Isabel Ostrander

“ Creveling?" McCarty interrupted. "There's one that'll have to be told, Mr. O'Rourke. Aside from it being her right to know, she'll never rest until she finds out the truth and in her search for it she might drag in innocent people and dig up things that are far better left buried."
"If you tell her you might as well tell the world!" Cutter shrugged again. "Her sense of justice won't be satisfied till she cries Waverly's name from the house-tops when she knows why they quarreled!" ”

“ Waverly, for she's the weaker of the two. It would be one thing to live down the fact that your husband had committed suicide and another to have his memory branded as a murderer!"
"What if we were to tell Mrs. Creveling the truth and persuade her to keep it a secret forever, for the sake of the other woman who would suffer needlessly?" McCarty urged. "We could tell her the truth about the manner of her husband's death, but the cause—! Gentlemen, they quarreled over a game of cards!" ”

“ Cutter raised his eyes. "Is that agreeable?"
Dennis shot an agonized glance at McCarty, but met with an answering one which made him quail and add a hurried assent to those of the rest. The game began. It went slowly at first, O'Rourke taking the first jack-pot on three queens, with two of which he had opened. McCarty eyed Waverly curiously as the latter fumbled clumsily with the cards in dealing; the fat man was breathing heavily and his voice had seemed thicker than on their first meeting. ”

“ Mrs. Kip stiffened suddenly and Terhune, glancing across at her, followed her gaze to the man at his side. Waverly's head had fallen forward on his thick neck and his chin lay in folds over his collar.
"Your cards, Mr. Waverly." Terhune touched his arm.
"Pardon," Waverly mumbled, jerking his head back. "Confoundedly hot in here! Cutter, old man, you needn't be afraid of a ray of light or a breath of air now; we have the majesty of the law on our side!"
He grinned lopsidedly up at Inspector Druet as McCarty picked up his hand and scrutinized it. ”

“ We play quite frequently, you know."
McCarty's eyes twinkled with amusement at the audacity of his host, but he turned with grave dignity to present his companions.
"This is Inspector Druet, Mr. Cutter, and an old friend of mine, Dennis Riordan, who is not connected with the Force. Mr. Terhune I'm thinking you know."
"We have met," Mr. Cutter acknowledged somewhat wryly as he shook hands. "I am glad to welcome you, gentlemen; you know Mr. O'Rourke, I think." ”

“ Upon a raised platform at the farther end of the room were grouped a score or more of musical instruments of all ages, from an ancient lyre to the most modern masterpiece of the piano maker's' art, and nearly all possessed, histories which had made them coveted by museums the world over. ”

“ Terhune followed suit.
"Same here." Waverly drew a stertorous breath.
"Nothing stirring." Inspector Druet relinquished his hand and sat back.
"Raise you five, Mr. Cutter," McCarty remarked.
"I know when I've had enough." O'Rourke dropped his cards upon the table.
"Little action at last, eh?" Cutter smiled and shoved ten chips forward. "Right back at you, Mr. McCarty!"
"I will drop," said Terhune. "The psychology of success in cards as in all things—"
"I'm staying right with—you—both," Waverly breathed rapidly. "Only we—three—in it?" ”

“ Nicholas Cutter eyed his guest moodily across the dinner table. "It is infamous of the authorities to attempt to interfere with a man's amusement in his own home among friends! I tell you things are coming to a rotten state in this country! How do you know that this outrageous demand of the McCarty fellow isn't just a trick to catch us in the act?"
"Because I know him," John Cavanaugh O'Rourke declared stoutly. "He's a friend of mine from my boyhood days and he wouldn't do anything to hurt me or my wife, you can rely on that."
"A gambling scandal wouldn't affect you so much, my boy ”