Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-14


ter. we viii lave a look for ourselves
"a look?"
Yes; for the secret drawer
"D'Aurelle and vantine found it," I
muttered thickly.
'It won't kill us. We will go about
it armored, Lester. That poisoned fang
may strike. but I'll be ready. Lester
There will be no danger. Come, man!
Why, it's the chance of lifetime-tc
match ourselves against the greatest
criminal of modern timesr
! His shriIl laugh told how excited he
was.
And do you know what we shall
find in that drawer, Lester? But no
! 1t is only guess-tbe widest sort of
guess-but if it is right-if it is
! right! Anyway, you will help me,
| Lester? You will Gomez"
There was a wizardry in his man
| ner not to be resisted.
Yes" I answered, with a quick in
| taking of the breath; I'm comet"
II knew you would Tomorrow
| night, then-I'll call for you here at
| O'Clock. We will have dinner to-
! gether-and then, hey for the great Sc
| cretv'
The door closed behind him. and his
footsteps died away down the hall. l
looked at my watch-it was nearly .
O'clock
Dizzily went to bed. But my sleek
was broken by a fearful dream-a
dream of serpent, with blazing eyes
and dripping fangs, poised to strike!
My first thought when / awoke next
morning was for Parks. 1t was with
lively sense of relief that I heard
Parks voice answer my call on the
phone.
This is Mr.. Lester" said. as ev-
erything all right?''
Everything serene, SIR he answer
| ed. 1T would take a mighty smooth
burglar to get in here now, SIR
How is that?" l asked.
Reporters are camped all around
the house, sir. They seem to think
somebody else will be killed here to-
day"
II hope not" 1 said quickly. "And
don't let any of the reporters in nor
talk to them. Tell them they must go
to the police for their information. If
they get too annoying let me know,
and I'll have an officer sent around.
Don't let anybody in the house-no
matter what he wants-unless Mr..
Grady or Mr.. SimmondS or Mr.. Gold
berger accompanies him. Don't let
anybody in you don't know. If there
is any trouble call me up. want you
to be careful about this"
II understand, SIR
How is RogerS?" l asked
Much better. sir. He wanted to
get up. but 1 told him he might as we'll
stay in bed. and I'd look after things.
1 thought that was the best place for
him, SIR
1T is I agreed. Keep him there
as long as you can. I'll come in dur
ing the day. If possible. In any event,
Mr.. Godfrey and I will be there this
evening. Call me at the Office if you
need me for anything"
Very good, SIR" said Parks again.
and hung up.
I glanced through Godfrey's account
of the affair while l ate my breakfast
and noted with amusement the sly
digs taken at Commissioner Grady.
Under the photograph of the unknown
woman was the legend:
"Mr. Vantine's Mysterious Caller
GRADY Please Notice.)"
And it was intimated that when
Grady wanted any real information
about an especially puzzling case he
had to go to the Record to get it,
This. however. was merely by the
way, for the story of the double trag-
edy, fully illustrated. was flung across
many columns and was plainly consid-
cred the great news feature of the
day.
l glanced at two or three other pa
pers on my way downtown. All of
them featured the tragedy with a riot
OF pictures. But when it came to the
story of the tragedy itself their ac-
counts were far less detailed and inti-
mate than that in the Record. ! sus-
pected that il was the realization of
the Records triumph which had caused
the descent of the phalanx of report
ers upon the vantine place.
l went over the whole affair with
Mr.. Royce as soon as he reached the
Office and spent the rest of the day
arranging the papers relating TO Van
tines affairs and getting them ready
TO probate. Parks called me up once
or twice for instructions as to various
details. And then. toward the middle
of the afternoon. came the cablegram
from Paris which l had almost for
gotten to expect:
Royce g. Lester. New York:
Regret mistake IN shipment exceedingly
Our representative win call to explain
ARMAND & SON.
So there was an end of the romance
Godfrey had woven and which I bad
been almost ready TO believe-the ro-
nance OF design. or n carefully laid
plot and all that. II had been merely
accident after all.
I -put the whole thing impatiently |