The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-12-17

The story Is straight, OF course he
said. "Hornblower would not be en-
gagged In anything tricky. Besides, /
too" 49,
Yes. / nave seen pictures OF her. And
veil" A"
so did I. She has changed since the
day of her wedding, Lester-she was a
sI~nooth-faced girl. then! Three years OF
on heri''
de FELL silent. staring thoughtfulIy al
ehe carpet Then he shook himself.
tefestinga' he added. Nevertheless,
there are still a number OF things which
are not quite clear to me-"
mere Is one thing + don't under
stand, myself" 1 said. II hadn't any
auea this was the right cabinet. L didn't
see now 1t could be-"
That's it, exactly. How did II han
pei, When the yelled lady went to
ma & o in Paris. that h was
directed to Philip Vantine? Ac-
eoralng to his own story. he did
hoe purchase this cabinet; he had never
sFlpped him by mistake; Armand G. Son
oaoie you that it was a mistake: and
~ they cite Nantine as the purchaser.
mere is something twisted somewhere.
lester Just where I'll try to find OUT
which reminds me that Armand's
representative hasn't been around vet
OUT ~ matter
1t wont do any harm to hear his
story, anyway" Godfrey agreed. Now
'ets ave a look at that drawer"
1t was standing open as we had left
u, ana Godfrey pushed it back into
ptace' called my attention to the cum
llIlS VA IN which tie a1tfJ;~o xr.-- -
cealed by the inlay about it. Then he
worked the spring, the handle fell into
place, and he drew the drawer out
agalf. as far as 1t would come, and ex-
amined 1t carefully.
Inc fellow who devised that was a
genius" he said, ad~miringiy, pushing ii
back into place. II wonder what Its
contents W been from the DAYS of
Maoafne de Montespan down to the
present! Love letters, mostly, I sup
pose since they are the things which
neea concealment most. Don't you wish
ter?'
There is n I wish it would tell, IL
II knows It," l said. IT wish it would
tell who killed Philip Vantfne I sun
pose you will agree with me that our
pretty theory has got a Knockout blow.
this time
TT looks that way. doesn't it?"
There Is no poisoned mechanism
ABOUT that drawer-that's sure,' I add
No, and never has BEEN" godfrey
agreed.
And that leaves us all at sea, doesn't
II. II leaves the whole affair more
mysterious than ever. l can't under
stand It," and l sat Town in my be-
Wlderment rubbed my head. l real
~ felt for an instant as though l had
gone mentally blind There is one
thing sure" added, The killing, what
ever It's cause, was done out there in
the ante-room, not In here
What makes you think that?"
we believ that Drouet came here to
get Vantine's permission to opon this
drawer and get the letters, no doubt
representing himself as the agent of
their owner"
I think it's a pretty good guess"
SAID Godfrey, pensively.
our theory was hat, after being
SHOWN into the ante-room, he discov-
cred the cabinet, tried to open the
drawer, and was killed IN the attempt.
But 1t is evident enough now that there
is nothing about that drawer to hurt
any one
Yes, that's evident, think" Cod
frey agreed.
IF he had opened the drawer, then,
he would have taken the letters, since
there was nothing to prevent him.
Since they were not taken, 1t follows,
doesn't it, that he was killed before
ne mad a chance at the drawer? Per-
haps he never saw the cabinet. He
must have been killed out there in the
~ante-room, q few minutes after Parks
left"
And how about Vantine " Godfrey
asked.
II don't know" I said, helplessly.
HI didn't want the letters-if he
opened the drawer at all, it was merely
out or curiosity to see how it worked.
only, of course, the same agency that
killed Drouet, killed him. Yes-and now
that [ think Of it, it's certain he didn't
open the drawer, either"
how do you know it's certain?"
IF he had opened the aver
pointed out, and been killed in the act
OF opening 1t. 1t would have beer found
open. l had thought that perhaps If
closed Of itself, but you see that 1t
does not You have to push it shut,
ana then snap the handle into place.
That's true" Godfrey assented, and
IL SOUNDS pretty conclusive. If 1t is true
OF Vant1ne, 1t Is also true Of Drouet.
Inc inference Is, then, that neither of
them opened the drawer. Well, what
follows?"
Il don't know" I said, helplessly.
Nothing seems to follow"
There Is an alternative" Godfrey
suggested.
What is it," I demanded.
The hand that killed Drouet and
Nant1ne may also have closed the draw
er," said Godfrey. and ooked at me.
And left the letters In it?" 1 cues
toned. Surely not!"