Evening star., 1921-07-24

of motor cars reaching around into
both side streets. Except when they
give some big society shindy like that
the house is the quietest on the block.
as ! was remarking to McCarty only
tonight-but where is he?" =.
Clancy had turned for superfiuous
corroboration to the spot where the
ex-roundsman had stood behind his
chief. to find that he had vanished.
Il thought that l heard the front
door close just now. sir" Pete OBJ
served.
the sstsns ansns smn YOU ks soass
drive him out Of the house now that
he's on the old trail again; wait till
you boys retire and then open the
papers some fine morning and find a
fresh murder mystery staring you In
the face and the force being raked
over the Goals for not pinching the
man who did it before the first edi-
tion reached the press! There isn't
one of the three of you who wouldn't
want to be back In harness with
chance to clap his hand on the shoul-
der Of the murderer!-Mac's only
poking around on his own account.
but Clancy, this looks bad for you: a
prominent citizen shot to death in his
own house on your beat with an army
IA that could be heard a mile off, and
1t took cheap crook to discover the
crimew
Clancy turned a rich crimson.
"Everything was quiet and the
house dark when 1 went my rounds
up to near midnight, sir" he said
with dignity. WED received no noti-
fication of the family being away or
any special watch being necessary.
Besides. there's a private watchman
employed on this block, the same as
on the others up and donw the ave-
that I didn't run into him, but I
thought no more about it. There's
many a night l don't see him."
you say that the house was dark
up to nearly IL o'clock" repeated
Inspector Druet. When did you no.
''At about a quarter before; I rang
in at the box on the next corner ten
minutes afterward. more or less"
Clancy's tone was cautious. The
faint little stream of light coming
from the window here on the first
floor meant nothing to me. for I'd
often seen it till near dawn. and lots
Of the ground floor windows are left
open the night long in all the resi-
dences on my beat this mild spring
weather. l passed regular. and not
once did I hear the sound of a shot
or anything else. for that matter: but
the motor cars going up and down
the avenue"
"what was the first you knew of
this affair. them"
when I heard a pounding on the
sidewalk. as though some one was
rapping for help. That must have
been a little after 2 o'clock. and l
was a couple of blocks away. I saw
two figures standing under the lamp
most ont fhora ind came on the run.
1t was McCarty and the young sec
ond-story crook. that he'd nabbed
crawling out of the window here half
minute after he'd got in.
CLANCY continued his narrative with
impartial justice to the ex-member Of
the force and much dramatic detail
as to his own finding of the body. and
at its conclusion McCarty reappeared.
He entered silently and took up a
respectful position in the background,
his face guilelessly stolid as the in
spector went to the telephone and
called for the chief medical examiner.
turning in a brief report to head
quarters.
"Did you find out anything. Mac?'
asked Clancy anxiously in an UNDER
tone.
McCarty shook his head.
"what could you find out in an
empty house?" he cbuntered eva
sively:
though YOU had been to some high
toned BARRIERS. and Pete thought he
heard the front door close while
back"
Clancy shifted the air audibly, much
as a dog on the scent. and McCarty
twinkling blue eyes narrowed for an
instant as he backed slightly away
from the other man.
"Barber's, is it?" he repeated, in
great disdain. I've been poking
around the rooms upstairs and some
of them smell yet of perfumery; Pete
must have heard me closing a door
up there behind me. if he heard any
thing at all. It's wonder you and
the bows wouldn't get on the job ana
do something before the papers get
hold of this. and you have hoWling
mob of reporters storming the house,!
canex, las up suilenly. uT 1he '"Sg Then his tone
changed: There's a bell ringing
Inspector Druet had turned sharply
and the two detectives glanced al
each other. There was silence Tor a
moment. and then the subdued but IN
sistent peal was repeated.
you answer it. Mac" the inspector
ordered. TRY the front entrance door
first, The medical examiner or one OF
his assistants wouldn't have had time
to get here. and it's o'clock in the
morning"
and even as he flung open the front
door the bell rang once more through
the silent house.
A middle-aged gentleman. small but
erect and dapper despite the evidens
haste with which he had clothed him.
self stood fumns on IN the dmanded
emptorily. what is the meaning OF
this? Where is Mr.. Creveling. and
why have I been summoned from my
bed at this unseemly hour? insist
upon an explanation"-
"Just a moment, sir Ihe inspectoi
had followed McCarty, and the latter
stood aside Il am afraid that before
you get your explanation l must asE
YOU who you are, and who summoned
you. L am from police headquarters.
The little man shrank back aghast
and his vandyke beard. tinged WITT w,tf
ment as McCarty shut the massive
double doors behind him.
"PoIice," he gasped. What OF
earth has Eugene? demand te
see Mr.. Creveling at once"
II am afraid that is impossible,
Inspector Druet replied. smoothly
please? What brings you here a,
what you yourself have admitted If
an unusual hour"
"IInusualr the newcomer exploded
Then. with an obvious effort, he
controlled himself and responded in
dignified resentment:
4 am George Alexander, MIR. Creve'
lino's banking partner and the uncle
and former guardian Of Mrs. Creve'
ling. That should be sufficient answe,
to you, sir. win you inform me why
I have been routed from my bed"
ssWho sent for you, Mr.. Alexander
Who told you sto come here? The
inspectors tone was deferential, pu'
r. held a note of unmistakable stern.
ness. .
''That is a point upon which should
lilxa To he informedr cetorted tht