Evening star., 1921-08-26
HOW MANY CARDS?
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.
Author Of Tho Island Of Ases Ashes
Copyright. 1921. b., Robert n Mcbride
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.
Then you don't know who it was?"

Then you don't know who it was?"
McCarty asked him bluntly.
This is no time for US to be quib-
bling about names, Hill: he didn't
stop at blackening your wife's. You
didn't find out?'
Hill shook his head.
Then what makes you sure that it
was "a real lady?' McCarty chose
his words now with evident care.
Because he was SO extra cautious
and secretive. You'd think after all
the years I've been with him he would
have trusted me little or made some
break that would have given me a
! line on him. but not he! That's why
knew it must be some one with posi-
ton. some one in his own set, may
be. 1t was news to me that Mr..
J Wavefly was jealous. as he must have
been from what Rollins overheard.
I'm quite sure that Mrs. Waverly
was not the lady alluded to in that
quarrel"
How did your wife come to jump
her bail. Hill?" McCarty asked with
seeming irrelevance.
We'll. we talked it over. sir. and it
d1dnt seem that there was a chance
for her If she went to trial. SO there
wasn't anything else to be done. We
looked like confession of guilt, but
we couldn't either of us face the
worse thought Of her going to prison
It's n" harm to tell you now, for she's
safe out of the country, but there was
one that was in our confidence and
! helped US plan the whole thing. even
to furnishing up that little fat all
ready for us. and that was Mrs. Jar
vie, the Crevelings' houSekeeper, sir
shed engaged lisa in the beginning
you know. and she thought the world
of her and never believed for
minute that she took those jewels,
bless her,
"Ilsa's trial was set for about
month ago. and when she couldn't be
found Mrs. Creveling shut up the
house except for Rollins. and Sarah
and me, and went Off to Long Island.
I thought that with her out of the
way Mr.. Creveling would maybe
show his hand and I stuck to him
was beginning to get desperate! 1t
wasn't till last Thursday morning
that found something out about him.
something that wasn't at all what
| thought it would be, but 1t was
enough to bring him to terms, for all
that He was working the same sort
! of thing on somebody else that I was
| trying to do to him..
What do you mean?" McCarty
stared.
"Blackmail. if you choose to call it
that: anyway. he was holding some
| thing over somebody else's head. He
! came to the house about 10 in the
morning from his club and after
! changing his clothes he went to the
! telephone and called up Mazzarini. the
! caterer. and ordered a supper for two
| sent there that night. ! was going
| through his suit before hanging it up
| when | found note in one of the
pockets. and | read it. sir. The top
part was in his own handwriting and
1 il began without any name, SO ]
! couldn't tell who it WAS for but the
meaning was plain enough 1t was
| a command for some one to come
| there that night and talk things over.
| and although it was worded politely
| enough. there was threat between
every line if you had eyes to see it,
| He had signed it with just one initial
! i-'C.-and the person who got it had
| written seven words underneath and
sent 1T back to him.
| Continued in Tomorrow's Star)