The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-01
The Mystery Of
the Bou1e Cabinet
-
BURTON E.. STEVENSON
Copyright, 1918, by Burton It. Stevenson.
Copyright. 1918, by Burton It. stevenson.

SNN SSNAllS ~ tS A1sppIldnC.
Couldn't make out? What do yo
mean, Parks? ?"
, II think he's q Frenchman, sir; any
: way. he don't know much English. II
amt much of n locker, strive see
hundreds like him sitting out In fror
or h cafes along the ~boulevards, tai
ing all afternoon TO drink a book"
Vantine seemed struck by a sudde
Idea. and he looked at the card agar
Ihen he tapped it m~editatively o
the table.
Shall 1 show him out, sir?" aske
Parks. at last.
No" said Vantine. after an instant
hesitation, Tell him TO watt and h
dropped the card on the table besid
his plate.
II tell you. Lester" he went on a
Parks withdrew. when 1 went down
stairs this morning and saw the cabin
ct, l could hardly believe my eyes.
thought l knew furniture, but 1 hadn'
any laea such q cabinet existed. Th,
most beautiful l had ever seen Is at tht
Louvre. 1t stands in the Sale Loui
Fourteenth, to the left as you enter. l
belonged to Louis himself. OF cours,
l can't be certain without a careful eN
animation, but believe that cabinet
oeautltul as 1t is, is merely the counter
part OF this one"
He paused and looked at me, hi:
- sAASHb "4SI lilS enthusiasm OF tht
connoisseur.
I'm not sure 1 understand your lar.
gon," 1 said. What do you mean b,
'counterpart?'"
"Boule furniture he explained, .i:
usually OF ebony inlaid with tortoise
smell, and incrusted with arabesoues il
metals or various kinds. The incrusta-
ton had to be very exact. and 10 get il
SO, the artist clamped together two
plates OF equal size and thickness. one
OF metal, the other Of tortoise she'll
traced his design on the top one. and
then III theE both out together. The
result was two combinations. the orig
mar, with a tortoise shell ground and
metal applications; and the counter.
part. applique metal with tortoise shell
araoeslues. h original was really the
one which the artist designed and
whose effects he studied; the mi
part was merely a resultant accident
with which he was not especially con-
cerned. Underestimate"
Yes, l think So" I said. TITS a good
deal as though Michael Angelo. when
ne made n OF his sketches, white on
plack, put a sheet of carbon under his
paper and made a copy at the same
m black on white.n
precisely. And it's the original
when mas the real artistic value. OF
course. the counterpart is often bea,,ti-
full. too, but in a much lower degree ;,
Il a understand that I said.
"And now, Lester" vantine went on
ms eyes shining more and more
II my supposition is correct-if fine
Grand Louis was content with the
counterpart OF this cabinet for the long
gallery at Versailles, who do you SUP.
pose owned the originate"
| saw what he was driving at
You NEAR one of his mistresseso -,
hes, n think I know which one
1t belonged to Madame de Montespann
L stared at him in establishment. as
he back in his chair. smiling at me,
But, L objected. you can't be
OF course I'm not sure he agreed
quickly. That is to say 1 couldn't prove
II But there is some-ah-contribu-
tory evidence, / think you lawyers can
II. Boule n the Montespan were in
their glory at the same time, and I can
imagine That flamboyant creature com,
nllsslonlng the flamboyant artist to
build her just such a cabinet"
Really, Vantine," I exclaimed. ST
Know you were so romantic Yon
quite take my breath away"
he flushed a little at the words. and
l saw now deeply in earnest he was.
The craze Of h collector takes him
a long way sometimes" he said. But
believe l know what I'm talking about.
l am going to make a careful examina-
tlon or the cabinet as soon as I can.
Perhap III find something-there
ought to be a monogram on it some-
where. What I want you to do is to
cable my shippers, Armand ct Fills. Rue
du Temple, find out who owns this cab
met, and buy it for me"
Perhaps the owner won't sell it, j
suggested.
oh yes, he viii. Anything can be
bought-for a price"
You mean you're going to have this
cabinet, whatever the COST"
I mean just that"
But. surely, there's a limit"
No, there sn't."
AT least you'll tell me where to be-
GIN l said. 7 don't know anything
Of the value Of such things"
Well" a Vantine, suppose you
begin at 10000 francs. We mustn't seem
too eager. It's because Tn so eager,
| want you to carry 1t through for me.
I can't trust myself
And the other end?"
There isn't any other end. OF course.
strictly speaking. there is, because my
money isn't unlimited. out I don't be-
lieve you viii have to go over 500. 900
francs"
I gasped.
You mean you're willing to give
100000 for this cabinet?'
Vantine nodded.
Maybe a little more. II the owner
won't accept that, you must let me
know before you break off negotiations.
a little mad about it, / fancy-all
collectors are a little mad. But I want
that cabinet, and I'm going to have it,
] did not reply. / only looked at him.
And he laughed as he caught my
glance.
Il "a see you share that opinion,
Lester he said. You fear for me. ]
don't blame you-but come and see it,
He led the way out of the room and
down he stairs: but when we reached
the lower hall. he paused.
Perhaps, I'd better see my visitor
first he said. You'll find a new pic
ture or two over there in the music
room-I1l be with you in a minute"
/ started On, and he turned through
a doorway at the left.
An instant later. / heard a sharp ex-
ciamation: then his voice calling me.
"LesterI Come herein he cried.
! ran back along the hall. into the
room which he had entered. He was
standing just inside the door.
Look here" he said, with a queer
catch in his voice, and pointed with a
trembling hand to a dark object on the
floor
1 moved aside to see it better. Then
my heart gave a sickening throb. for
he's object on The floor was the body OF
q man.