Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-11-25
The Mystery of
the Bou1e Cabinet
BURTON E.. STEVENSON
Copyright, 1913, by Burton p. SteVenson.

fingers put no hidden spring was
poisoned fangs descended.
Well" said Godfrey, sitting back in
his chair at last, and wiping his face
again, there's so much done. If there
is any secret drawer in the lower part
or the cabinet. it is mighty cleverly
concealed. Now We'll try the upper
part"
The upper part of the cabinet con-
sisted of a series of drawers, rising
one above the other, INC terminated
by a triangular pediment, it's %tympan-
UNI ornamented with some beautiful
little bronzes. The rawer themselves
were concealed by two doors, opening
IN the center, and covered with a most
intricate design of arabeSQued incrus-
tations.
IF there is a secret drawer here"
said Godfrey, lit is somewhere in the
back. where there seems to be a hollow
space. But to discover the combina-
ton :"
He ran HIS fingers over the inlay,
and then. struck by a sudden thought.
tested each OF the little figures along
the tympanum. but they were all set
solidly in place.
There's M thing sure" he said,
t combination, whatever it is. is OF
such a nature that it could not be dis
covered accidentally-by a person lean
- ~ " L u
isn't a question of merely touching a
spring; 1T is probably a question OF re-
leasing a series OF levers. which must
be worked in a certain order. OIL the
drawer won't open. I'm afraid We are
up against It,"
with a sigh of relief. LAS far as 1 am
concerned, I'm perfectly willing that
the drawer should go undiscovered"
We'll, l am not" retorted Godfrey,
CURLY. and he sat regarding the cab
met with puckered brows. Then he
rose and began tapping at the back.
don't know what it was-for I was
conscious of no noise-but some mys-
ferrous attraction drew my eyes to the
window at the farther side of the room.
Near n top Of the wooden shutter,
which Parks and l had put in place,
was a small semi-circular opening. to
allow h passage OF a little light, per-
haps. n peering through this opening
were two eyes-two burning eyes
They We're fixed upon Godfrey with
such feverish intentness that they did
not see my glance, and I lowered my
head instantly.
Godfrey" 1 said, in a shaking voice,
don't look up; don't move your head;
but there is some n peering through
the hole in the shutter opposite u.s."
Godfrey did not answer for quite a
minute, but kept calmly IN with his
examination of the cabinet.
Did he see you look at him % he
asked, at last.
NO. he was looking at you, with his
eyes almost starting out of his head. I
never saw such eyes!"
Did you see anything of his face?'
No. the hole is too small. 1 fancy
I saw the fingers of one hand, which
he had thrust through to steady him.
self"
How high is the hole?"
Near the top OF the window
Godfrey came back to his chair a
moment later, sat down in 1t, and
passed his handkerchief slowly over his
face Then he leaned forward, appar-
emily to examine the legs of the cab
met.
Il saw him." he said. "or, rather, I
saw his eyes. Rather fierce, aren't
they?"
They're a tigers eyes" 1 said, with
conviction.
We'll, there is no use going ahead
with this while he is out there. Even
IL we found the drawer, we'd both be
dead an instant later"
You mean he'd kill us?"
III would Shoot us instantly.
Imagine what a sensation hat would
make. Lester. Parks hears two pistol
shots, rushes in and finds US lying here
dead. Grady would have a CONFUSION
al We SlOQ1O OOln NO 1dIIIOOS IOT d
few days."
TIL seek fame in some other way"
I said drily. What are you going to
do about it"'
We've got to try to capture him;
n II we do-well. WI shall have the
fame all right! But it's a good deal like
trying to pick up a: scorpion-we're
out there is who I think he Is. he's
about the most dangerous man on
earth"
He went on tapping the surface of
the cabinet. AS for me. I would have
given anything for another look at
be burning into me: hot flashes were
shooting uD and down my back.
Why can't I go out as though I
were going after something" 1 sug-
gested. Then Park and I could charge
around b corner and get him."
You wouldn't get him, he'd get you.
You wouldn't have q chance on earth.
that one. o might drop something
out on him. or borrow Parks pistol and
shoot him"
THAT would be pretty cowardly,
wouldn't it?" I suggested. mildly.
my dear Lester" Godfrey protest
snake. you don't do It with bare hands.
do your"
I couldn't help til glanced again at
the window. :
He's gone!" I cried.
Godfrey was at the window in two
steps.
.Look at that!r he said, and then
tell me b isn't q genius!"
I followed the direction Of his point
ing lnRer and saw that. just opposite
the opening In the shutter. q little hole
had been cut In the window pane.
That fellow ~foreseea everything"
said Godfrey. with enthusiasm. He
probably that hole a. soon a. II
dark. He must have guessed we
WapAN10Snp ~ Aw~nnana the enhlnaf IN.