Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-23
The Mystery Of
the Bou1e Cabinet
BURTON E. STEVENSON
\ Copyright, 1918, by Burton 3. tevenso

but / was feeling decidedly blue when
L started back to the office. Vantine's
collection had always seemed to me
somehow a part of himself; more espe-
cially Il part of the house in which it
had been assembled. 1t would lose
much of its beauty n significance
tlcketed and arranged stiffly along the
walls OF the museum. and the thought
am to me that it would be a splen-
did thing for New York If this old
house and it's contents could be kept
intact as an object lesson to the ner-
Gus and hurrying younger generation
oil the easier and more finished manner
OF hfe of the older one; something;
after the fashion that the beautiful old
Plantln-Moretus mansion at Antwerp
rs a rebuke to those p~resent-day pub
llshers who reckon literature a COM
modify. along with oap and cheese.
Inat, Oh course. would be impossible
10 do; the last barrier to the CONNER
clal invasion of the avenue would be
removed; that heroic rear-guard of the
Old ORDER of things would be d%estroyed:
IN a year or two. a monster of steel
n stone would rise on the spot where
thfee generations of Vantines had lived
their lives; and the collection, so uni
ned n coherent, to which the last
Vahtlne had devoted his life, would be
merged and lost in the vast collections
OIL the museum. 1t was IL sad ending.
Gentleman to see you, SIR" said the
ONCE boy, as sat down at my desk,
and a later. M. Felix Armand
was shown in to me.
L nave only to close my ewes to call
AGAIN before me that striking person.
AMY. for Felix Ar1naEd was one of the
most extraordinary men L ever had
1he pleasure of meeting. Ruddy-faced.
pright-eyea With dark full beard and
waving halr almost jet black-hair that
cr1hkled o his ears in a way that
J. a describe by no other word than
iasclnatlng-he gave the impression of
tremendous strength n virility. There
vas ABOUT him, too. an air of culture
m1a 10 pe mistaken; the air of a mar
VINO mad Travelled much. seen much,
ana mixed with many people, high and
low; the air of a man at home any-
Mhefe. IN any society. 1t is impossible
Tor me. by mere words, to convey any
equat idea of his vivid personality;
ment. was both impressed and
charmed by him. And I am still inn
pressed; more. perhaps, that at first.
now that I know the whole story
but you shall hear.
u speak English very badly, sir"
Not half so we'll as YOU speak Eng
ilsh. laughed. 81 can tell thai from
Your first sentence"
III tnat event. i Will do the best
[ cam" he said, smiling. land Won n,1st
pardon my %blunders. First. Mr.. Lester
on hehalt of Armand ct Fills, l must
ask your pardon for Ibis mistake so
lneXcusable."
III was a mistake. then?" [ asked.
one most embarrassing to us. We
cannot hnd for it an explanation. Be
hese me. MT. Lester. 1t is not our habit
10 make Mistakes; we have a reputa-
tioh or which We are very proud: bur
the cabinet which was purchased nv
MI. Vantine remained in our ware
mousse. and this other one was boxed
and shipped to him. We are %investi-
eating most rigidly."
Then Mr.. Vantine's cabinet ;s sill,
in Paris? 2" S.
mo. Mr.. Lester; the error was dis
covered some days ago., and the cab
net belonging to Mr.. vantine was
sllpped to me here. 1t should arrive
shail myself receive it. and deliver It
to Mr.. Vantine."
MIR. Vantine is dead" 1 said. "You
did not know?' ~
He sat staring at me for a moment.
as Inough unable to comprehend.
Did understand that you said Mr..
Vantine is dead?' he stammered.
L told him briefly as much as 1 knew
OF the tragedy. While he sat regarding
me with an air of stupefaction.
" Is curious you saw nothing of it
n the papers," I added. They were
full Of it," ~
i have been visiting friends at Que
bec," he explained. 1T was there h
the message from our house found me.
ommandin me to hasten here. /
started at once n reached this city
Saturday. / drove here directly from
the station. but was so unfortunate as
to miss YOU"
Il am sorry to have caused Won SO
much trouble" I said.
But my dear Mr.. Lester" he pro-
tested. lit is for US to take trouble.
A blunder of this sort we feel as a dis
school, Is most upset concerning it,
But this death of Mr.. Vantipe-it is a
great blow to me. I have met him
many times. He was a real connoisseur.
we have lost one of u most valued
patrons. You say that he vas found
dead In q room at his house?"
Yes and death resulted from a small
wound on the hand into which some
jected." p'''oA 'ao 0een M
That is most curious. In what man
ner was such a wound made?"
That We don't know. 1 had a the
"Yes?" he questioned, his eyes
cleaning with interest.
"A few hours previously. another
mar had been found in the same room,
Killed In the same way"
Another MANI"
"A stranger who had called to see
MI. Vantine. Ny theory was that both
this stranger and MIR. Vantine had
been killed while trying to open a
secret drawer in the Boule cabinet.
Do you n anything of the history
Of that cabinet, Monsieur Armand? %
I'VE believe 1t to have been made
L for Madame do hfonfocnon nv. NG~,