Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-17

H-fhe story Is straight, OF course he
said. "Hornblower would not be en-
IN anything tricky. Besides. I
recognized the lady. I p you did,
toO.'
Yes. I have seen pictures of her. And
l admired her for putting back her
VEIL
so did I. She has changed since the
day OF her wedding, Lester-she was a
smooth-faced girl. then! Three years Of
life with her duke have left their mark
on her!"
He fell silent, staring thoughtfully at
the carpet. Then he shook himself.
Ana the maids story was most in
terestlng. he added. Nevertheless,
there are still a number of things which
arc not quite clear to me-"
There is one thing 1 don't under
stand. myself" 1 said. II hadn't any
idea TINS was the right cabinet. l didn't
see how it could be-"
"Thats it, exactly. How did it hap.
pen, when the yelled lady went to
Armand d Son in Paris, that she was
alreG.ed TO Philip Vantine? Ac-
not purchase this cabinet; he had never
seen IT before; 1t was presumably
shipped him by mistake: Armand g. Son
cable you that it was a mistake. and
yet they cite Vantine as the purchaser.
Ihere Is something twisted somewhere.
Lester; just where I'll try to find out"
.Wh1ch reminds me that Armand's
representative hasn't been around vet.
No doubt ne can straighten the matter
out" ~
~ Won't do any harm to hear his
STORY, anyway" Godfrey agreed. Now
lets have a look at that drawer"
1t was standing open as we had LEFT
IT, n Godfrey pushed it back into
place, called my attention to the cum
ceaied by the inlay about it. Then he
worked the spring. the handle fell into
place, and he drew the drawer out
again, as far as it would come, and ex-
amlned 1t carefully.
The fellow who devised that was a
GENIUS. he said, admiringly. pushing 1t
back INTO place. Il wonder what its
contents have been from the LAYS OF
Madame de Montespan down to tho
present? love letters, mostly. / sup
pose, since they are the things which
need concealment most. Don't you wish
ter?" ~
There is one 1 wish 1t would tell, If
1t knows It," I said. II wish it would
tell who killed Philip Vantine. I sun
pose you will agree with me that our
pretty theory has got a Knockout blow,
this time"
1T looks that way. doesn't it?"
There is no poisoned mechanism
about that drawer-that's sure" I add
ed.
No. and never has been" Godfrey
agreed.
And that leaves us all at sea, doesn't
II! 1t leaves the whole affair more
mysterious than ever. ] can't UNDER
stand it," and I sat down in nv be-
WlQerlnpnt and rlJh1n1 NV, hand -.1.1
ly felt for an instant as though 1 had
gone mentally blind. There is one
thing sure" l added. The killing, what
ever it's cause, was done out there in
the ante-room, not in here"
What makes you think that?"
w believ that Drouet came here to
get Vantine's permission to open this
drawer and get the letters, no doubt
representing himself as the agent of
their Wner."
Il think it's a pretty good guess"
said Godfrey, pensively.
our theory was that, after being
shown into the ante-room. he discov-
cred the cabinet, tried to open the
drawer. and was killed in the attempt.
But 1t is evident enough now that there
is nothing about that drawer to hurt
any one
Yes, that's evident, I think" God
frey agreed.
If he had opened the drawer, then.
ne would have taken the letters, since
there was nothing to prevent him.
since they were not taken, it follows,
doesn't it. that he was killed before
ne had a chance at the drawer? Per-
maps he never saw the cabinet. He
must have been killed out there In the
ante-room, a few minutes after Parks
left
And how about Vantine 3" Godfrey.
asked.
Il don't know,' I said, helplessly.
opened the drawer at all, it was merely
out OF curiosity to see how it worked.
only, of course, the same agency that
killed Drouet, killed him. Yes-and now
that think Of it, it's certain he didn't
open the drawer, either"
How do o know it's certain?"
IF he had opened the drawer" I
pointed out. and been killed in the act
of opening it, it would have been found
open. had thought that perhaps 1t
closed of itself, but you see that 1t
does not. You have to push it shut.
and then snap the handle into place"
That's true" Godfrey assented. "and
1T sounds pretty conclusive. If 1t is true
or Vantlne, it Is also true OF Drouet.
The Inference is, then, that neither of
them opened the drawer. Well. what
II don't know" I said, helplessly.
Nothing seems to follow"
There is an alternative" Godfrey
suggested.
What is it," I demanded.
The hand that killed Drouet and
Vantlne may also have closed the draw.
er," said Godfrey, and locked at me.
And left the letters in it?" I ures-
toned. Surely mott"