Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-10-01
The Mystery Of
the Bou1e Cabinet
Is u ZION r.. STEVENHON
Copyright 1913. by Burton E. Stevenson.
I
A coNNo1ssEUR's vAGARY.
Copyright, 1913. by Burton E. Stevenson.

receiver Of my desk phone, in answe,
to the call.
MIR. Vantine wishes to speak tt
you, sir" said the officeboy.
"All right" and 1 heard the ma,
Of the connection.
"1s that you, Lester?" asked Phili1
vantine's voice.
Yes. So you're back AGAIN."
Got in yesterday. Can you come
up to the house and lunch with me to.
day?
"TIl be glad to-" I said. and meant
1t, for liked Philip vantine.
III look for you, then, about $780,
hour later, I was walking over toward
Washington Square, just above which
on the Avenue, the old Vantine man
sion stood. 1t was almost the last sur
vival Of the old regime; for the tide OF
business had long since overlooked
from the neighboring streets into the
avenue and swept its fashionable folk
far uptown. Tall office and loft build
ings had replaced the brownstone
houses; only here and there did some
old family hold on, like a sullen and
desperate rear-guard defying the ad-
vancing enemy.
Philip Vantine was one Of these. He
had been born in the house where ne
still lived, and declared that he would
die there. He had no one but himself
to please in the matter, since he was
unmarried and lived alone, and he nit
tgated the increasing roar and dust of
the neighborhood by long absences
abroad. 1t was from one of these that
he had just returned.
l may as well complete this pencil
sketch. Vantine was about SO years
OF age. the poSSesSor of a comfortable
fortune. something Of a connolsseur in
art matters, a collector of old furniture,
a little eccentric-though now that /
have written the word, I find that I
must qualify 1T, for his only eccen-
tricity was that he persisted, in spite of
many temptations, in remaining a
bachelor. Manageable women had
long since ceased to consider him;
mothers with maturing daughters dis
missed him with a significant shake
of the head. 1t was from them that he
got h reputation Of being an eccen-
trio. But his reasons for remaining
single In no way concerned his law
versa position which our firm had
held for many years., and the active
work OF which had come gradually into
hands.
1t was not very arduous work, con-
ststing for the most part of the draw
Ing Of leases, the collecting Of rents,
the reinvestment of funds, and the adj
justment of minor differences with
tennants-all of which were left to cur
discretion. But occasionally it was
necessary to consult our client on some
matter Of unusual Importance. or to
get his signature to some paper, and,
at such times, I always enjoyed the
talk which followed the completion Of
the business; for Vantine was a good
talker, with a knowledge of men and
of the world gained by much travel and
by a detached, humorous and penetrat-
habit Of mind.
He came forward to meet me, as 1
gave his man my hat and stick, and we
shook hands heartily. 1 was glad to
see him, and 1 think he was glad to
see me. He was looking in, excellent
ITS plain to see hat the trip did
you good" I said.
YES" he agreed; II never felt more
ut. But come along; we can talk at
table. There's a little difficulty 1 want
you to untangle for me"
I followed him upstairs to his study,
where a table laid for two had been
placed near a low window.
II had lunch served up here" Van
tine explained, as we sat down, "be-
cause this is the only really pleasant
room left in the house. If I didn't own
plot of ground next door. this
place would be impossible. AS 1t is, I
can keep only the s~ky-scrapers far
enough away to get a little sunshine
and then. I've had to put in an air
filter, too; and double windows in the
bedrooms to keep out the noise; but /
dare say I can manage to hang on"
II can understand how you'd hate to
move into q new house, I said.
Vantine made a grimace.
II couldn't endure a new house. I'm
used to This one-I can find my way
about in 1t; I know where things are.
I'VE grown up here, you know; and. as
. man gets older, he values such asso-
more and o Besides, q new
house would mean new fittings, new
He paused and glanced about the
Every piece Of furniture in 1t
h work Of a master.
II suppose you found some new
always do. Your luck's proverb-
"Yes-and It's that I wanted to talk
to you about. I brought back six or
pieces; I'll show them to you
presently. They are all pretty good,
md n is thing Of beauty; It's more
hat that-it's an absolutely unique
OF art. Only, unfortunately. it
mine."
..It isn't yours?'
mo: and I don't know whose 1t is.
e I did I'd go buy it. That's what i
you to do for me. It's a Bouie
most exquisite 1 ever
saw"
Where did 1t come from?. i cues
more and more surprised.
1T came from Paris, and it was adj
dressed to me. The only explanation
I can think of is that my shippers at
Paris made a mistake. sent me a cab
belonging to someone else. and
mine to the other person."
You had bought one, them"
Yes; n 1t hasn't turned up. But
beside this one, It's a mere dauh. NV
man Parks got It through the customs
yesterday. As there was a Boule cab
on my manifest, the mistake
wasn't discovered until the whole lot
was brought up here and uncrated this
morning
Weren't they uncrated In the GUS
toms? 2
mo; rye been bringing things in for
3 good many years. and the customs
people know I'm not q thief"
"T1latss quite q compliment = I point-
ed Y They've been tearing things
wide open lately"
They've had q tip Of some sort. /
suppose. Come in,''' he added. answer
9 tap at the door.
The door opened and yantine's man
NafNA tM# " 1929 SN&- e