Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-02

u AyNS 'AAN @NSS 49,
derstand that their recovery Is essen
tial to her peace of mind"
1 nodded again: there was really no
need hat he Should say more. Only, /
reflected. a faithless husband has no
reason to complain If his wife repays
him in the same coin.
My client went to work at once to
regain the cabinet" continued Mr..
Hornblower. plainly relieved that the
thinnest ice had been crossed. She
found that it had been sold to Armand
& Son. fastening to their offices she
learned that it has been resold by them
to Mr.. Nantine and sent forward to him
here. So she came over on the first
boat, ~ostensibly to visit her family, but
really to ask Mr.. Nantine's permission
to open the drawer and take out the
letters. His death interfered with this,
and. in despair. she came to me. l need
hardly add, that no embe of her
family knows anything about his mat
ter, and it is especially important that
her husband should never even suspect
1T. On her behalf. L apply to you, as
Mr.. Vantine's executor, to restore these
letters to their owner"
L sat for d moment turning this eX-
traordinary story Yer in my mind,
and trying to make it fit in with the
occurrences of the past two DAYS. But
1T would not fiat least, it would not
lit with my theory as to the cause of
those occurrences. For, surely, Mad
anne \ would scarcely guard the secret
OF that drawer With poison!
Does any one besides your client
know of the existence of these letters?'
L asked, at last.
II think not answered Mr.. Horn
blower. smiling drily. They are not
OF a nature which my client would care
TO communicate to any one. In fact,
Mr.. Lester. as o nave doubtless sus-
pected, they are compromising letters
we lnl,St get them, nanl. of INV ooc<, >,
Il matter of fact l pointed out.
there are always at least two people
who know of the existence of every let
ter-the person who writes it and the
person who receives it,"
~ mad thought OF that. but the person
who wrote these letters is dead.'
Dead" l repeated.
he was killed in q duel some months
ago." explained Mr.. Hornblower, rave.
ly.
BY Monsieur N?" 1 asked quickly.
BY Monsieur X" said Mr.. Horn
blower. and sat regarding me, his lips
pursed. as an indication, perahps. that
he would say no more.
But there was no necessity that he
should. l knew enough of French law
and OF French habits of thought to rea-
LIE that if those letters ever came into
possession of Monsieur X, the game
would be entirely in his hands. His
Wife would be absolutely at his mercy.
And the thought flashed through my
mine that perhaps in some way he had
learned of the existence of the letters
and was trying desperately to get them.
That thought was enough to swing the
balance in his wife's favor.
Il am sure" | said, that Mr.. VAN
tine would instantly I'VE consented to
your client opening the drawer and
taklns out the letters. And, as his ex-
ecutor, 1 also consent, for, whoever NAV
own the cabinet, the letters are the
property of Madame X. All this pro-
Nlding, of course, that this should prove
to be the right cabinet. But l must warn
you. Mr.. Hornblower, that 1 believe two
men nave already been killed trying to
open that drawer and l told him, while
he sat there staring in profound amaze-
ment, Of my theory in regard to the
death of Philip Nantine n of the UNI
known Frenchman. Il am inclined to
think concluded. that Vantine
upon the drawer While ex-
aiming the cabinet; but there is no
doubt that the other man knew of the
drawer, n also, presumably, of it's
contents.
Welt" exclaimed my companion. II
nave listened to many astonishing sto-
ries in my life, but never che to equal
this. And you know nothing of this
Frenchman?"
Nothing except that he came from
Havre on La Touraine last Thursday,
and drove from the dock direct to VAN
tines house."
My client also came on La Tou.
ralne-but that. no doubt, was a mere
coincidence"
That may be-" I agreed, but It is
scarcely a coincidence that both he and
your client were after the contents Of
that drawer"
"You mean ="
Il mean that the mysterious French
mar may very possibly have been an
emissary Of Monsieur x. Madame may
have betrayed the secret to him in an
unguarded moment"
MI. Hornblower rose abruptly. He
was evidently much disturbed.
You may be right" he agreed. II
will communicate with my client at
once. I take it she has your permission
to see the cabinet; and. If it proves to
the drawer and remove the letters"
IF she cares to take the risk" I as
sented.
very we'll: 1 will call you as soon as
I have seen her" he said. I'm any event.
l thank you for your courtesy" and he
left the office.
He must have driven straight to her
family residence on the avenue; or
perhaps h vas awaiting him at HI
office; at any rate. he called up ins
the half hour.
my client would like to see the
met at once" he said. "She is in
ervou condition.; especially sine,
learned that some one else has trieu
open the drawer. When will It be con-
venient Tor you to go with us?"
Il can go at once" I said.
Then we will drive around for you. |
We should be there in Is or 20 min
utes."
very WELL" 1 said. "rll be ready. I
shall. Of course. want to take a witness
with me-"
"That is quite proper" assented Mr..