The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-03-22

"I don't want him 60 venture back. !"
no said "T want 90 scare him of
want him 20 ace we're thoroughly on
guard" He hailed q passing cab and
paused with one foot On the step.
i've already told you. Lester he
added over bis shonidee. 'that rm
afraid Of him Perhaps you thought
was joking but . wasn't ! was never
more serious I'm my life The Record
ONCE" he added TO the cabby and fin
gied away. leaving me staring after
him
Just before Z turned On for the night
Tn my own apartment ! heard eroua
Godfrey again. for my telephone rang.
and ft was his voice that answered
81 just wanted 90 tell you. LESTER"
he said. '.that your guess was right
The mysterious Frenrhman came over
on La Touraine. landing &C noon yes
terday He came In the ste~raRe and
the stewards know nothing about nina
What time was II he got 20 vantins'sT
about q ! should say"
$50 he probably went Directly there
from the boat. an you thought IT ,t
accounts for nobody knowing hi.L
The steamship company In holding a
bag belonging to him G'fl ret them
10 open Il tomorrow and perhaps we
shall nnd out who he was Good
nightr'
II was shortly after reached the
ONCE next morning that the once boy
came In and handed me O card with
an awed and reverent air. An awed
and reverens feeling creps over me
also. for the card bore the name or
Serene HorubiOwer
That name 10 quite unknown outside
the legal profession Of the three great
cities OF the east New York. Bo&toa
and Philadelphia yet Serene Horn.
blowers income would make that OF
any other lawyer in the country look
like 30 cents
He is the confidential attorney OF
most Of our ''hesf families" He has
held that position for years. and &c ts
said that no case placed unreservpdly
in his hands ever resulted In a public
scandal
His reputation for tact and Gelicacy
In tremendous. and vet those Who have
found themselves opposed to- him have
never been long in realizing that there
was a most redOu btable mailed fist I'M
der the velvet glove. ] had never met
him either professionally or person
ally. and it was with some eagerness
that I told the once boy to show him
In at once.
He was a bluH and hearty man of
middle age. rather leavy set. fresh
faced and clean shaver and with very
bright blue eyes.
We shook hands and he sat down
and plunged at once without an in
stant's hesitation into the business
which had brought him.
''Mr. Lester" he began. 81 under
stand that you are the administrator
Of the estate OF the late Philip Van
tfne?
"Our firm Is" l corrected.
But you. personally. have been at
tending to his business? He was a col
lector Of old furniture. / believer"
Yes"
"And on his last trip to Europe.
from which he returned only a few
days ago. he purchased Of Armand &
Son Of Paris q BOule cabinet?"
/ could not repress q start Of aston |
Are you acting for Armand & sOn?"
I queried.
Not at all. am acting for n lady
for the present, we Will call /
Nine. X" |
The thought flashed through my
mind that Mime. Z. and the mysterious
might be one and the
same person. Then / put aside the |
idea as absurd Serene Hornbtower
would never accept such a client.
mr.. Vantine did buy such a cab |
met ] said.
And ii Is In your possess1on?"
There is at his residence a Boule |
cabinet which was shipped him from !
Paris. but. only o few hours before his !
death. Mr. vantine assured me that |
It was not the one he had purchased"
You mean that a mistake had been
made In the shipment?''
THAT In what we supposed. and a
since confirmed it"
Where 10 the cabinet which Mr..
vantine did buy?'
81 have no idea. Perhaps is in still
n Paris. But I am expecting a repre-
sentative Of the Armands % call very
SOON 10 Strengthen things out
Again my companion fell silent. and
set rubbing his chin ab~entiy.
eft Ia very strange" he said finally.
sYP the em hfnef waa still M Paris one
would think IL would have been dis
covered before my client made inquiry
about It."
There are a good many things which
lre strange about this whole matter"
supplemented.
would you have any objection TO
my client seeing this cabinet. Mr. Les
arr
Il was my turn 10 hesitate