Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-18
1t was my turn to hesitate.

1t was my turn to hesitate.
MIR. Hornblower," L said finally, 'T
will be frank with you. There is
certain mystery surrounding this cabi-
net which we have not been able to
solve. 1 suppose you have read of the
mysterious deaths of Mr.. Vantine and
of an unknown Frenchman, both in
| the same room at the Vantine house
and both apparently from the same
| cauSe?"
DO you mean that this cabinet is
connected with them in any way?" he
asked quickly.
I'VE believe so, though as yet we
have been able to prove absolutely
nothing. But we are guarding the
cabinet very closely. 1 should not OBJ
! ject to your client seeing it, but could
! not permit her to touch it-not, at
least, without knowing why she wish
| ed TO do so. You will remember that
| you have told me nothing of why she
| is interested in it."
81 am quite ready to tell you the
| story, Mr.. Lester" he said. 1T is only
| fair that ! should do so. After you
have heard it, if you agree, we will
take Nine. Y. 10 see the cabinet My
client is a member of a prominent
American faLmily-a most prominent
family. Three years ago she married
a French nobleman. You can perhaps
guess her name, but 1 should prefer
that neither of US utter it.
This nobleman has been both prodi-
gal and unfaithful. He has scat
tered my clients fortune with both
hands l am free to confess that i
consider her a fool not to have left
him long ago. At last her trustees in
terfered, for her father had been wise
enough TO place Il portion of his for
tune in trust. They paid her husbands
debts, placed him on an allowance and
notified his creditors that his debts
would not be paid again.
had by this time. of course, guessed
the name of his client
"The allowance is princely one
Mr.. Hornblewer continued, "but it does
not suffice Monsieur y. No allowance
would suffice him. So he has become
a thief. He has taken to selling the
objects of art with which his resi-
dences are filed apd which are really
the property of my client. since they
We're purchased with her money
About two weeks ago my client re-
turned to Paris from a stay at her
chateau in Normandy to find that he
had almost denuded the town house |
Among other things which he had ta- /
ken was a Boule cabinet. which had !
been used by my client as her private |
writing desk. The cabinet was u most !
valuable one But it is not it's none !
tary value which makes my client so !
anxious to recover it
He paused an instant and cleared his |
throat.
Monsieur y. had had the decencys !
he went on. more slowly, to as he !
thought, retain his wife's private pa
pers. He had caused the contents of /
the various drawers to be dumped out |
upon chair. But there was one /
drawer of which he knew nothing-a |
secret drawer. known only TO my GU |
ent- That drawer contained pacEet |
of letters which my client is most anx- !
ious to regain. She has given me to /
understand that their recovery is es
sential to her peace of mind"
1 reflected raithless husband has |
no reason to complain if his wife re-
pays him in. the same coin.
My client went to work at once to
regain the cabinet" continued Mr..
Hornblower. plainly relieved that the
thinnest ice had been crossed. she /
found that it had been sold to Armand
6 Son. fastening TO their Offices. she
learned that it had been resold by /
them 10 Mr.. Vantine aud sent forward /
To him here. SO she came over on the i
first boat. ostensibly TO visit her fami-
~, but really to ask Mr.. Nantine's per- /
mission to open the drawer and take i
out the letters. His death interfered /
with this. and in despair she came 10
me. ! need hardly add that no mem /
Der of her family knows anything
about this matter. and it is especially |
important that her husband should
never even suspect it On her behalf
apply to you as Mr.. Vantine's execu-
-or TO restore these letters to their
,wner"
! sat for moment turning this ex-
-raordinary story over In my mind
surely Nine. y. would scarcely guard
-ha .acEat of that sira war with poisnn