Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-09
HOW MANY CARDS?
By ISABEL OSTRANDER
Ioy of "The Island Of Inge Suspense" "Ashes Ahes
"" Copprtoh q Co

hairs. Waverly dropped into the next
11.h O'Rourke beside him, then Alex
ser M,ss INSPECTOR Druet and McCarty,
aI a.ith Dennis bringing up at the farther
Ord Bassett entered only TO ehace
t;mseIf silently behind the screen ana
Terbune took the chair at one SIDE.
drawing a sheaf of papers from MS
pocket. ,.o,r a sor,cs y, rrm .
hers on the screen, nc pegan' lucy
III moan nothing 70 you and are in
,m.ndod for nv guidance. but | want YOU
~. Lecn your attention focused upon
.Son, nevertheless, even while you are
..oniring TO my questions. Understand,
.optIomcn. there is nothing arbitrary
ssn,,t this. for I have no authority to
Ssoss SuU" examine you even if I desired to
i, en- and YOU are Of course at liberty
o .o renlv or not. as you choose. lf my
u,,s,;ons seem to you to be unduly per :
ggorol nlease remember that this Is
n.yelv scientific experiment. a short
nnt 70 minor details upon which we de-
s;,s cnlichtenment and which you may
S.ro forrotten or retained merely III
ro,r subconscious memory. ! am going
"a rend to you, one at time, Drl"t
iIst Of words and after each ! would ike
1ou to reply in o single word, II pos
sible. telling me just what impression
hat word has conveyed to you; not a
dsfnition. but an expression OF the rela
t;,s thought il brings to your mind: For
Nv Nv. elementary instance. IL mentioned
'h. word father you might associate
4. NV W,Ith bird or bat, or pillow or
''Sdustsr,' or quill pen.' Do ! make my
damned silly little game to mel
rr.r,rlv orunted. "Why not Button,
'o!Spe Perhaps that would not be insppro-
oriate, Mr.. Waverly !" Tcrhune re-
fHortsd in perfect good humor. "Arc you
'''IS "RSc,dy. sir" The reply came
,romptly from behind the screen and
Immediately a low humming sound
reached their ears.
They all sat IN silence while Terhune
sbufied his papers for a moment and
I'VE will commence with you, Mr.
oRourke. il you don't object
Al his first utterance n number had
flashed upon the projection sheet and
mechanically the eyes of all save the
man he addressed turned to 1t, only
to see it vanish and be replaced in rapid
succession by others varying only
slightly in value. You understand
what require. do you not?'
his throat. "You just want to know
ny T.yyf r,t ,S,1 thGqs9t after hearing the word
~ Precisely. We will start, then,
with the word life.
"Enjoyment!" The reply came with
a boyish chuckle and forgetting the
warning as to brevity. he added: "a
good time ~
McCarty, as he listened. thought it
very like the graceless young scamp of
long ago, and the naive candor Of the
admission seemed to arouse an infectious
amusement. for little smile came to
the faces Of all except Alexander.
Enjoyment" Terhune spoke in a
deliberate monotone.
That's what I said," responded
o'Rourke. "You wanted to truth, you
know"
"You mistake me. Mr.. O'Rourke.
was not commenting. Enjoyment is
the second word"
oh sport. :"
Money"
Debts may the devil take them -
CALCULATED the irrepressible young man
ruefully The numbers now, were fash
ing icrkily before them.
Love. Terhune's voice was levelly
impersOnal.- but when the reply came.
after pause, It was in a lower, almost
reverent tone with all the banter gone
from it,
wife"
Friend" went on Terhune.
Nicholas Cutter !" This came with
'Creveling."
4 longer pause than before. and then
Death.
Scandal"
flushing
'Grief
Tony. The unexpected answer
came promptly. as though O'Rourkes
thoughts had been abruptly switched
into new channel and his voice was
hl!ed with warm hearted tenderness and
regret.
Shot"
"Had to be-" The fact that this was
an impersonal test had evidently been
forgotten. There was no other way"
Nothing Of the sort :" Indignantly.
II was a mercy to the poor brute !"
Wade Terhune folded the first paper,
upon which as be voiced his questions
ne had been making rapid annotations.
with alternate glances from O'Rourke
10 the projection sheet.
That will do, Mr.. O'Rourke." he
SAID with a smile. I'VE have been at
ross purposes during the latter part of
me test but your replies are sienif-
c3nt' nevertheless. May ask who
Tony is, or was?"
MY dog" O'Rourkc's e tones trcm-
bed slightly. "Thc finest setter in the
county, brought him from home. you
sre-ahd he was nearer human than
Ihs tn!ng mat ever ran on four legs
ne was old and blind. but my wife
wouldn't hear Of anything being done
MN until today, when the vet. said
by was suhcrlng from cancer. put
,in, ,n oui OF his misery myself with
single Shot.
u understand now" Tcrhune Sc
lrrted another paper from the Sins he
nrId upon his Knee. MIR Wavcrly. can
next" pay ~ o"' '''''' gun"
10 ahead :; Wavcrly responded.
your move. 80 e'''
tone wv 'e"'" !" 'noho
~, first word is: 'Crevcling. "
suicide, responded Wavpriy dog
|sealy after moments dclibcration, Iic
|sGinc"d rovrrtly at Cutter and wet his
'""S "S,a ups with the tip OF his tongue.
'razy' ~ The reply came with a
note Of defiance
Supper" "
i Wa,,,I
ho AVERY opened mis- lips to speak and
|rnsod ILHil'rd' while an angry red suf-
mucL "S n"aFy, pcndulous checks. At |
II oncr " T''h Nn""rnS attempt at hD.
" Food. -
'Rntlcr," Tcrhunc coutinucd os