Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-29
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER

| =.
bird is too wise to lead you to his covey
but when he's trailed HIS broken wing
pctorc You long enough pull him in
ng6ln and come down here with him
Understand? We got something to talk.
over with YOU" y
Veg. sir" McCarty agreed non.
committally. But until I do sec you.
sir. for the love Of the saints keep the
newspaper boys OF the same opinion
as the medical examiner. Don't let
them know but that the case is closed
ns lar as We are concerned. and II
might be nice little diversion for them
II You dropped hint about there being
INSANITY. in the family and our late
friend having showed signs Of going
bugs himself. Don't put It too strong.
sir: Whit is enough for them news
hounds to get on the scent and tits
being laid careful for them and for us
too. " I'm not mistaken
~ got you.' There was a new note
in the inspectors tone. Your party
will be under way at eight sharp"
An hour later. over thick steak aud
very black coffee. MrCorty rccounted
to the eager Dennis all that had taken
place since he left him at the firehouse
that morning.
And that's the whole Of il =" he
summed up. waving a greasy knife com.
pfenenslvcly. Every last ono of them
hlilthng and hedging and lying like he'll
except the O'Rourkes and not a soul
"i them knowing t;iat they're giving
themselves away with cvery stall they
make. IL it's all the one thing they re
working together to keen dark. then tbs
better organized they are than Tam.
many itself was in the old days, but
II they've each got their own private
rcaHots-.outside an aversion to no.
ioricty--for wartling OF an investisa
ton, they must be n fine bunch Of
crooks There's something queer about
INC lot. Denny. something | don't un-
uerstand. told YOU the dope ] got on
them from Jimmie Ballard now. leav.
ing ont my old friends the O'Rourkes---
though God only knows how they come
10 be mixed in that crowd take the
Kip woman She knew well was no
! reporter. but she tried to bluff II out
: and put over the lie that she was asleep
IN her bed all night and had hurt her
arm by n fall. She didn't dare deny
though, that twas Waverly sent h"r
the message about what badfhnppcncd
( to Crcvcling because she wasn't sure Of
. her ground and when sprung il on her
that twas suicide IL swept her clean of
her feet; IL she don't actually know II
was murder she's got mighty strong
suspicion. and so have the rest oi
, them"
,, " Twas a fool move she made. QUAR-
reling with the old dame she'd hired to
boost her into society" Dennis com
, mented Knowing the woman had
, something on her. she d ought 10 have
: kiddcd her along to keep her moutl,
; shut"
McCarty shook his head.
E Fool shr mny be. bu, she knew
that the Frost woman wouldn't talb
unless il was dragged out Of her for
y fear that notoricty would spoil he,
u chances with another sucker: one min,
\ Of scandal and her graft would be gone
d As il was. when | nut Il IN to her she
. cleaned her own skirts by blackenins
II the other woman's. What was it that
Y took Mrs. Kip out of her house at nj
hours almost against her will? Black
? mail or something Ike drink or don.
I that she couldn't keen away from
What kind Of investments is her moncS
II tied up in that she's flush one minut,
II and broke the next?"
o Like a gambler" Dennis nodded
Il why did she break her dates an,
). run n chance of getting in Dutch with
:. the very people she'd been trying I,
II know all these years." pursued Nc,
d Carty. why did she keep that ole
Y lcech around her at all if she knew III,
I woman was on to her; for a cloak
r OF course. II all this has nothing to d,
n with Crevclings death and her littI
game, whatever it is. doesn't come undc
. the statutes ] m wasting time and brain
:. on her. but tomorrow she'll come acros,
. with an albi for last night or IN tax,
= = her downtown, "
= Tomorrow will be another day.
u Dennis remarked. What IL we had ,
:. quiet talk with her now"
II, Because we've a little date OF ou
v own downtown, retorted McCarty
y, Now, there's the Fords. She wa
= ready enough 10 talk until she let tha
slip about expecting to sec Crevelin,
al Cutters house the night before. ant
: then she looked for minute as though
she could have cut her tongue out Why
v Whatever it was, her husband wa
d afraid of her talking. too.~
y II should think when you heard hin
| ask her If she knew and then ssy tim
y they were done for, you would hav,
:. called it a day and run him in" Den
e nis observed.
\ when the two Of <hem had a per
fectly good alibi that Cutter hmsel
5 vouches for?' snortcd McCarty. "Us
II the brains that God gave YOU. Denny
d and don't be criticizing your betters
t I'm thinking Fords trouble was no, a.
It 10 how Crevcling died but that he wa
p dead. and twas not grief that was con
suming him. either
\ Then what was it," Dennis dc
|. mandcd. ncttlcd nt the rebukc,
Z That's one of about q million cues
tions I'm after asking myself ad
- mitted McCarty. Tho Crevelinxs
II doctor wasn't any help, nor yet Mrs
~, | WuyerIy -