Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-01-13
net Vantine brought in was. OF course.
much more valuable than his manifest

net Vantine brought in was. Of course,
much more valuable than his manifest
showed
mo doubt of that; and the other
cabinet is the one which Nantine really
ward to this other fellows address,
here in New York. His plan is evident
enough-to call upon Nantine, as the
representative Of the Armands, or per-
haps rs the owner of the Montespan
cabinet, and make the exchange. Van
make the exchange through you. Even
then. he would have been able to pull
it off but for the fact that Vantine's
death and that of Drouet had called
II attention to the cabinet; we fol-
lowed him, and h incidents of this
afternoon enSued."
"And he accomplished all this by
means of a confederate in the employ
of the Armandsg"
N doubt of it. The clerk who made
the supposed sale to Nantine and got a
commission on it, resigned suddenly
two days ago-juSt as soon as he had
intercepted W cable and answered
it. The Paris police are looking for
him. but / doubt if they'll find him.
paused to hin this over: and Their
a sudden Impotence seized me.
That's all clear enough | said. The
cabinets might have been exchanged
just rs you say they were-no doubt
o are right-but all that doesn't lead
us anywhere. Why We're they ex-
changed? What is there about that
Boule cabinet which makes this UNI
known willing to do murder for it?
Does he think those letters are still
in it,"
He knows they are not in it now
you told him. Before that, he knew
nothing about the letters. If he had
known of them, he would have 4
them out before the cabinet was
shipped"
What is it, them" demanded.
And. above all. Godfrey. why should
this fellow hide himself in Vantine's
house and kill two men? Did they
surprise him while he was working
over the cabinet?"
~ see no reason to believe that he
was ever inside the Vantine house,
said Godfrey quietly: that is, until YOU
But, look here, Godfrey,"I protested,
that's nonsense. He must have been
in the house. or he couldn't nave killed
Nantine and Drouet."
Who aid he killed them"
'lf he didn't kill them. who did?"
Godfrey took two or three contem-
plative puffs. while l sat there staring
at him.
"Well,' Godfrey answered, at last,
now I'm going to romance Il little. We
will return to your fascinating friend,
Armand, as we may as we'll call him
for the present. He is an %eXtraordi-
nary man.
mo doubt of it," l agreed.
II can only repeat what l have said
before-in my opinion, he is the great
est rirnin of modern times"
off he is q criminal uf all la ;S nm
doubtedly a great one" | conceded.
But it is hard for me to believe that
he is a criminal. He's the most Gull
tured mar ! ever met
O course he is. That's why he's so
dangerous. An ignorant criminal is
never dangerous-it's the ignorant
criminals who fill the prisons. But
look out for the educated. accomplished
ones. 1t takes brains to be a great
criminal. Lester, and brains of a high
order"
But Why should a MAJ with brains
be a crirninal?' | queried. IF he can
earn an honest living. why should he
be diShonest?"
"ln the first place. most criminals are
sity: and with a cultured man the in
centive is usually the excitement of it.
dave o ever thought what an eX-
citing game it is, Lester, to defy So
ciety, to break the law, to know that
the odds against you are a thousand to
one and yet to come out triumphant?
And then. l suppose. every great GRIM
inal is a little insane
mo doubt of it," j agreed.
Just as every absolutely honest man
is a little insane went on Godfrey
quickly. Just as every great reformer
and enthusiast is a little insane The
sane men are the average ones, who
are fairly honest and yet tell white lies
on occasion, who succumb to tempta-
ton now and then; who temporize and
compromise, n try to lead a COM
Portable and quiet life. l repeat, Lester,
that this fellow is a great criminal,
and that he ind life infinitely more
engrossing than either you or l. l hope
1 shall meet him some time-not in a
little skirmish like this, but in an oat-
and-out battle. OF course I'd be routed,
horse, foot and dragoons-but it GER
tainly would be Interestingly" and he
looked at me. his eyes glowing.
1T certainly would" l agreed. Go
ahead with o u romance"
Here it is. This NJ. Armand is a
great criminal, and has. Of course, va
rious followers, upo whom he must
rely for the performance of certain de-
tails, since he can be in but one place
at a time. AFFECT and absolute obe-
dience is necessary to his success, and
he compels obedience in the only way
in which it can be compelled among
criminals-by fear. For ~disobedience,
there is but one punishment-death.
And the manner Of the death is so GER
tain II SO mysterious as to be al
most supernatural. For deserters and
traitors are found to have died, newt
ably and invariably, from the effects of
an insignificant wound on the right
hand. just above the knuckles."
l was listening intently now. as you
may we'll believe. for l began to see
whittier the romano was tending.