The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-01-07
CHAPTER XIX.
LA MORT"

That my legs, without conscious eff
Tort of my own, should carry me up the
| avenue and around the corner after
the cab in which 1 had seen Godfrey
was a foregone conclusion, and yet ii
was with certain vexation of spirit
that l found myself racing along, for l
| realized that Godfrey had not been en-
tirely frank with me. Certainly he had
dropped no hint of his intention to fol-
low Armand; but, l told myself, that
| might very we'll have been because he
deemed such a hint unnecessary. I
might have guessed, in spite Of his
seeming unconcern, the he would not
allow the cabinet to pass from his
sight; II he had been willing for me to
turn ii over to Armand, 1t 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 cabinet $
destination! 1t had not occurred to me
to injUire where NJ. Armand proposed
to take 1t, and he had volunteered no
information.
So. after q moment, took up the
chase more contentedly, telling myself
that Godfrey would not have waved to
me II he had not wanted me along, and
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 were out of sight, / sprinted
along the sidewalk at top speed, and,
on arriving at the corner, had the sat
isfaction of seeing them only little
way ahead. Here the congestion OF
traffic was such that the van could
proceed but slowly, and had no diff
Guilty in keeping pace with it, without
the necessity OF making myself conspic-
uous by running. Indeed, rather hung
back, burying myself in the crowds on
the sidewalk, for fear that Armand
might chance to glance around and see
me In pursuit.
saw that Godfrey and Simmonds
had the same fear for the cab 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, I asked myself? Did he
propose to leave that priceless cabinet
In this dingy quarter? And then I paus-
ed abruptly and slipped into an area
way, for 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 and paid the driver.
The other cab ratified on at a good pace
and disappeared UP the avenue. Then
-
and with Armand showing them the
way, carried 1t into the building before
which the van had stopped.
They were gone perhaps five minutes,
from which ! argued that 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 1t rat
tied away out 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
Simmonds, come out OF q shop across
the street and dash over to the house
tnto which the cabinet had been taken.
They were standing on the door step
when Joined them.
1t was a dingy building. entirely typ
zeal 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-
element as he turned the knob OF this
locked. He stopped and applied an eye
to the key hole.
The key is in the lock-" he whis-
pered.
Eimmonds took from his pocket a
pair OF slender pliers and passed them
over.
Godfrey looked UP and down the
street, saw that for the moment there
was no one near, inserted the pliers in
the keyhole, grasped the end OF the key,
and turned 1t slowly.
"Nowl" he said, softly opened the
| door and slipped inside. I followed.
| and Simmonds came after me like q
shadow, closing the door carefully be-
hind him.
Then we all stopped, ana 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, could
| see the look OF establishment and alarm
| on Godfrey's face, as he stood for a
| moment motoinless, listening to that
l voice / also TODD with ears a-strain
but could make nothing OF what II
was saying; then suddenly / realized
| that 1t was speaking in French. And
| yet ii was not Armand's voice-of that
l was certain.
Fronting US was q narrow stair
| mounting steeply to the story overhead
Ind after that moments amazed hesita-