Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-02

MIR. Lester" he began. Il under
stand that YOU are the adnlinistrato
of the estate of the late Philip Van
tine
Our firm IS" I corrected.
But you. personally. have been at
tending to his ~business?'
Yes"
He was a collector of old furniture,
| believer"
Yes"
And on his last trip to Europe. from
Whlch he returned only a few days ago,
he purchased OF Armand & Son of Paris
a BOule cabinet?"
could not repress a start of aston
ishment.
Are you acting for Armand & SOM
/ queried.
Not at all. L ann acting for a lady
whom. for the present. We will call
Madame x"
The thought flashed through my mind
that Madame X and the mysterious
FrenchWoman might be one and the
same person. Then ! put aside the idea
as absurd. Serene Hornblower would
never accept such a client.
MI. Nantine did buy such y cabi-
net" ] said.
And it is in your possession?"
There is at his residence a Boule
cabinet which was shipped from Paris,
but, only a few hours before his death,
MI. Vantine assured me that it was
not the one he had purchased"
mean that a mistake had been
made in the shipment?"
That is what we supposed, and a
cablegram from Armand & Son has
since confirmed it,"
MIR. Hornblower pondered this for a
moment.
Where is the cabinet which Mr.. VAN
tine did buy?" he asked at last.
II nave no idea. Perhaps it is still
IN Paris. But l am expecting a repre-
sentative of the Armands to a very
soon to s%traighten things OUT
Again my companion fell silent, and
sat rubbing his chin absently.
Ut is very strange" he said, finally.
If the abine was still at Paris, n
think it would have been dis
covered before my client made inquiry
about it,"
There are a good many things which
are strange about this whole matter,'
L supplemented.
Would you have any objection to
my client seeing this cabinet, Mr..
Lester?'
1t was my turn to hesitate.
MT. Hornblower.' L said finally. II
VIII be frank with you. There is a GER
am mystery surrounding this cabinet
winch we have not been able to solve.
suppose YOU have read of the mysteri-
.us deaths of Mr.. Vantine and of an
Frenchman, both in the same
room at the Vantine house. and both
apparently from the same cause?"
He nodded.
D you mean that this cabinet is
Connected With them In any way?" he
asked quickly.
I'VE believe so: though as vet we
nave been able to prove absolutely
aothlhg. But we are guarding the cab
net very closely. I should no object
your client seeing it, but I could not
permit her to touch it-not, at least,
without Knowing why she wished to do
50; o willIemember that you have
told me nothing of why she is interest
ed in it,"
story. Mr. Lester" he said. 1T is ONLY
air that [ should do so. After Won
ave heard it. if you agree. we will take
Madame x to see the cabinet"
Very WE'LL I assented.
He settled back in his chair. and his
ace became more grave.
MY client" he began, els a member
of a prominent American family-a
most prominent family. Three wears
She married a French nobleman.
1ou can, perhaps. guess her name. but
should prefer that neither of us ut
ter it," ~
AAS o64SOAAAOAAI.
This nobleman has been both nrod-
gal and unfaithful. He has scattered
my clients fortune with both hands.
He has Haunted his mistresses in her
ace. He has eve tried to compel her
receive one Of them. I am free to
confess that I consider her a fool NOT
nave left him long ago. At last her
been wise enough to place a portion ~
ner fortune in trust. He paid her
husbands debts, placed him on an al
oWance n notified his creditors that
dents would not be paid again"
! q Dy this time. OF course, guessed
me name Of his client, since these
notoriety. and, I need hardly say list
interest.
The allowance is a princely me-"
Hornblower continued. but 1t does
ao1 sullice Monsieur x. No allowance
would suffice him-the more money he
spending 1t. So he has become a thief
g taken to selling the objects Of
art with which his residences are filled.
md which are really the property Of
client. since they were purchased
with her money. About two weeks AGO
my client returned to Paris from a stay
that he had almost denuded the town
house. Tapestries. pictures. sculp-
lures-everything had been sold.
Among other things which he had tax
was a Boulc cabinet. which had been
lsed by my client as her private writ
desk. h cabinet was a most valu-
one: but It Is not its monetary
value which makes my client so anxious
to recover It"
He paused an instant and cleared his
throat. n I realised that he was com
!ns TO the really delicate part OF the
Monsieur x had had the decency."
ne went on. more slowly, ito. as he
thought. retain his wife's private pa
pers. He had caused the contents OF
various drawers to Be dumped out