Evening star., 1921-08-22
CONTINUED from Yesterdays star.)

Damned silly little game to met
button""
perhaps that would not be inap.
lpropriate, Mr.. Waverly" Terhune re.
torted in perfect good humor. "Art
you ready, Bassett?"
Ready. sir" The REPLY came
promptly from behind the screen ant
Immediately a low humming SCUM:
reached their ears.
They all sat in silence while Ter.
hume shuffied his papers for a momen,
and then spoke:
i we will commence with you. Mr.
O'Rourke. If you don't object"
At his first utterance a number had
flashed upon the projection sheet ant
mechanically the eyes of all save the
man he addressed turned to 1t, only
to see it vanish and be replaced ir
rapid succession by others varying
only slightly in value. you under.
stand what 1 require. do you not?'
Il think So" Mr.. ORourke cleared
his throat. You just want to know
my first thought after hearing tht
word. Isn't that it?'
"Precisely. We will start, then
with the word life"
"Enjoyment" The reply came with
a boyish chuckle. and forgetting the
warning IS to brevity. he added: "A
good time"
McCarty, as he listened. thought II
| very like the graceless young scamI
of long ago. and the naive candor OF
the admission seemed to arouse ar
infectious amusement, for a little
smile came to the faces Of all except
Alexander.
"Enjoyment." Terhune spoke in a
deliberate monotone.
That's what 1 said," responded
O'Rourke. You wanted the truth
you know"
you mistake me. Mr.. oRourke. ]
was not commenting. Enjoyment is
the second word"
ooh, sport"
| Money"
Debts. may the devil take them"
calculated the irrepressible young
man ruefully. The numbers now
were flashing jerkily 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
a smile and a sidelong glance.
| "Creveling."
A longer pause than before. and
then O'Rourke replied very gravely:
Death
Scandal
"Lies" the young man exclaimed,
| flushing.
Grief
Tony" The unexpected answer
came promptly, as though O'Rourke's
thoughts had been abruptly switched
| into a new channel and his voice was
filled with warm-hearted tenderness
and regret.
Shot"
Had to be-" The fact that this was
a inn n haa
forgotten. There was no other way"
Murder"
Nothing of the Sort" Indignantly
ut was a mercy to the poor brute"
Wade Terhune folded the first
paper. upon which as he voiced his
annotations. with alternate glances
from O'Rourke to the projection sheet.
That will do. Mr.. ORourke.' he
said with a smile. I'VE have been
at cross purposes during the latter
part of the test. but your replies are
| who Tony is. or was?"
MY dog" ORourke's tones trem-
bled slightly. The finest setter in
the county, brought him from home.
you see-and he was nearer human
than anything that ever ran on four
legs! He was old and blind. but my
| wife wouldn't hear Of anything being
done to him until today. when the
vet. said he was suffering from a
cancer. I put him out of his misery
| myself with a single shot"
Il understand now" Terhune Sc
lected another paper from the slips
! he held upon his knee. Mr.. Waverly.
, can we induce you to play in our
little game next?"
60 ahead" Waverly responded.
with a somewhat uneasy grin. It's
your move"'
Terhune's tone fell again to a
monotone.
My first word is: 'creveling.'
Suicide" responded Waverly dog
gedly after a moments delfberation.
He glanced covertly at Cutter and
wet his thick lips with the tip Of his
tongue. d?
Cause"
"crazyw The reply came with a
note of defiance.
Supper"
and then halted, while an angry red
suffused his heavy. pendulous cheeks.
At length with a sneering attempt at
fiippancy; he answered:
"Butler." rerhune continued as
though he had not noted the evasion.
Sneak" growled Waverly and
then drew his breath in sharply with
belated caution.
Quarrel.
Temper" He was evidently hold
ing himself under guard now.
Woman"
Trouble" This was accompanied
by a shrug and leer. but his thin
tones showed the strain he was under
and his eyes turned not to his inter-
rogator but to Cutter, like those Of a
dog to his master.
Love-" Terhune droned monoto-
nously.
"Infatuation" There was inefrable
contempt in the tone.
Revenge"
Foolish" Waverly could no longer
pretend not to comprehend the trend
of the examination and his small eyes
snapped viciously from between the
rolls Of fat which all but blotted them
out.
"Blood." Terhune's steady voice
seemed to cut deeper into the thick
hide of Waverly's sensibilities and the
veins stood out suddenly upon the
latter's brow.
"Say, what in hell are you getting
at?" he demanded I've humored you
with your absurd inquisition and your
damned contrivance long enough!'
That Is a very satisfactory reply,
Mr.. Waverly," Terhune responded, un-
moved. II have only one more word
to suggest to you and that is 'alibi.' -
IT'S one word too many, you petit
foggtng meddlerw Waverly sprang
from his chair. You claim that this