Evening star., 1921-07-28

I face gave no indication OF the ldei
as he piloted his charge to the
study.
| Twas there the body was found"
McCarty explained, as he pointed to
the dark stain upon the rug. and then
| added with seeming irrelevance:
| What did they do. Hill. at these stag
| parties you were telling the inspector
| about? Play cards?"
J Before McCartys good-natured but
| keen scrutiny the valet seemed to have
| lost a trifie of the assurance which he
had maintained in the presence OF
! the inspector. and now he blinked.
! staring as If fascinated at the sin
lister spot upon the floor.
NO. They just ate and drank and
smoked"
| What did they talk about?"
The man Hill raised sullen. resent
| full eyes at the question.
1T was not my place to listen to
the conversation he responded tart
wasn't here to do it and minded my
! own business. That's all know"
You'll find you're minding your
own business best now, my man, II
! you'll speak up and come clean" No
| Carly admonished sternly. You told
! ling said never word you about
\ last night beyond giving you your in
! structions: what were they"
| The valet moistened his thin lips.
He told me that he was having a
guest here for supper; that l was to
be here at 8. when the caterers men
arrived. and arrange everything, and
then bring him a bag of clean linen at
, the club at H."
! And when did he tell, YOU this?'
! McCarty's eyes had narrowed.
| Yesterday morning."
"Where?"
| Here. He came for some papers
| before going down to his office, and
gave me some other instructions about
! his clothes: he didn't like the valet
, service at the club"
| And what club was this where he
was staying?" McCarty asked.
| THE Marathon"
Why didn't he stay in his own
home if there were three of you here
| to look after him?'
The Wallets shoulders and eyebrows
lifted expressively.
II never asked him and he didn't tell
| me. but l suppose he liked the CLUB
| better than an empty house: any
! Hill looked souarely at his inquisitor.
! who are you? A detective?'
I'm a special officer on this case
and my .ames McCarty." the ex-
roundsms,a rep.ie:. You'll be only
saving ME,?s;ty ?sS5T:ts FIJI Interrupted and
there vas something very like con-
sterns-cfon ir his tones. You're the
i McCalaJ whn was mail the papers in
| connection. with the Hoyos case and
the diamorgan AFFAIR."?
gadocio in Timothy McCarty's plain.
/ matter-of-fact statement. Now. Hill.
! how long had you been in the house
! before YOU knocked at the door of the
room where the inspector and MIR. Alex
ander were?''
! "Only a minute or two. sir" The
| tone was almost eager now and the
| habtual servility had returned to 1t.
81 let myself in at the tradesmen's err
trance with my own key as usual and
! went upstairs to get couple of hours
/ sleep before Rollins and his wife re-
! turned and it would be time to hustle
! about and get the house in order for
Mrs. Creveling's coming. l started up
! the back way. of course, and at the
second floor I thought I'd stop and see
i If Mr.. Creveling was in his room; he
usually slept home instead of going
! back to the club when he'd had any one
here for late supper, and when l
found nobody there I supposed maybe
his guest hadn't gone yet and I'd better
! come down and see if they wanted any
| more wine or anything. Mr.. Creve-
i ling's private cellar is stocked up for
| two or three years yet to come. ! went
down the front staircase and heard
voices in the room where I'd laid out
| the supper table. SO I knocked"
| you thought Mr.. Crevelng was still
| in there" McCarty queried blandly.
."I mean when you stopped and listened
before you knocked"
| The-valet shot him. startled glance.