Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-01-07

The Mystery of
the Bou1e Cabinet
B URTON E.. STEVENSON
1 Copyright. 1918. by Burton E. Stevenson.
opyright. 1918. by Burton E. Stevenson.

ton, Godfrey sat down on the bot
tom step and removed his shoes, mo-
tion1ng us to do the same. Simmonds
obeyed phlegmatically, out my hands
We're trembling so with excitement that
CT my SHOES; blu l managed to get them
both off without mishap, and to set
them softly on the floor at the stair
foot.
When at last l looked up with a sigh
or relief, Godfrey and Simmonds We're
stealing slowly up the stair, revolver in
hand. l followed them, but l confess
there was something weird and chilling
in that voice going on and on. 1t
DUNDEE like he voice of a madman:
there was something about it at once
ferocious and triumphant 1883
Godfrey paused an instant at the
stairhead, listening intently; then he
moved cautiously forward toward an
opendoor from which the voiced
seemed to come, m%otoining us at the
same time to stay where we We're. And
as | knelt, bathed in presperation. I
caught one word, repeated over and
over:
"Eevanche! Revanche! Revanche!
Then the voice fell to a sort OF low
growing, as of a dog which worries
its prey, and l caught Il sound as of
ripping cloth.
Godfrey, on hands and knees, was
peering into the room. Then he drew
back and motoined US forward.
l shall never forget the sight which
met my eyes as l peeped cautiously
around the corner of the door.
The room into which l was looking
was lighted only by the rays which
filtered between the Stats of a closed
shutter. III the middle of the floor
tI1 lDA,1J~ IL, -, - ~
with his back to the door. stood a nan
ripping savagely away h strips OF
burlap in which it had been wrapped,
talking to himself the while in a sort
OF savage sing song, and pausing from
moment to momen to glance at a hud-
died bundle lying on the floor against
the opposite wall. For a time, l
was. then, strailiing my eyes, L saw
that III was the body of a man,
wrapped round inc round in some web
like fabric.
And as 1 stared at him, I caught the
glitter of his eyes as he watched the
man working at the cabinet-a glitter
not to be mistaken-the same glitter
which had SO frightened me once be-
fore
Godfrey drew me pack with a firm
hand and took my place. AS for me,
/ retreated to the stair and sat there,
leNeilStlS loppllS my race ana Trying
to Understand. Who was this man?
What was he doing there against the
wall? What was the meaning of this
ferocious scene
Then my heart leaped into my throat,
for Godfrey, with a sharp cry of
"Halte-la." sprang to his feet and
dashed into the room. Simmonds at his
heels.
/ suppose two seconds elapsed before
| reached the threshold, and / stopped
there. staring, clutching at the wall to
steady myself.
Tina scene is so photographed upon
my brain that have only to close my
eyes to see it again in every detail.
There was the abine with it's wrap
pings torn away; but the figure on the
floor had disappeared. and before an
opcn doorway into another room stood
a man, a giant of a man, his hands
above his head, his face working with
fear and rage. While Godfrey, his lips
curing into a mocking smile, pressed
a pistol against his breast
Then. as 1 stood there staring. it
seemed to me that there was a sort of
flicker in the air above the mans head
and he screamed shrilly.
La mort" he shrieked. La mort"
For one dreadful instant longer lie
stood there motionless. his hands still
held aloft, his eyes staring horribly;
then. with a stlangle cry, he pitched
forward heavily at Godfrey's feet.