Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-24
The Mystery of
the Boule Cabinet
BURTON E. STEVENSON
Copyright 1918. by Burton e. Stevenson.

fishers who reckon literature a COM
modify, along with soap and cheese.
mat. OF course, would be impossible
to do; the last barrier to the CONNER
clal invasion of the avenue would be
removed; that heroic of the
Old order OF things would be destroyed;
IN a year or two. a monster of steel
and stone would rise on the spot where
three generations of Nantines had lived
Their lives; and h collection, so uni
ned and coherent, to which the last
Vantlne had devoted his life, would be
merged and lost in the vast collections
Oh the museum. 1t was a sad ending.
Gentleman to see you, sir" said the
oTtlce boy, as | sat down at my desk,
and a moment later. NJ. Felix Armand
was shown in to me.
nave only to close my eyes to call
asaih pefore me that striking person.
AMY, Tor Felix Armand was one of the
most extraordinary men l ever Ia
.he pleasure of meeting. Ruddv-faced
nrlght-eyed, with dark full beard and
waving hair almost jet black-hair that
crlhkled abou his ears in a way that
! can describe by no other word than
iasclnatlng-he ave the impression OF
tremendous strength and %virility. There
was ABOUT MN, too. an air Of culture
not 10 be mistaken; the air of a man
VINO had Travelled much. seen much.
ana mixed with many people, high and
loM' the ar OF a man at home any,
Where, In n society. 1t is impossible
for me. by mere words, to convey any
aoequate idea of his vivid personality;
out confess that, from the first mo-
ment, was both impressed and
charmed by him. And I am still i'm
passsea; more, perhaps, that at first,
now that I know the whole story
but YOU shall hear.
= speak English very badly, sir
ne SAID, as he sat down. IF you speak
Not half so well as you speak Eng
llsh,' | laughed. II can tell that from
your first sentence"
In that event, I will do the hest
L can, he said, smiling. "and you must
pardon my blunders. First, Mr. Lester.
on nehalf OF Armand ct Fills, I must
ASK your pardon for this mistake. so
1neXcuSable." ~
IT was a mistake, them" I asked.
one most embarrassing to us. We
cannot find for it an explanation Re-
lleVe me. Mr.. Lester. it is not our habit
70 make Mistakes; we have a. replta-
tlon OF which We are very proud: but
the abine which was purchased by
MI. Vantlne remained in our ware
mouse, and this other one. wae boxed
and shipped to him. We are investi-
eating most rigidly."
"Ihen Mr.. Vantine's cabinet is still
In Paris N'ii
NO. Mr.. Lester; the error was dis
covered some days ago, and the cabi-
ne to Mr., Vantine was
shlpped to me here. 1t should arrive
next Wednesday OIL La Provence. I
snail myself receive it. and deliver II
to Mr.. Vantine."
Mr.. Vantine is dead" I said. lyon
did not know"
He sat staring at me for a moment
as though unable to comprehend
'DlQ | understand that ro, co;l NJ.
Vantine is dead?' he stammered
l told him briefly as much as I knew
OF the tragedy. while he sat regarding
me with an air of stupefaction.
~ is curious you saw nothing of it
IN the papers," 1 added. They were
full of it," "eie
l nave been visiting friends at Que
nec,' he explained. 1T was there thai
the message from u house found me.
commanding me to hasten here. |
started at once and reached this city
Saturday. j drove here directly from
the station, but was so unfortunate as
to miss you"
i am sorry to have caused Won so
much trouble" 1 said.
But my dear Mr.. Lester" he pro-
tested, lit is for us to take trouble.
a m OF this sort we feel as a dis
schooi, is most upset concerning it.
But this death of Mr.. Vantine-it is a
great blow to me. l have met him
many times. He was a real connoisseur
nave lost n Of our most valued
patrons. You say hat he was found
dead in a room at his house?'
Yes and death resulted from a small
wound on the hand into which some
jeeted." AA
That is most curious. In what man
ner was such a wound nader"
III, we --s
DRY
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
Mr.. Vantine. My theory was that both
his stranger and MIR. Vantine had
been killed while trying to open a
secret drawer in the Boule cabinet.
DO you know anything Of the history
of that cabinet, Monsieur Armand"
we believe It to have been made
for Madame de Montespan by Mon
sieur Boule himself" he answered. 1T
IS the original of n now in the
Louvre which is known to have be-
longed to the Grand Louis"
That was Mr.. Vantine's belief" /
said. Why he should have arrived at
eAoI SoiiSidSiOli, L QOIl l
Mr.. Vantine was a connoisseur."
said M. Armand, quietly. There are
certain indications which no %connois-
eur could mistake"
1T was his guess at the history of
the cabinet" 1 explained. which gave
me the basis for my theory. A cabinet
belonging to Madame de Montespan
would. Of course, have a secret draw
er; and since it was made in the DAYS
of de Brinvilliers and La Voisin, what
more natural han that it should be
guarded by a poisoned mechanism"
What more natural, indeed!"
breathed my companion, and l fam
cied that he looked at me with a new;
interest in his eyes. 1T is good rea.
soning, Mr.. Lester" 80.
1T seemed to explain a situation.
for which no other explanation has.
been found" 1 said. And it had also
the merit of picturesqueness."
1T is unique" he agreed eagerly, his
eyes burning like two Goals Of fire, SO
intense was his interest. Il have been
from boyhood," he added, noticing my
glance, "a lover of tales of mystery.
They have for me a fascination / can
not explain; there is in my blood
something that responds to them. /
fnal cny1a0+trna &c tJ,nf p -,a.Ja -