The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-02-04

Wnat manner asked the voice.
Lester. of Royce & Lester-and you
might tell your city editor that Godfrey
Is q close friend OF mine"
The city editor seemed to understand,
for i was switched on to him a mo-
ment later. But he was scarcely more
satisfactory.
I'VE sent Godfrey up into westches-
ter to see man." he said, ION a tip that
looked pretty good. He started just as
soon as he got his Pigot story writ
ten, and he ought to be back almost any
time. Is there a message l can give
him?"
''Yes-tell him Pigot is at the Tween
ty-third street station, and that he'd
better come up as soon as he can"
Very good. I'll give him the mes
sage the moment he comes In
Thank you," I said, but the disap-
pointment was q bitter one.
In the street again, / passed hesi-
tatingly at the curb, my eyes on the
red light, OF the police station. What
was about to happen there? What
was the sensation NJ. Pigot had up his
sleeve? Had I any excuse for being
present? ...v.. ....
And then, remembering Gradys nod
and his wobbly legs-remembering, too,
that, at the worst, he could only put
me out!-I turned toward the light,
pushed open the door and entered.
IHeT6 was no one III SlSnI except the
sergeant at my desk.
MY name Is Lester" said. You
have a cabinet here belonging to the
estate Of the late Philip Vantine."
We've got a cabinet, all right: but
I don't know who it belong s to-"
1T belongs to Mr. Vantine's estate"
We'll what about it ?" he asked, look
ing at me to see If l was drunk. You
haven't come in here at midnight to
tell me that, hope?"
mo; but I'd like to see the cabinet a
minute"
you can't see it tonight. Come
around tomorrow. Besides, don't
know you"
Here's my card. Either Mr.. Sim
monds or Mr.. Grady would know me-
And tomorrow won't do"
The sergeant took the card, looked at
II, and looked at me.
wait q minute" he said at last, and
disappeared through door at the far-
ther side OF the room. He was gone
three or four minutes, and the station
clock struck IL as stood there. l
counted the sonorous, deliberate
strokes, and then, In the silence that
followed, my hands began to tremble
with the suspense. Suppose Grady
should refuse to see me? But at last
the sergeant came back.
Come along" he said, opening the
gate in the railing and motioning me
through. Straight on through that
door," he added, and sat down again at
his desk.
with a desperate effort at careless
unconcern, opened the door and
passed through. Then, involuntarily, l
stopped. For there, in the middle Of
the floor, was the Boule cabinet, with
M. Pigot standing beside it, and Grady
and Simmonds sitting opposite, flung
carelessly back in their chairs, and puff
fling at black cigars.
They all looked at me as 1 entered,
Pigot with an evident contraction Of
the brows which showed how strongly
his unbanity was strained: Simmonds
with an affection of surprise, and Grady
with a bland and somewhat vacant
smile. My heart rose when saw the
smile.
well, Mr.. Lester" he said. so you
want to see this cabinet?"
Eyes" / answered; 1T really belongs
to the Vantine estate, you know; I'm
going to put in a claim for it--that is,
IL you are not willing to surrender 1t
without contest"
"Did you just happen to think of
this in the middle Of the night?" he
inquired quizzically.
NO" said boldly, but I saw you
and Mr.. Simmonds and this gentle
man"-with a bow to M. Pigot-'turn
in here a moment ago, and 1t occurred
to me that the cabinet might have
something to do with your visit. or
course, we don't want the cabinet in
iured. 1t is very valuable"
Don't worry" said Grady, easily.
we're not going to injure it. And 1
think We'll be ready to surrender 1t
to you at any time after tonight.
Moosseer Piggott here wants to do a
few tricks with 1t first. suppose you
81, trk IN Ia
II you like sleight- Of hand. sit down"
1 hastily sought a chair, my heart
singing within me. Then I attempted
to assume a mask Of indifference, for
NJ Pigot was obviously annoyed at
my presence, and / feared for a mo-
ment that his Gallo suavity would
be strained to breaking. But Grady,
il he noticed his guests annoyance paid
no heed to 1t, and began to suspect
that the Frenchman's courtesy and
good breeding had ended by rubbing
Grady the wrong way, they were in
such painful contrast to his own hob
nailed manners. Whatever the cause,
there was q certain malice in the smile
he turned upon the Frenchman.
"And now, Moosseer Piggott," he
said, settling back in his chair a lit
tie farther, we're ready for the show"
What I have to tell you, sir" be-
gan M. Pigot, in a voice as hard as
steel ana as cola as Ice, mas, under
stand WELL to be told in confidence 1t
must remain between ourselves until
the criminal is secured"
Grady's smile hardened a little. Per-
haps he did not like the imperatives
At any rate, he ignored the hint.
Understand, Mr.. Lester?" he asked,
looking at me, and 1 nodded.
saw Pigots eyes flame and his
face flush with anger, for Gradys tone
was almost insulting. For an instant
l thought that he would refuse to pro-
coed; but he controlled himself.
Standing there facing me, in the full
light it was possible for me to ex-
anime him much more closely than
had been possible on board the boat,
and looked at him with interest. He
was typically French-smooth shaver,
with face scanned with little wrinkles
and very white, eyes Swallowed by
enormously bushy lashes, and close
cropped hair as white as his face. But
what attracted me most was the mouth
"a mouth at once delicate and humor-
Gus, little large and with the lips full
enough to betoken vigor. yet not too
full for fineness. He was about so
years OF age, ! guessed, and there was
about him the air of a man who had
passed through q hundred remarkable
experiences, without once losing his
aplomb. Certainly he was not going to
lose 1t now.
The story which have to relate"
he began I'm his careful EnRlish elm