Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-08-04
The Mystery
of the
BOuIe Cabinet
BY BURTON E. STEVENSON
Copyright. 1913, by Burton E.
Stevenson.

frey, 'is to watch the house-watch it
from all sides-patrol clear around 1t
and see that no one approaches It."
every well, SIR" And the men touch
ed their helmets.
perhaps If they concealed them
selves" 1 suggested. "the fellow might
venture back and be nabbed."
But Godfrey shook his head.
''I don't want him to venture back"
ne said. 81 want to scare him on.
want him to see we're thoroughly on
guard" He hailed a passing cab and
paused with one foot on the step.
<T've already told you. Lester" he
added over his shoulder. "that I'm
afraid Of him. Perhaps you thought 1
was Joking. but 1 wasn't. I was never
more serious In my life. The Record
Office" he added to the cabby and jim
gled away, leaving me staring after
him.
Just before turned In for the night
in my own apartment l heard from
Godfrey again, for my telephone rang,
and it was his voice that answered.
81 just wanted to tell you, Lester"
ne said, 'that your guess was right.
The mysterious Frenchman came over
on La Touraine. landing at noon yes
terday. He came in the steerage and
the stewards know nothing about him.
What time was it he got to vantine's?"
about should say"
$50 he probably went directly there
from the boat, as you thought. That
accounts for nobody knowing him.
The steamship company is holding a
bag belonging to him. I'll get them
to open it tomorrow and perhaps we
shall find out who he was. Good
1ightT
1t was shortly after reached the
ONCE next morning that the Office boy
came in and handed me a card with
an awed and reverent air. An awed
and reverent feeling crept over me
also, for the card bore the name OF
Serene Hornblower
That name is quite unknown outside
the legal profession of the three great
cities OF the east-New York. Boston
and Philadelphia-yet Serene Horn
blowers income would make that OF
any other lawyer In the country look
like 80 cents.
He is the confidential attorney Of
most Of our 'best families" He has
held that position for years. and it is
said that no case placed unreservedly
IN his hands ever resulted in a public
scandal.
His reputation for tact and GeIicacy
is tremendous, and yet those who have
found themselves opposed to him have
never been long in realizing that there
was a most redoubtable mailed fist uLf
der the velvet glove. / had never met
him either professionally or person
ally, and it was with some eagerness
that i told the Office boy to show him
in at once.
He was a bluff and hearty man of
middle age, rather heavy set, fresh
faced and clean shaven and with very
bright blue eyes.
We shook hands and he sat down
and plunged at once without an in
stant's hesitation into the business
which had brought him.
'sMr. Lester" he began, 81 under
stand that you are the administrator
OF the estate of the late Philip Van
timer
"Our firm is" corrected.
'eBut you, personally. have been at
tending to his business? He was a col
lector Of old furniture. l believer"
Eyes"
"And on his last trip 70 Europe,
from which he returned only a few
days ago, he purchased of Armand &
Son of Paris O Boule cabinet?"
I could not repress a start Of aston
ishment.
"Are you acting for Armand & Son?"
I queried.
mot at all. am acting for lady
whom, for the present, we will call
Nine. X"
The thought flashed through my
mind that Mime. x. and the mysterious
Frenchwoman might be one and the
same person. Then 1 put aside the
idea as absurd Serene Hornblower
would never accept such client.
"Mr. Vantine Old buy such a cab
met" I said.
"And it is in your possession"
There is at his residence a Boule
cabinet which was shipped him from
Paris, but, only few hours before his
death. Mr. Vantine assured me that
1t was not the one he had purchased.
'You mean that a mistake had been
made in the shipment?"
THAT is what we supposed, and
cablegram from Armand & Son has
since confirmed It,"
Where is the cabinet which Mr..
Vantine did buy?"
ct have no idea. Perhaps it Is still
in Paris. But am expecting a repre-
sentative of the Armands to call very
soon to straighten things out"
Again my companion fell silent, and