The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-21
CHAPTER xxI-(continued1.

1iL
why, Lester" protested Godfrey,
us as plain as day. Who was that
bearded giant who was killed? The
traitor, of course. We will find that
ne was a member of Armand's gang.
lie followed Armand to America. Law
In wait for him, caught him in the
act and bound him hand and foot. Do
you suppose for an instant that Ar
1nand was ignorant of his presence in
.hat mouse! DO you suppose he would
have been able to take Armand pris-
oner If Armand had not been willing
that he should?"
4 don't see how Armand could help
himself after that fellow got his hands
on him."
You don't? And yet you saw your
ser that he was not really bound
that he had cut himself loose!"
is true" | said. thoughtfully.
Let us reconstruct the story" God
Trey went on rapidly. 1.-THE traitor dis
covers the secret Of the cabinet; he
follows Armand to New York, shad-
wv him to the house on Seventh ave-
nue. waits for him there, and seizes
n binds him. He is half mad
with triumph-he chants a crazy
slng-song about revenge. revenge, re-
Venge! And, in order that the triumph
may be complete, he does not kill his
prisoner at once. He rolls him into
q corner and proceeds to rip away the
burlap. His triumph will be to open
the secret drawer before Armand's
eyes. And Armand lies there in the
corner, his eyes cleaning, because it is
really the moment Of his triumph
which is at hand!"
The moment OF his triumph" I re-
peated. "What do you mean by that,
Godfrey"
Il mean that, the instant the traitor
opened the drawer, he would be stabbed
by the poisoned mechanism! 1t kas for
that that Armand waited!"
l lay back in my cnai with a gasp
Of amazement and admiration. I had
been blind not to see it! Armand had
merely to lie still and permit the traitor
to walk into the trap prepared for
him. No wonder his Eyes had glowed
as he law there watching that frenzied
figure at the cabinet!
1T was not until the last moment"
Godfrey went on, when the traitor
was bending above the cabinet feeling
about to happen. There was no time
toI hesitationI sprang into the room.
Armand vanished in an instant, and the
giant also tried to escape; but I caught
him at the door. I had no idea of his
danger; l had no thought that Armand
Now that it Is too late, I understand.
He had to kill that man; there We're
no two ways about it. Whatever the
risk. he had to kill him.
But why?" 1 asked. "Why?"
T seal his lips. If we had cap
secret would have been safe for an in
slant? So he had to kill him-he had
to kill him with the poisoned barb
n he did kill him, n got away into
the bargain! Never in my life have I
felt so like a fool as hen hat door
was slammed in my facet"
Perhaps he had that prepared,
too l suggested timidly, ready to be-
lieve anything Of this extraordinary
man. Perhaps he knew that we We're
there all the time"
"Of course he did," assented Godfrey
grimly. why else would there be a
snap lock on the outside Of the door?
And to think 1 did't see it,! To mir
that I was fool enough to p that
I could follow him about the streets Of
New York without his knowing it! He
knew from the first that he might be
followed, and prepared for it,"
But it's incredible!" I protested
feebly. It's i~ncredible!"
Nothing is incredible In connec-
ton with that mani"
But the risk-think Of the risk he
ran!"
What does he care for risks? He
despises them-and rightly. He got
away, didn't he?"
Yes" I said, 'he got away; there's
no question of that, I guess"
We'll, that is the story of this after
Moons tragedy, as I understand it,"
proceeded Godfrey, more calmly. And
now I'm going to leave you. I want
together, show. me where it doesn't.
But it will hold together-it has to
because it's true!"
But how about Arrnand?" I pro-
tested. Aren't you going to try to
capture him? Are YOU going to let him
get away?'
"He won't get away" and Godfrey's
eyes were cleaning again. I'VE don't
nave to search for him; for we've got
our trap, Lester, and it's baited with a
bait he can't resist-the Boule cab
tnet!"
But he knows It's a trap
o course he knows it,"
"And you really think he will walk
into it?' I asked incredulousiy.
II know he will! One of these days,
he will try to get that cabinet out of the
steel cell at the Twenty-third Street
station, in which we have it locked"
/ shook my head.
Hes no such fool" I said. mo man
is such a fool as that. He'll give it up
| and go quietly back to Paris"
Not II he's the man I think he is"
said Godfrey, his hand on the door.
"He will never give up! Just wait,
Lester; we shall know in a day or
two which Of US is a true prophet.
The only thing I am afraid Of" he
| get away with the cabinet. in spite Of
us!"
And he went away down the hall,
leaving me staring after him.
CHAPTER XXI.