Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-31
The Mystery of
the Bou1e Cabinet
BURTON E.. STEVENSON
Copyright, 1918, by Burton E. Stevenson
Copyright, 1918. by Burton E. Stevenson.

X YOU to meet him. Godfrey. He is
Felix Armand, the son of the firm.
n one of the most finished gentle
men ever met"
Id like to meet him." said Godfrey,
smiling queerly. Perhaps i shall. some
he explain the blunder, Lester?"
wrong cabinet to Vantine. The right
n will get here on La Provence to-
morrow, and | told him In detail the
story which Felix Armand told me. HE
was quite upset over It," / added. His
apologies We're almost abject."
Godfrey listened intently to all this,
and he nodded with satisfaction when
l had finished.
1T is all most interesting" he COM
mented. Did NJ. Armand happen to
mention where he is staying?"
mo, but he won't be hard to find, if
the big hotels. of CONSEQUENTLY the
Plaza or the st. Regis. He's too great
a swell for any minor hostelry."
What time do you expect him to-
morrow"
Sometime in the afternoon. He's to
can Tor me as soon as he gets Van
tines cabinet off the boat. Godfrey"
added. II felt yesterday when l was
talking with him that perhaps he knew
more about this affair han be would
admit. 1 could see that he guessed in
an instant who the owner of the letters
was. and what they contained. Do you
think l ought to hold on to the cab
met a while longer? / could invent some
pretext for delay, easily enough"
Why. no; let him have his cabinet"
said Godfrey, with IN alacrity that sur
prised me. IF your theory about it
has been exploded, what's the use Of
hanging on to it?"
90 r Aorff cno o~y ,o IT, ~S.- - ~ T
admitted, but I thought perhaps you
might want more time to examine it"
Ing to- Godfrey answered., and
told myself that this was the
first time 1 had ever known him to
admit himself defeated.
II have a sort of feeling I explained,
we give up the only clue we have to
this whole affair. 1t is like u confess
sion of defeat"
''Oh, no, it isn't" Godfrey objected.
IF there is nothing more to be learned
from the cabinet, there is no reason to
retain it. I should certainly let NJ. Ar
mand have it. Perhaps I'll see you to-
morrow" he added. and we parted at
the corner.
Blu 1 did not see him on the NOR
row. ] was rather expecting a call from
him during the morning. and when
none came. I was certain l should find
him awaiting me when l arrived at the
Vantine house, in company with M. Ar
mand. But he was not there and when
| asked for him. Parks told me that he
had not seen him since the day before.
l confess that Godfrey's Indifference
to the fate of the cabinet surprised me
greatly; besides, 1 was hoping that he
would wish to meet the fascinating
Frenchman. More fascinating, if pos
sible. than he had been on Monday, and
| soon found myself completely under
his spell. There had been less delay
than he had anticipated in getting the
cabinet off the boat and through the
customs, and it was not yet 8 o'clock
when Wa reached the Vantine house.
Il haven't seen Mr.. Godfrey" Parks
repeated. but there's others here as it
fair breaks my heart to see"
He motioned toward the door Of the
music room, and. stepping to it, I saw
the inventory was already in progress.
The man in charge Of it nodded to me,
but I did not go in. for the sight was
anything but a pleasant one.
THE cabinet is in the room across
the hail." 1 said to M. Armand, and led
the way through the ante-room into
the room beyond.
Parks switched on the lights for us,
and my companion glanced with sur
prise at the heavy shutters covering
SAiS "1AlOOWS.
I'VE put those up for a protection"
1 explained. 1--WE had an idea that
some one would try to enter. In fact,
one evening we did find a wire con-
Meeting with the burglar alarm cut, and
later on, saw some one peering in
through the hole in that shutter yon-
der"
You did?" M. Armand aueried quick
ly. Would you recognize the man, If
you were to meet him AGAIN."
oh. no; you see the hole Is quite
small. There was nothing visible ex-
cept a pair of eyes. Yet l might know
them again, for l never before saw
such eyes-so bright, so burning. It was
the night that Godfrey n 1 were try
ing to find the secret drawer, and those
eyes CLEANED like fire as they watched
US"
NJ. Armand was gazing at the cab
met, apparently only half listening.
All, yes. the secret drawer" he said.
Will you show me how it is operated,
it,"
PLACED my hand upon the table and
pressed the three points which the
yelled lady had shown US. The first
time l got the order wrong, but at the
second trial. the little handle fell for
ward with a click. and I pulled the
drawer open.
1AS - 49, ! Sald. ~ LOu Scc uOW
cueverly it is constructed. And how
well it is concealed. Nc one would sus-
pect its existence"
He examined it with much interest;
pushed it back into place, and then
opened it himself.
Very clever, indeed he agreed. II
have never seen another so we'll con-
cealed. And the idea of opening it only
by a certain combination is most hap
py and original. Most secret drawers
are secret only in name; a slight search
reveals them; but this one :"
He pushed it shut again, and exam
ined the inlay rou 1t.
My friend and 1 went over the cab
met very carefully and could not fin
it," 1 said.
Your friend-I think you mentioned
his name?"
"Yes-his name is Godfrey"
"a man of the law, like yourself?"
oh. no, a newspaper man. But he
had been a member of the detective
force before that. He is extraordinarily
keen. and If anybody could have found
that drawer, he could. But thai COM
bination was too much for him."
NJ. Armand snapped the drawer back
into place. with a little crash.
Il am glad, at any rate, that it was