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


ped to me here. 1t should arrive next
Wednesday ON La Provence. l shall
| myself receive,it and deliver it to Mr..
| Vantine."
"Mr vantfne is Dead" said. You
did not know"
He sat staring at me for moren:.-
did 1 understand that you said Mr..
| vantine is dead?" he stammered.
1 told him briefly as much as
| knew of the tragedy.
1T is curious you saw nothing OF 1t
in the papers," I added. They were
full of it."
81 have been visiting friends at Que
bec" he explained. "It was there
that the message from our house found
me commanding me to hasten here. A
bIunder of this sort we feel as a dis
grace. / have met Mr.. Vantine many
times He was a real connoisseur.
We have lost one of our most valued
patrons You say that he was found
/ dead in a room at his house?"
Eyes. and death resulted from a
small wound on the hand. into which
some very powerful poison had been
injected"
THAT is most curious. In what man
ner was Sucn u wound IuaQe.
THAT we don't know. had the
ory"-
"Yes?" he questioned, his eyes
cleaning with interest.
"a few hours previously another
man had been found in the same room,
killed in the same way"
Another man?"
"a stranger who had called to see
A. ~ t,1%I
this stranger and Mr.. Vantine had
been killed while trying to open Sc
cret drawer In the Boule cabinet Do
you know anything of the history of
that cabinet, NJ. Armand?"
1--WE believe it to have been made
for Nine. de Montespan by NJ. Boule
himself he answered. at is the
original of one now in the Louvre
which is known to have belonged to
the Grand LOUIS
ut was Mr.. Vantine's correct guess
at the history of the cabinet" 1 ex-
planned, (which gave me the basis for
my theory A cabinet belonging to
Nine. de Montespan would, Of course.
have a secret drawer. What more nat
! ural than that it should be guarded by
a poisoned mechanism"
w
good reasoning, Mr.. Lester" he agreed
eagerly, his eyes burning like two Goals
of fire, SO intense was his interest. 81
have been from boyhood a lover of
tales of mystery. I am fascinated"
Perhaps you can assist u.s." I sug-
gested, "for that theory of mine has
been completely disproved-"
''Disproved? In what way?" he de-
manded.
THE secret drawer has been found"
''How?" he cried. his voice sharp
with surprise. Found? The secret
drawer has been found:"
Eyes. and there was no poisoned
mechanism guarding it,
He breathed deeply for an instant:
then he pulled himself together with a
little laugh.
Really" he said, 81 must not in
dulge myself in this way. Was the
drawer empty?'
mo; there was a packet of letters
in it"
"DeIiciousl Love letters, of a GER
tainty! From the Great Louis to the
Montespan. perhaps?"
mo, unfortunately, they were OF
much more recent date They have
been restored to their owner. hope
that you agree with me that that was
the right thing to do:"
''Since the letters have been return
ed" he said at last. little dryly. lit
is useless to discuss the matter. Has
not other explanation been found for
the death of Mr.. Vantine and of this
stranger? You do not even know who
he was?"
"Oh. yes. we have discovered that.
He was worthless fellow named
Drouet. living in an attic in the Rue
lie In HUchette. in Paris"
NJ Armand had been gazing at me
but now his look relaxed. and
| fancied that he drew a deep breath
as man might do when relieved ola
burden.
"You did not. by any chance. know
him:" asked carelessly.
mo. think not. But do not nm
ierstand what this Drouet. as you call
him. was doing in the house of MIR.
Vantine."
HE was trying to get possession of
he letters | said What none OF
IS understands. NJ Armand. is how he
was killed. Who or what killed him.
How was that poison administered.
can you suggest an explanationF'
1T Is n nice problem" he said. N
most interesting one. | will think II
'ver, Mr.. lester. Z shall see yoH
again Wednesday. II it is agreeable
o you we can meet at the house OF
dr. vantine and exchange the cabi-
lets'' ~
AT what time?"
II do not know with exactnessl
There may be some delay ia getting
be cabinet from the ship. Perhaps
{ would be better II eailed for you9s
"very we'll" I assentesi
tTo Be Continued Next ;sveduezlay.s
All the news all the tlme--The Argus.