Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-04-09

tary vaiue wn1cn makes my client so
anxious to ecover it,"
He paused an instant and cleared his
throat,
monsieur Y. had had the d~ecency,"
ne Went on. moro slowly. Ito. as he
tnouSht. retain his wife's private pa
pefs. He had caused the contents OF
the Far1ous drawers to be dumped out
upon a chair. But there was one
drawer OF which he knew nothing-a
secret drawer. known only to my eli
II That drawer contained a packet
of letters which my client is most anx-
lou to regain. She has given me to
understand that their recovery is es-
sentlal to her peace OF mind"
l reelected Il faithlesS husband has
no reason to complain if his wife re-
pays hlm in the same coin.
My client went to work at once to
regain the cabinet. continued Mr..
Hornblower. plainly relieved that the
thlnncst ice haze been crossed. she
found that it had been sold to Armand
Il Son Fastening to their offices. she
learned hat it had beer resold by
them to Mr. Vantine and sent forward
to him here. SO she came over on the
first boat, ostensibly to visit her fami-
~, but really to ask Mr.. Vantine's per-
mission to open the dra wer and take
out the letters. His death interfered
with this. and in despair she came to
me. need hardly add that no men,
Der of her family knows anything
about this matter. and it is especially
important that her husband should
neVet even suspect it, On her behalf
l Apply to you as Mr.. Vantine's execu-
tor to restore these letters to their
owner
| sat for Il III turning this ex-
t~raordinary story over in my mind.
Surely Nine. Y. would scarcely guard
the secret of that drawer with poison.
Does amy II besides your client
know Of the existence of these let
ters?' | asked at last.
Il think not" answered Mr.. Horn
blower. smiling dryIy. They are not
of Il nature which my client would
care to communicate to any one. We
must get them back ut any cost"
LAS a matter Of fact" | pointed out.
there are always ut least two people
who know Of the existence Of every
letter-the person who writes it and
the person who receives it."
81 had thought Of that, but the per-
SOL who wrote these letters Is dead.
He was killed in a duel some months
ago by Monsieur X"
Mr.. Hornblower sat regarding me.
his lips pursed. as an indication. per-
haps. hat he would say no more.
But there was no necessity that he
should. l knew enough Of French law
and Of French habits Of thought to
realize that if those letters eve came
into possession of Monsieur X. the
game would be entirely in his hands.
His wife would be absolutely at his
mercy. And the thought flashed
through my mind that perhaps in some
way he had learned of the existence
Of the letters. and was trying des-
perately to get them. That thought
was enough to swing the balance in
his wife's favor.
II am sure" said. that Mr.. Van
tine would instantly have consented
to your client opening the drawer and
taking out the letters. And, as his
executor. | also consent. But l must
warn you, Mr.. Hornblower, that I be-
lieve two men have already been kill
ed trying to open that drawer" and l
told him the story. II am inclined to
Numbered upon the drawer while ex-
aiming the cabinet, but there is no
doubt that the other man knew Of the
drawer. and also. presumably. Of its
contents"
We'll" exclaimed my companion.
Il have listened to many astonishing
stories In my life. but never n to
equal this. And you know nothing Of
this Frenchman?'
Nothing except that he came from
Elavre on La Tnuraine last Thursday.
and drove from the dock direct to Van
tines house"
My client Also rnnlr on La TOu
raine. but that. IL, hulh!. was u mere
coincidence"
That may 'r." | agreed. but it is
scarcely a coincidence that both he
and your client were after the con
tents Of that drawer"
You mean
II mean that the mysterious French
Ean may very possibly have been an
erlissary Of Monsieur X. Madame may
have betrayed the secret to him in an
%unguarded moment"
Mr.. H%ornblower rose abruptly. He
was evidently much disturbed.
You may be right" he agreed. II
will communicate with MY client at
once. take it that she has your per-
mission to see the cabinet. and if 1t
proves to be the right one that she
may open the drawer and remove the
letters"
~ . s-t.. 49, ;,i ~ I