Evening star., 1921-08-19
HOW MANY CARDS?
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER. .
he of Intrigue Suspens Ashes to Ashes etc.
Copyright 1921. by Robert H. Mcbride & Co.
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

Under the picture was the name ''Eu-
gene Christopher Creveling."
Where had he seen that face be-
fore? He had known 1t on sight for
that OF the man stretched upon the
and yet McCarty felt a peculiar
haunting sense of familiarity as of
living presence.
He was still pondering over it
when he reached the St Maur apart
ments.
The same servant admitted him as
on the day before, but the smile was
gone from his Asiatic countenance,
and although the drawing room pre-
sented as bravely luxurious an air,
there was an atmosphere of forlorn
bravado about it which permeated
even McCarty's matter -of-fact SEN
sibIlities.
We'll, what can do for you now?"
A toneless. indescribably weary voice
spoke Just behind him and McCarty
wheeled, an uncomfortable gasp es-
Gaping him as his eyes met those of
Lonsdale Ford. Could this broken
tragic smile be the same man who
had so coolly and arrongantly ordered
MIN from his presence on the pre-
vious day?
"Mr. Ford. II hope you'll not
think I'd have intruded on you now
if I could have helped it, sir, but
were still working on the Creveling
matter and I've got to obey orders"
oh, that's all right, my man. One
thing more or less doesn't make any
difference now" Ford motioned to-
ward chair and then sank into an
would no longer support him. yet he
added with a touch Of the old savage
ness In his tone: II didn't shoot
Crevelfng. II 1t will do you any good
to know it, but l wish 1 had, and
then put a bullet through my own
damned cur! The papers are saying
lot Of rotton things about me this
morning; that played my customers
Tor suckers and God knows what else,
but If l was as white-livered as he
I'd go and jump off the nearest
dock!"
i've heard that intimated by more
than you. Mr.. Ford. We never had
the least thought Of you being guilty,
but We think there's some informa-
tion It's in your power to give us
thatll maybe help a lot" Mccarty
paused. "Of course. if you don't care
to give it we can't compel you
"Oh. I'll give it. fast enough"
Fords harsh, dry laughter rang out
and then was as quickly suppressed,
1 don't know whether it will help
you or not, for I haven't the slightest
idea who killed Creveling, but I'll give
you all the information you want
about the whole rotten bunch Of them
Kept my mouth shut yesterday be-
cause had a sort of forlorn hope
that they'd be white enough to tide
me over even after Creveling himself
mad WEIGHED. but when Cutter threw
me down cold I made up my mind that
"a show them all up and 1 will.
ihey got the money-my own, not
my customers. but If I'd had it vet
could have weathered the storm. ]
wouldn't kick If the game had been
straight; I'm not a poor loser, but I'm
convinced it was crooked and rve
been made the sucker. God! Even a
| tin horn card sharp will stake you ito
cigarette money after he's stripped
you of your ROLL"
Gamer" McCarty repeated, a light
beginning to glimmer through his
consciousness.
"Of course. Z was on my way tc
| being rich man even in these sky.
rocketing days, but it's all gone oyel
that green table Of Cutters, damn
| him" Ford stopped abruptly and the
of sly derision. You fellows at head.
quarters are mighty smart, but you
didn't know that the biggest games
| In the city are pulled of and have
been for years in that respectable
1oOhluS mouse OF MS QOWn on the ave-
nue.. He is nothing more nor less
| than professional gambler, only he
does things on a scale that's never
| been known before even in the Big
| Town"
A gambler! The connecting link al
last!
Then the memory of a chance re.
mark of Dennis on the previous
| evening returned to make his chagrir
complete. When he told his friend
| what he had learned from Miss Frosi
| about the Kip woman and how she
had been broke one day and flush the
| next, Dennis remarked: Like g
gambler!" Even then he had no,
! tumbled to the truth!
| 1t all seemed so obvious now in the
| light of this revelation! Those two
dissipated FOUNDERS. Waverly ant
| Creveling, seeking to stimulate theil
jaded senses with the excitement OF
| the game; this money-mad Ford, te
,, whom all Of life had been a gamble
John Cavanaugh O'Rourke, with the
hot reckless. sport-loving blood OF
his forbears in his veins. and Cutter
sitting cold and inscrutable in the
midst Of them! But what Of the
women? Where did they figure in thii
scheme Of things?
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Star.)