a
hint Of hesitation.
| ''Paroxysm."
'Guost.''
Friend This time there was no
pause but the fingers changed and
hckered before their eyes.
| Gun"
Cutter turned with an apologize
shrug to Terhune.
| "There's only one thought which
that word could bring to my mind under
the circumstances and the only one
word which expresses it is 'whose'?"
Terhune nodded in comprehension.
Passion"
'Curios." Cutters voice lifted in
relief to its accustomed level.
Anger"
Rage Was there shade Of
| STUDIED caretulness in the precision with
which the mere casual definition was
| uttered?
Fear"
Apprehension.
Doom" For the first time Terhune
lowered his own voice impressively, but
Cutter only shrugged once more as he
made his final reply.
Fate"
hnt 10 N
ter. Tcrhune slipped the paper upon
which az before he had been scrlbbiing
into his pocket and took up the last re
naming sheet. II shall not detain
any Of you gentlemen long now. Mr.. !
Alexander, you have heard the words |
to which the others have replied: will |
you aid me now in my final test?'
Willingly, although ! must confess
that l cannot quite see of what value
these tests may be, nor what bearing
they can have upon the distressing af-
fair you are investigating. Will you
explain your purpose to us afterward?
am highly curious"
"Oh, yes" Terhune smiled once
more. II will make my meaning and
purpose quite clear to you. You were
Mr.. Creveling's partner and closer to
him, perhaps. than any one in this
room The words | mention to you
will therefore be of more intimate sug-
gcstiOn than those offered to the Others
AZ guides to their various trains of
thought and will cover much wider
range. trust that you will reply with
the first thought which comes TO you in
connection with them. Let us take the
word brother.
Dead" Alexander started nerv-
ously and during the utterancc Of that
monOsyllable the figures changed three
times on the luminous sheet
"Will." Terhune studied the nu.
mcrnls attentiyely.
Document. IT,
Ward"
"My niece" Alexander spoke
shortly and there was certain dry
note in his voice as though all at once
he ceased to find the experiment as in
tcrcsting as he had previously asserted,
Birth
"Lincagc." The slight, elderly fig
urc drew Itself up with unconscious
hautcur in the big chair.
Money
"Er--capitaI, lie wlIted II little.
but his head" with its graying Van.
dyke beard, was still held proudly erect.
'Loan.'
Debt" Alexander caught himself
up, with n sharply drawn breath.
"MnrriaSc."
A pause cnsuod and then, family:
"Oraugc blossoms.
70 McCnrty it seemed a trivial
nough rpioiudnr, and yet for som" rra
son it appeared to afford Tcrhunc Ob-
vious satisfaction.
"PrOtp"ritN,'
"lMEury,