Isabel Ostrander

“ Dennis summed up for him, "is the bit of amber mouth piece the other man had smoked with, the lone card and the marks of gloved fingers on the desk upstairs."
"Not quite. I'm asking myself a lot of questions, Denny, for there's more in a look sometimes or a chance word than in all the finger-prints in the world. For instance, what's there between that valet and Mrs. Creveling's uncle, George Alexander? ”

“ He declares he found Creveling dead on the floor and that you can swear to it. How about it, Mac?"
"Well, there was no silencer on the gun we saw lying beside the body and the one I found on the crook when I frisked him was loaded to the full," McCarty replied slowly, weighing each word. "I saw the fellow just ahead of me on the Avenue skulking to the house and getting through the window and I waited outside for him, but I didn't hear any shot. Come till I shave, I've little time to spare, for I've got to catch the eleven-thirty train to Homevale, to evict one of my tenants." ”

“ He described his interview with Douglas Waverly and the corroboration of his alibi over the telephone by Samuel Venner, and Dennis whistled.
"So that's the kind of a bird Creveling's been traveling with, is it? Fat and flashy and going to con. men's parties on the side! That crowd can't be the real thing in spite of their money, Mac, take it from me. What show was it you said the girls at the supper came from?"
"The 'Bye-bye Baby' company." McCarty glanced again at his companion. "Why? Is it show girls that's interesting you now, at your time of life?" ”

“ Well, if there's one thing that's stronger than grief it's hate, Denny, and I'm thinking Mrs. Creveling for all her gentle ways would be a good hater. We got more than a hint from her uncle's testimony that there might have been a commercial angle to that marriage and every one but him is willing to admit that Creveling was no saint, neither before nor after, though her friends don't think she's been on to his philandering. ”

“ Creveling?" interrupted Dennis suddenly. "From what you say, she took the news as cool as a cucumber. Now I don't pretend to know anything about the workings of a woman's mind, not being a damned fool, but it don't seem natural like for her not to scream nor faint nor raise some sort of a ruction."
"I don't know." McCarty held a match to his cigar and then flipped it into the gutter. "She's a determined woman and a strong one and she's got her own suspicions, all right, but she knows she can't prove anything by herself ”

“ McCarty darted a quick glance at his companion.
"True for you, Denny, and I'm wondering if maybe this fellow Hill isn't trying deliberately to draw our fire by refusing to tell where he spent the night, meaning to collect privately from somebody for creating the diversion. Rollins and Sarah are easy to handle but that valet is away above his job and he's been with Creveling since his bachelor days, probably knows more about him than any one else in the world. ”

“ Dennis chose his words with evident care. "You don't think maybe it was a—a lady he had to supper and she shot him after in a fit of jealousy?"
"With a .44 that has a kick to it like an army mule?" McCarty snorted. "Inspector Druet asked Hill if Creveling ever entertained ladies in his home during his wife's absence and the valet said no, that they were strictly stag suppers, and he didn't seem any too anxious to give the names of any of the gentlemen who'd been present. He said they just ate and drank and smoked and chinned with never a little game to while away the hours ”

“ McCarty drew a cigar from his pocket and chewed the end ruminatively. "They're queer birds. The cook would have talked, I'm thinking, but her husband shut her up, though at that I caught them in one lie.—Before Sarah got sight of me standing behind Hill she said tg him that she wished Mr. Creveling would have his parties somewhere else and leave them in peace, but when I told them Creveling had been shot the butler denied that either of them knew he expected any one last night. ”