Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-28
a., ,sD HERE 1T CONTINUES
CHAPTER XI
Rirds Of Different Feather

Birds Of Different Feather
= EAvING the Creveling house. Nc
~ Carty for the second time that day
h,rded q south going bus, having as
csrtained from Rollins that Mr.. Mich
ol,s Cutter lived on lower Fifth avenue
near Washington square. and as he
roa, downtown he wondered somewhat
,rmly II further mystery were to greet
him At his destination. Never had he
inoyn a case with so many conflicting
,lements, so many threads which led
snparently nowhere. such an inextric-
,bic tanglp Of tantalizing suggestions
and false clues. Somewhere among
them. he knew. lay the solution to the
enigma. but It still eluded him. Would
Cutter turn out TO be as much Of
nu,zIe as the rest Of them had been?
The number given him proved 10 be
that Of an old fashioned, square man.
don Of brick and brownstone situated
upon corner and running back to an
unusual depth upon the side street
with q high wall bordering the strip
Of yard which separated its extension
from the house at the rear McCarty
,troled past and examined the exten-
sion with curious eyes. 1t rpsembled
a conservatory. but the walls and dome
we're formed Of thick. Opaque, rubbed
rass. behind which he fancicd he could
distinguish a network Of strong, pro-
tecting wires: surely. If there we're
plants in there they were of eXtraordi-
nary value to require such guard. and
must be Of some species which needed
no sunlight.
The shades had been raised at all the
windows Of the house. but they were
masked by heavy lace curtains. behind
which some darker material hung In
close folds and no sign OF life appeared
about the establishment.
McCarty mounted the broad stepS
which led to the massive front door aud
sounded with a vigorous hand the bronze
knockrr which faced him between Ike
wide parels It's echo crashed upon
bis ears like the clang of jall gate
and promptly the door swung open. rc-
yealing an elderly figure in conventional
black, whose faded eyes blinkcd rapidly
n 'he rays Of the setting sun as though
unhccustomcd TO its light.
Mr. Nicholas Cutter. Does he live
here" McCNrty asked.
Yes, sir. The doorway was wide
but the Shrunkcn, stoop shouldered Az
ure seemed consciously to till il MS Me
Cirty made move to step inside.
Id like to see him
will soc. sir. II he is disengagcd. "
ihc S"rvr Mt s tone was gentle with old
fashioned courtesy rather than ob>u
quiousnesS but he still blocked the
doorway What name, sir?"
Timothy McCarty. though twill
mean nothing 10 him. Just toll him
mat | m here on II most important .pri-
vs'c matter.
Come in, sir. - The man threw the
ccor wider and turning led the way
with tottering but surprisingly quick
footsteps to n second door NJ the side
OF the dim hallway. II do not know
that hC will be able to see YOU, but 7
VIII take your message.
Thanks, McCarty said dryiy. He
was accustomed to encountering cifront.
cry insolencc and servility from the
Domestic staff in the homes of the rich.
out the formal dignity of this ancient
retainer was new to his experience.
when the latter had disappeared the
q 'roundsman glanced wondcringly
ABOUT MIN. The entrance hail had been
70 nark that coming in from the glare
OF the street he had been able to make
our only vaguely the outlines OF cnor.
NOUS, oddly shaped chairs and settles
ana chests, the great fireplace aud culv-
!ng staircase with heavily carved
pelustrade, but somber as II was ne
tao gained an impression Of space and
grouping, of unostentatiouS elegance
DeSidc which the costly luxuriousnesS Of
tne Ir"jeling house seemed tuwIry aud
o'atant IN comparison.
AS boy in the old country he had
once been invited together with other
village children 10 o memorable treat
az the castle which dominated the Cnun.
Try and had Strnyed unbiddcn into the
great hall; the one through which he
mad IuS passed would have filled barely
d corner ofSit and yet something IN Its
atmosphere recalled thnt glimpse Of the
SpIendor Of long past feudal days ny
nothing c.Sn 10 America had ever done
ana sensation of awrd admiration
s'olo over him.
Ihc little reception room into whiln
no mad been ushcred seemed on the
contrary to be almost bare. with IT,.
peIl"ntely rHrVcd chairs and tables. ir>
E"iSnun 'nmnr and tho Curiuus'' lar
purrrd cabinet. upon the brond top Of
NhI,I lone vase 0f washed out tuuk
nngg Iuc stood in solitary state. Dennis
iM,ordRn s comfortably married sister
HHollN. WIS the only woman whom Me-
tarir admitted to his friendship and
nCr rInttcr"d "pnrl0r" was tu him rhH
.p,t"mc Of cheerful good taste; Give Hrr
tew dollars md she would have had
mar room looking like SomrInimg tha'
was meant 10 be lived IN. vet it had
"h hlr about II, at that. nltauugh hr
e"Nlu not have tod wherein Inv the tls
IN, IN non, Had he known that each
THrl"I" II contained was we'll nigh price.
p@ hat some Of ,hrm--likc th,
IsSh"d 'oul looking hal GrNcCd
,nc palaces Of cmp"rOrS long dead, AMI
,lat each had history which would
ne." riNalrd an Arabian Nights of the
GnllQuarians no would have been duI}
IMPRESSED hut il would have made M
''ntr",r"nce in his personal opinion.
'hc old man servant had closed ih'
m"r upon him with a. certain definite.
,'kS OF gesture which made him hesitate
~ reopen II and listen. but he had no.
wng L" wait, Almost immediately il
h,urr rcaprrnrcd aud this time i
''"'mm"d unoW the visitor.
gi, Mr' Gutter has been expecting you,
w,, Come thia way"
"'"rly followed, dumb with aston