Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-21

eu- must NuIu you tuut IN TOUCH
Ing that cabinet you are running q
great risk
"A great risk" she echoed. looking
at me.
lis there not connected with the
drawer asked. "a mechanism which
- the drnwer Is opened plunges two
poisoned fangs into the hand which
opens it:'
mo. Mr.. Lester" she answered. us
PUNISHMENT In her voice. II assure you
there is no such mechanism"
/ ! clutched Mt n last straw. and sor.
I ~ one II was
The mechanism may have been
] placed there since the cabinet passed
/ from your possession suggested.
THAT is perhaps possible" she
/ agreed. though saw that she was un.
/ convinced.
AT any rate. madame" 1 said. -
would ask that in opening the drawer
you wear this gauntlet" and l picked
mp GOdfreys gauntlet from the chair
on which IT lay. 1T IS needless that
you should take any risk. however
! slight. Permit me- and / slipped the
gauntlet over her right hand.
AS / did so l glanced Mt Godfrey.
He was staring at the yelled lady with
such a look OF stupefaction that near
ly choked with delight. 1t had not
often been my luck TO see Jim Godfrey
mystifed. but he was certainly mysti-
fed now.
She moved toward the cabinet. God.
frey and 1 close behind her. Instinc-
lively 1 glanced toward the suffered
fttN h. tot 81
was unobscured.
The yelled lady bent above the table
and disposed the fingers of her right
hand to fit the metal inlay midway of
the left side.
ut is a little awkward" she said.
81 have always been accustomed 20
using the left hand. You will notice
that / am pressing on three points.
But 20 open the drawer one must press
these points in a certain order-frst
this one. then this one and then this
one"
There was n sharp click. and at the
side of the table a piece Of the metal
inlay fell forward.
THAT is the handle" said the yelled
lady. and without an instant's hesits-
ton. while my heart stood still. she
Grasped it and drew out n shallow I
drawer. ''Ah"- And. casting aside the /
ridiculous gauntlet, she caught up the 1
packet OF papers which lay within. |
You see that they are only letters. 1
Mr.. Lester she said in n low voice. |
and / assure you that they belong 70 /
me-
II believe you. madame" I said. and. .
with a sigh OF relief that was almost
n sob. she rebound the packet and
slipped it into the bosom of her gown.
There is one thing" 1 added. (which
madame can. perhaps. do for me-"
II shall be most happy she breathed
AS I have told Mr.. Hornblower." 7
continued. two men died in this room
the day before yesterday. or. rather.
IL was in the room beyond that they
died. but We believe it was here they
received the wounds which caused
death. 1t seems that we were wrong in
this
Undoubtedly" she agreed. There
has never been any such weird mech
anism as you described connected with
that drawer. Mr.. Lester-at least not
since / have had it. There is a legend.
you know. that the cabinet was made
for Mime. de Montespan."
Mr.. Vantine suspected as much" ]
said. HE was examining it at the
time he died. What the other man
was doing we do not know. but IL we
could identify him 1t might help us.
II has occurred to me. madame. that
you may have seen him on la Touraine
that he may even be known TO you"
What was his name?"
The card he sent in TO Mr.. Vantine
)ore the name OF TheophiIe D'Aurelle." :
She shook her head. /
II have never before heard that A,
lame. Mr.. Lester
Perhaps )u will recognize this pho $
ograph?"
She took ii. looked at It and again !
hook her head. Then she looked at II
gain, turning aside and raising her I
-eil in order 10 see it better.
There seems TO be something famil-
ar about the face" she said at last {
as though l might have seen the man I
G
''On the boat. perhaps I suggested, /
ut l knew very well it was not on d
he boat. since the man had crossed in I
he steerage. v
NO; ii was not on the boat ] did
OF leave my stateroom on the boat. Z
;ut l am quite sure that have seen
i'm, and yet I can't say where. Per e
APPS my maid can help us" Photo o
raph in hand. she stepped through the y
Doorway into the outer room. s
Julie" said she in rapid French. 81 s.
ave here the photograph OF n man h
-ho was killed in this room most mys-
.riously n few days ago. These gen a
emen wish TO identify him. The face
,ems to me somehow familiar. but ] Il
snnot place Il. Look at it, a
Julie put forth a shaking hand. took p
lie photograph and glanced Mt It: b.
len. with long sigh. slid Imply TO u
lie floor before either Godfrey or ]
,uld catch her. II
As she fell her veil. catching on the
iair back. was torn away. and. look u