Argosy All-Story Weekly — 'The Metal Monster' — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

HOW MANY CARDS? but Rollins had disappeared up the stairs and the great hall was empty. “I found him, however, in an exceedingly excitable condition of the nerves, a state which I may say has been growing upon him grad- ually during the last few years, and is not at all unusual in men of his stamp.”’ “You mean after the life he’s led?” asked McCarty bluntly. *“Er—if you choose to put it in that manner,” the. other replied cautiously. * Understand, please, the condition I refer to does not in any way imply the slightest degree of mental disorder; it pertains to the nervous system only. I am not an alienist, and I should not care to give a professional opinion on the matter, but privately I would say that Mr. Creveling was as sane as any man of my acquaint- ance.”’ “He was nervous, you say, though,” ; McCarty remarked. ‘‘ Do you mean that he seemed uneasy about anything, sir?” “ Apprehensive?” the physician amend- ed. “Not in the least; in fact, he was m his usual high spirits. A bit over, if any- thing; on edge, if you know what I mean.” McCarty nodded gravely. “Tt didn’t strike you that those high Spirits were put on, doctor, did it? I’ve noticed in my line of work that when a man tries to bluff he’s apt to get it over a little too strong and show his hand.” ‘No. His manner was genuine enough. He was.just jumpy, you know; fidgeting about, restless, starting at the slightest sound. I remember warning him against late hours and overdoing things generally, and suggested a sea trip to pull him to- gether; but he only laughed at me and said he never felt more fit in’ his life.” “ Did you speak to Mrs. Creveling about ite” The physician hesitated. “I believe I did mention the advisability of a sea voyage to her, not a yachting trip with its usual social accompaniments, but a long, slow, restful journey preferably m the tropic seas. It was more on her ac- count than her husband’s, however; these society women burn themselves out and wonder why they are old at forty. Mrs. Crevelimg has done too much this season, 119 and was on the point of a breakdown even before last night’s tragedy. That was why she closed the establishment here and went to visit friends on Long Island a month ago.” ‘ She’s not too sick to see me now for a minute, I hope, doctor?” McCarty asked. Before the former could reply, Rollins appeared upon the stairs. : “You can go up, sir,” he announced. ‘“ Do not remain any longer than neces- sary, please, and try to avoid exciting Mrs. Creveling if you can,” the physician ad- monished. ‘I have just given her some- thing to make her relax and sleep. She is keeping too tight a rein upon herself; if we are not careful the tension will snap.” ‘ Just what do you mean, doctor? Brain fever?” McCarty paused on the lowest step of the stairs. ‘There is no such disease known in the materia medica.” The other smiled. “ It exists solely in fiction, my dear sir. No, Mrs. Creveling is in danger of nervous prostration. Please make your interview with her as brief as possible.” McCarty promised, and the physician turned to the door which Rollins was hold- ing open for him while the ex-roundsman proceeded up the stairs. He had learned little of importance, owing, perhaps, to the reticence of the medical man, but.the but- ler’s interrupted confidence had suggested a new train of conjecture. It was the first he had heard about the disappearance of any jewels. What had Mrs. Creveling done to the housemaid, Ilsa, and what part, if any, could the girl have had in the drama of the previous night? At the head of the stairs he found a trim but white-faced young’ +renchwoman awaiting him, and was conducted to the boudoir of the apartments he had visited twice during the night on his search. There he found Mrs. Creveling reclining upon a couch, with a startlingly thin, sin- uous red-haired woman coiled gracefully in a big chair beside her. The latter glanced up at him in a bored, contemptuous man- ner at his intrusion, and McCarty caught a fiash of green, feline eyes, and the curl of ““T’m sorry to bother you, ma’am.” He (CO Ll Goo (COUNT