Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-07

McCarty shook his head,
don't think so. sir" he snid
quietly. II think It was his visitor who
sat In that chair. Mr.. Creveling wos
hOst and all the servants were gone un.
ieSs they,re lying murdered upstairs, 10
na,s n'ust nave waited on the table him
sIIi' si ana you sec the wine cooler IL right
t,Gsc .hc up to tho other chair. found
'his near it on the floor"
re produced the broken bit of
amber ana the inspector scrutinized IL
bart of cigarette holder. eh? A
Inignty slender one, too. by the curve
oi tnls fragment. 1t looks as though q
He paused as McCarty picked up the
lMh broken cigarette from the table and
SSihuy Si..u handed 1t to him. 1t was but
tie ii..le tulcker than a straw and bore in
G. c. ' '"e '"'''aS H.
They're the same as on the platinum
case in the waistcoat pocket of the dead
man In the other room there" Me-
Carty remarked at length.
we my opinion Of fellow thnt
would call thing like that a smoke.
put no matter. Did you take a good
look at the supper table, sir?" e'
No dope there, beyond what YOU
pointed out Inspector Druet had
turned away. Lets have look up
s'n,rs petore the rest 20 10 it,"
But he was too late, for even as he
Spoke inc door Of the next room opened
ana neavy footsteps could be heard
crossing the rotunda and mounting the
broad stairs: Like conspirators, the
inspector and McCarty waited until they
dlcd away in the regions above.
Il wonder now what they did with
the young crook ] caught climbing out
OF The Window" McCarty queried aloud
what's that?" Inspector Druet de.
Briefly, McCarty rccounted the events
Of the night and when he had con
door leading into the hall once more.
"We,ll have n look nt the body and
then join the rest upstairs. This Is
headquarters job ali right, Mae, and
l m going to take charge
Il thought you would. sir" Nc
Carly heavcd n sigh of satisfaction not
unmxed with envy. "At least you'll
not have Tcrhune with his scientific
stunts and mechanical mind readers
butting in on the case
I1ow about you yourSelf?" The in
| op''Io' hul''h uhh DtHJ u gaze
upon his companion. Going to quit
before the end Of the first round?'
"Quit?" McCarty flushed. "well
you know, sir, that I'm not in It except
maybe to testify against the lad for
breaking and entering. I've nothing
to do with the murder nor the solving
of it,"
But you're itching for n chance,
aren't you. you old scout?' The other
smiled. "I'll swear you in as a special
officer tomorrow, just as I did on the
last case you got yourself mixed up In
since. you left the force. Come on,
| now"
McCarty's eyes shone and he squared
his massive shoulders with proud cln :
ton as they entered the room where the
master of the house lay. lie was otfi =
cially at work again. and the inhabi-
tants Of the instalment plan suburban
colony in which he had invested his
savings and from which he drew his
modest revenue might run the place to
suit themselves until the case was fin =
ished He was back in the old game!
When they opened the door of the
study they found that its only occu =
pants were the dead man and the
chair, to one arm of which he had now
been securely handcuffed At sight Of
the inspectors face he uttered n sharp
ejaculation and covered further down.
"Well, we'll !" Inspector Druet
searched his countenance keenly. "It
seems to me we've met before, my
friend"
"No, sir! Yousc got me wrong-!"
"Havc I? We've got you mugged
down at headquarters; I never forget
a face. Have you done time? What's
| nap,nS SnauG W
tered suilcnly. ''I did one stretch in
de rcformitory cause de gang I trav-
cled wit swipcd some lead pipe. but
didn't have nottin' to. do wit it. Dis
| is dc foist toime--"
"Ncvcr mind; thought I had you
right. I'll get your story downtown
later" Inspector Druct turned to Nc
Carly and indicated the body. SIS this
the way it was when you saw it first,
Mac"
"Yes. was the third one to 500
it as far ns we know: Joe. hero, was
first, then Clancy and then me. 1t don't
look rs If those flatfect upstairs had
disturbed it any except that the gun
was living nearer to the hand. almost
touching the fingers--this way"
McCnrty stopped and moved the POSI-
tion Of the pistol n trife.
"IIe sure got his with vengeance,
didn't hc?" the inspector remarked.
A quick CLEAN Of light came into
McCarty's own eyes.
maybe he did, sir" he vouch-
safed.
"Thcrc seems to have bccn bit of
struggle here; look. Mac" The inspec-
tor spoke suddenly.
The strip of tapestry which lay along
the center Of the refectory table had
been pulled awry at the end near which
the man had fallen and It was evident
that only the heavy lamp which stood
upon it had prevented II from being
swept to the floor, but there were no
other signs of disorder in the room.
eyes, SIR" MCCarty agreed some
what doubtfully. He wouldn't have
Ind time to catch at IL in falling. after
that shot hit him. but maybe whoever
il was did It might have twisted that
table cover in rage or excitmcnt before
they fred and killed him"
"And YOU think Crcveling was the
sort of man to stand calmly and wait
without raising hand to defend him
self while his guest worked his own
nerve up to the point of murder"
The inspector shrugged. Come along,
let = go up and see what the others have
found out.
The patrol wagon clattered up to the
entrance at that moment and Joe Bo-
dansky, obviously relieved to be re-
moved from the immediate vicinity of
the dead man. even in so grim and for
bidding n vehicle. was consigned to the
care OF it's officials.
After it had departed the inspector
md his freshly appointed assistant
mounted the grcnt staircase to be met
Mt the top by Clancy and two detec-