Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 46: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

552 ‘““By God, you’d better not!” Waver- ley rose from his chair with a threatening scowl. “I’ve stood for about all of this that I’m going to, my man! I don’t know where you’ve got your lying information, nor by what authority you come here to try to put me through a third degree, but I'll listen to no more. Get out before I phone the office and have you put out!”’ ‘“‘T wouldn’t try it, sir, if I were you,” McCarty said blandly. ‘“ I’d have to ask you to take a little ride down-town with me and the head house-detective here and tell the inspector in charge of the case what it was you and Mr. Creveling almost came to blows about after that little supper week before last. I thought you’d rather keep out of the notoriety and all; that’s why I came.to you quiet like.” ‘So that’s it!” Waverley’s lip curled. “Graft, eh? Blackm—” “Don’t go too far, sir!” tone was ominously quiet, and there was a glint of steel in his eyes. “It ’ll do you no good to be calling names. I’ve got proof that two weeks ago come to-morrow night you had supper alone with Mr. Creveling in his house, and high words passed between you over a lady; I’ve a witness who can testify to that. I’m not one to work up sensations for the press to spring on the public and drag people that’s maybe innocent into notoriety and scan- dal; ’twas for that I came here to you, man to man.” ‘Did your witness tell you the name of the lady who was supposed to have been discussed on that occasion?’’ Waverley sneered. “Tf that’s the way you care to put it, yes, sir,” responded McCarty. ‘“ There were two ladies talked of, for the matter of that, but only one mentioned by name. You left the house in a rage, I understand, yet Mrs. Creveling stayed on as a guest at your country place, and Creveling him- self spent the last week-end there.” “That ought to be proof enough to you that there was no trouble between us.” Waverley’s tone had become all at once eager and conciliatory. ‘“ Sorry I misun- derstood your motive in coming here. I’m quite willing to tell you all about that little McCarty’ S- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. argument with ’Gene Creveling, for I can see that it has been greatly exaggerated to you. “T don’t know who your witness is, but I presume it is that-rascally butler, Rol- lins; I warned Creveling to sack him long ago. I did not leave the house in a rage, as you have been told, but in sheer dis- gust. If Creveling is dead, I’m damned sorry, but there’s no use blinking the facts: his course of conduct hasn’t been exactly Straight and narrow, and although we are none of us angels, I took it upon myself as an old and intimate friend to remon- Strate with him, and he didn’t accept it in the right spirit. That’s all there was to it; it was all forgotten the next day.” ‘ And since then you’ve been on friendly terms with him, Mr. Waverley?” ‘‘ Absolutely. » “Your mutual friends can vouch for that, I suppose? ’Tis not that I doubt your word, sir, but the inspector may want to check up my report.” McCarty paused and added: “We know approximately the hour at which Mr. Creveling came to his death, and if you'll tell me where you were last night from eleven o’clock on, it ll put an end to all annoyance for you.” “And if I don’t choose to do so?” The flabby face had darkened again trucu- lently. aia shrugged. ? ‘““ That’s up to you, sir. There was a pause, and then Waverley spoke thickly. “Have you the authority to keep it out of the papers? I mean, if I tell you where I was and prove it to you, can you keep it from reaching my wife’s ears? Oh, there was nothing absolutely beyond the pale about it, but you know what women are!” he added hastily. ‘Can I count on you and your superiors to keep it quiet?” ‘Well, sir, if your alibi’s sound, it’s no concern of the department what you have been doing,” McCarty answered cau- tiously. ‘Of course, I can’t guarantee that the reporters won’t look you up, as having been intimate with Mr. Creveling, but it ‘ll be on no information from us. You telephoned out to your country place late yesterday afternoon that you would qth Keo) 6)(O)(0) (C S CO THE OHIO STATE