Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-03-19

q letters which my cNcut IS most auS-
iouS to regain, She has given me ~
understand that their recovery is CS
NeuUai to her peace OF mind"
reelected taithleSS husband has
10 reason 10 complain if his wife re
PAYS him i'll the same voitN
My client went To work 1T once IL
regain the cabinet" continued Mn
Nornblower, plainly relieved that the
thiuncSt ice had been crossed "Shr
found that il had been sold 10 Armand
y Son. Fastening to their offices, she
them to Mr., Nautjue and sent forward
t. him here. So She came over ON the
FIRST boat. oStcuStbly to visit her tAnu
y, hut really to ask Mr. Nantne'S per
mission e open the drawer and take
ont the letters His death iutcrtcrrd
with this. and in despair she came to
me | need hardly add that No mrm-
Der of her family knows anything
about this matter, and il is especially
important that her husband should
never even suspect il. On her behalf
| apply to you as Mr. Nantiue's cNcru.
tor to restore these letters to their
owner"
| sat for Il moment turning this cN
traordinary story over in my mind
Surely Mmc. y. would scarcely guard
the secret OF that drawer With poison,
Does any one besides your client
IL.
terS?" | asked ut last.
Il think not" answered Mr.. Horn
blower. smiling dryly "They are not
OF nature which my client would
care to communicate to any one, We
must vet them back at amy cost"
AS matter of fact" pointed out,
there are always ut least two people
who know of the existence OF every
letter the person who writes it and
the person who receives IT,"
Il had thought of that. but the pcV-
son who wrote these letters is dead.
ago by Monsieur y"
Mr. Horuh!ower sat regarding me.
his lips purScd, as an indication, per
hapS. that he would say no moro.
Eut there was no necessity that he
should knew enough Of French law
and of French habits OF Thought to
realize that if those letters ever came
into possession of Monsieur n the
game would he entirely in his hands.
His wife would he absolutely nj his
mercy. Aud the thought flashed
through my mind that perhaps in some
way he had learned of the existence
of the letters. and WAS trying dcS-
peratcly To set them. That thought
was enough to swing the balance In
his wifc's favor.
Il am sure" | said that Mr.. Van
tine would instantly have consented
to your client opening the drawer and
taking out the letters. And, as his
executor, | also consent But | must
warn you. Mr.. IIoruhlowcr. that be
lieve two men have already been Kill
ed trying to open that drawer" and |
told him the story. Il am inclined to
think" concluded, that Vnntinc
Numbered upon the drawer while cX-
aiming the cabinet but there is no
doubt that the other man knew of the
drawer, and also, presumably. of its
contents"
"Wcll" exclaimed my companion,
81 have listened to many astonishing
stories in my life, but never one to
equal this. And you know nothing of
this Trcnchman"
Nothing except that he came from
Havre on La Touraine last Thursday.
and drove from the dock direct to Van
tines house"
"My client also came on La Tou
raine, but that no doubt. was Il mere
coincidence"
THAT may be-" agreed, but it Is
scarcely Il coincidence that both he
and your client were after the con
tents Of that drawer"
you mean
Il mean that the mysterious French
man may very possibly have been an
emissary of Monsieur y. Madame may
have betrayed the secret To bin In IN
unguarded moment"
Mr. IIornblowcr rose abruptly He
was evidently much disturbed
"You may be right" he agreed. Il
will communicate with my client At
once take it that she has your per,
mission to see the cabinet. and If II
proves to be the right one that she
may open the drawer and rcmov" the
letters"
''If she cares to take the risk"
assented
CHAPTER IX