The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-01-15


excitement. And that reminds me-" l
added. II haven't sent of that cable"
ANY time tonight will do. 1t will
he delivered In the morning. But you
haven't seen the cabinet yet. Come
down and look at It."
he led the way down the stair.
Parks met us In the lower hall.
"There's delegation Of reporters
outside, SIR" be said '"They say
they've got to see you"
vantine made movement of impa-
tieDce.
Tell them." he said. that posi-
lively refuse to see them or to allow
my servants to see them. Let them
get their information from the police"
Very well. SIR" said Parks and turn
ed away, grinning.
vantine passed on through the ante
room in which we had found the body
of the unfortunate Frenchman and
into the room beyond. Five or six
pieces of furniture. evidently just un-
packed. stood there; but. ignorant as
am of such things, he did not have
to point out to me the Boule cabinet.
| looked at 1t for some moments. for
IL was certainly a beautiful piece of
work. with wealth of inlay and in
crustation little short of marvellous.
But ! may as well say here that l
never really appreciated 1t. The forid
style of the fourteenth and fifteenth
Louis is not at all to my taste. | am
afraid that vantine found me little
cold.
You don't seem to care for it, he
said. looking at me.
That's my fault and not the fault
of the cabinet" ! pointed out. I'm
not educated up to 1t. I'm too little OF
an artist perhaps"
He was flushed. as a man might be
should another make disparaging re-
mark about his wife. and he led the
way from the room at once.
Remember. Lester" he said little
sternly, pausing with his hand on the
front door. there is to be no foolish
ness about securing that cabinet for
me. Don't you let it get away. I'm
In deadly earnest Let me know as
soon as you have any news
Was Vantine quite normal? wonder
ed on my way home. Could any man
be normal who was willing to pay
100000 for a piece Of furniture, espe-
cially man who could not afford such
extravaganza? | knew the size of Van.
tines fortune. 1t was large. but $780,
600 represented more than years
income. And then | smiled to myself
OF course vantine was merely jesting
net could be bought for a tenth Of it,
ut the most
1t was about O'Clock that evening
that Godfrey tapped at my door. and
when | let him in | could tell by the
way his eyes were shining that he had
some news.
II can't stay long" he said. 1--WE
got to get down to the office and put
the finishing touches on that story"
But nevertheless he took the cigar
proffered him and sank into the chair
opposite my own.
's1 want to say this, Lester" he said,
''that of all the cases ever had not
one has promised better than this one
does. The coroner's physician finished
his postmortem half an hour or so
ago"
"Well?' I said
The stomach was absolutely nor
NAL. 1t showed no trace of poison of
any kind. Rather a facer for our
friend Goldberger
whats the matter with Goldberger!
He seemed rather peeved with you this
afternoon"
mo wonder. Hes Grady man, and
we're after Grady. Grady isn't fit to
head the detective bureau. He got the
job through his pull. he's stupid and
suspect he's crooked. The Record
says he has got to go. Once he's out
everything will be serene again"
Look here, Godfrey" said. III 1t
wasn't poison what was itY'
But it was poison"
inserted at the handT'
He nodded
"Goldberger says there's no poison
known which could be used that way
and which would act so quickly"
"Goldberger is right in that" agreed
Godfrey. But there's poison un.
known that will. because it did"
1T wasn't snake biter
'Oh. no. Snake poison wouldn't kill
a man that quickly. not even a fer-de
lance. That fellow practically dropped
where he was struck"
''Then what was it?"
Godfrey was sitting erect again. He
was not smiling now. His face was
very stern.
THAT fellow was killed by some
agency outside himself" he said. ar
some way drop or two Of poison was
introduced into his blood by an instru
ment something like a hypodermit
needle, and that poison was SO power
ful that almost instantly 1t caused
paralysis of the heart"
But you've already said there's NJ