Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

104 CHAPTER XIII. THE LITTLE PRINCESS. cCARTY completed his cleaning MI up process in rather an elaborate “manner after the departure of Jim- mie Ballard. Arraying himself in a new suit which had hung in his closet for more than two months awaiting an auspicious occasion for its display, he spent valuable and anxious moments over the selection of a necktie. That important decision made, he next debated with himself over the rival merits of a silk with a rakish fedora hat, but finally compromised on his habitual derby. Tenderly polishing the gold-headed cane that the Amalgamated Brewers’ Associa- tion had presented to his late uncle, he caught up a pair of shiny black kid ‘gloves in which he had officiated as pall- bearer for that defunct gentleman, and sat- isfied that his sartorial equipment left nothing to be desired, he left his rooms and started across the park. For the moment the investigation into Eugene Creveling’s death and its attendant mystery had faded from his mind. Instead it had reached back through the busy, hustling years to the long ago when a raw- boned, ragged young man and a curly- . headed, ten-year-old scion of “ the gentry ”’ fished the streams of a far-off green coun- try in the camaraderie which all anglers know, and a fat, rosy, dimpled princess of five came toddling down the lush hillside from a delapidated castle to listen to stories of the little people in- the gathering twi- light. Yet, when he had traversed the park and turned down the broad avenue, sentimental reminiscence had been superseded by a re- version to the stern realities of the present. Old, heart-warming memories were all right in their place, but a crime had been com- mitted, and Special Deputy McCarty was out for evidence which might lead to its perpetrator. A block or two north of the Creveling house he stopped before one, which al- though smaller by half than the palatial home in which Creveling had met his death, was built upon the same general ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. architectural lines. An electric brougham stood at the curb, and as McCarty de- scended the steps to the entrance and reached out his hand to touch the bell, the door was opened from within by a lanky » . footman and a trim little figure appeared on the threshold. _ With raven-black hair coiled beneath a smart little blue turban, and eyes that were a still deeper blue set in the clear, alabas- ter oval of her face, the young woman paused and regarded him with grave in- quiry. The little princess grown up! McCarty flushed and swept off his hat, ignoring the fact that the footman still held the door open, staring with all his eyes. "Mrs. O’Rourke?”’ “Yes. What is it, please?” Her voice was low and clear, without a trace of im- patience; but her gaze traveled past him to the waiting car. “ Could you spare me a few minutes on a matter of great importance, ma’am? I've come from police headquarters—”’ “ Police—?” A little frown had gath- ered between her narrow, straight brows. “Oh, I presume it is in connection with the sudden death of our friend, Mr. Crev- eling?”’ McCarty bowed again. “You have heard from Mrs: Crevel- ing?” “Yes. Her maid was sent to me with a message not an hour ago. But come in; I can spare you a few minutes, of course, but I am afraid that I will be of little as- sistance to you. You are a detective?” She added the question as she turned and led him past the round-eyed footman into a cool, dim drawing-room, motioning for him to take a seat. McCarty regarded the fragile chair with some misgiving and setfled his bulk gin- gerly upon it before he replied: ‘* Retired, ma’am, and it’s only fair to tell you that I’m not here officially, so to speak. I’m an old friend of the inspector in charge of the case, and he often calls on me to help him out by gathering general information for him when he’s too busy to go after the side issues himself.”” McCarty beamed disingenuously upon her. sorry to be bothering you, but the inspec- EGORNIG OOO «¢ I’m ; KS co