The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-07
CHAPTER XIX.
LA MORT!"

That my legs, without conscious eff
Tort OF my own, should carry me up the
avenue and round the corner after
the cab In which l had seen Godfrey
was a foregone conclusion, and yet it
was with q certain veXation of Shirt
that | found myself racing along. for |
realized that Godfrey had not been en-
tlrely frank with me. Certainly he had
cropped no III of his intention to fol-
low Armand; but, l told myself, that
might very well have been because he
deemed such a hint unnecessary. I
might have guessed, in spite Of his
seeming u~nconcern, the he would not
allow n cabinet to pass from his
sight; II he had been willing for me to
turn 1t over to Armand, it was only
because he expected developments Of
some sort to follow that transfer.
And 1t suddenly dawned upon me
that even I did not know the cabinets
destination! 1t a not occurred to me
to inquire where M. Armand proposed
to take 1t, and he had volunteered no
information.
so. after a moment, I took up the
chase more contentedly, telling myself
that Godfrey would not have waved to
me III he had not wanted me along, and
l reached the corner in time to see the
van turn northWard into Sixth avenue.
AS soon as it and the cabs which fol-
lowed 1T We're out of sight, | sprinted
along the sidewalk at top speed, and,
on arriving at the corner had the sat
~isfaction of seeing them only a little
way ahead. Here the congestion of
traffic was such that the van could
proceed but slowly, and l had no diff
Guilty In keeping pace with it, without
the necessity of making myself conspic-
uous by running. Indeed, 1 rather hung
back burying myself in the crowds on
the sidewalk, for fear hat Armand
might chance to glance around and see
me in pursuit.
l saw that Godfrey and Simmonds
mad the same fear, for the a in which
they were drew up at the curb and
waited there until the van had got
some distance ahead. AT Sixteenth
street 1t turned westward again. and
then northward into Seventh avenue.
What could Armand be doing in this
part OF town, / asked myself? Did he
propose to cave that priceless cabinet
In this dingy quarter? And then L paus-
ed abruptly and slipped into an area
way, Tor the van had stopped some dis
lance ahead and was backing up to the
curb.
Looking out discreetly, I saw the cab
containing Armand stop also, and that
gentleman alighted I'M paid the driver.
Inc other cab ratified on at a good pace
and disappeared up the avenue. Then
the two porters lifted out the cabinet
and, with Armand showing them the
way, carried it into the building before
which the a had stopped.
they were gone perhaps five minutes,
from which / argued thai they were
carrying 1T upstairs; then they reap
peared, with Armand accompanying
them. He tipped them and went out
also to tip the driver of the van. Then
the porters climbed aboard and it rat
tied away u of sight. Armand stood
for a moment on the step, looking up
and down the avenue, then disappeared
indoors.
An instant latter, + saw Godfrey and
another man whom / recognized as
Sinamonds, come out Of a shop across
the street and dash over to the house
into which the cabinet had been taken.
They We're standing on the doorstep
when / Joined them.
1t was q dingy building. entirely typ
ical of the dingy neighborhood. The
ground floor was occupied by a laun-
dry which the sign on the front win
dow declared to be French; and the
room which the window lighted extend
ed the whole width of the building ex-
cept for a door which opened pre-
sumably on the stairway leading to the
upper stories.
Godfrey's face was flaming with ex-
citernent as he turned the knob of this
door gently-gently. The door was
locked. He stopped and applied an eye
to the key hole.
The key is in the lock- he whia-
pered.
Eimmonds took from his pocket a
pair Of slender pliers and passed them
over.
Godfrey looked up and down the
street, say that for the there
was no one near, inserted the pliers in
the keyhole, grasped the end of the key,
and turned 1t slowly.
.Now!' he said. softly opened the
door and slipped inside. followed,
and Simmonds came after me like q
shadow, closing the door carefully be-
hind him.
Then we all stopped, and my heart,
at least, was in my mouth. for, from
somewhere overhead, came the sound
of a mans voice talking excitedly.
Even In the semi-darkness, I could
see the look OF astonishment and alarm
on Godfrey's face, as he stood for q
moment ~motoinless. listening to that
voice. I also toe with ears a-strain.
but I could make nothing of what 1t
was saying; then suddenly I realized
that 1t was speaking In French. And
yet 1t was not Armand's voice-of that
I was certain.
Fronting us was q narrow stair
mounting steeply to the story overhead,
orH a ftoe fhof rornapfsu q M yod Hou{fo