The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-01-21
The Mystery Of
the Bou1e Cabinet
BURTON E. NSON
CHAPTER xM-tcontinuedl.

why, Lester" protested GOuAIeyI
ats as plain as day. Who was that
traitor, of course. We VIII find that
he was a member Of Armands gang.
He followed Armand to America, lay
in wait for him, caught him in the
act and bound him hand and foot. Do
you suppose for an instant that Ar
mand was ignorant Of his presence In
that house? Do you suppose he would
have been able to take Armand pris-
oner II Armand had not been willing
that he shouldP"
81 don't see how Armand could help
himself after that fellow got his hands
on him." .., ..
self that he was not really bound
that he had cut himself Ioosel"
THAT Is true" said, thoughtfully.
Let us reconstruct the story" God
frey went on rapidly. THE traitor dis
covers the secret Of the cabinet; he
follows Armand to New York, shad-
ows him to the house on Seventh ave-
nue. waits for him there, and setzes
and binds him. He is half mad
with triumph-he chants a crazy
sing song about revenge, revenge, re-
venge! And, in order that the triumph
may be complete, he does not kill his
prisoner at once. He rolls him into
a corner and proceeds to rip away the
burlap. His triumph will be to open
the secret drawer before Armands
corner, his eyes cleaning. because It Is
really the moment of his triumph
which is at handi"
'The moment of his Triumph" re-
peated. What do you mean by that
Godfrey"
opened the drawer, he would be stabbed
by the poisoned mechanism! 1t kas for
that that Armand waited!"
lay back in my chair with a gasp
Of Amusement and admiration. I had
been blind not to see 1t! Armand had
merely to lie still and permit the traitor
TO walk into the trap prepared for
him. No wonder his eyes had glowed
as he law there watching that frenzied
figure at the cabinet!
1T was not until the last moment"
Godfrey went on, when the traitor
was bending above the cabinet feeling
for the spring, that realized what was
about to happen. There was no time
for hesitation--I sprang into the room.
Armand vanished in an instant, and the
giant also tried to escape; but caught
him at the door. had no idea Of his
danger; had no thought that Armand
would dare linger. And yet he did.
Now. that IL is too late, I understand.
He had to kill that man; there were
risk, he had to kill him."
"But why?" I asked. "why?"
ITO seal his lips. If we had cap
tured him, do you suppose Armands
secret would have been safe for an in
slant? So he had to kill him-he had
to kill him with the poisoned barb
and he did Kill him. and got away into
the bargain! Never in my life have 1
felt so like a fool as when that door
was slammed in my facet"
Perhaps he had that prepared,
too" l suggested timidly, ready to be-
heve anything of this extraordinary
man. Perhaps he knew that we were
"Of course he did" assented Godfrey
grimly. why else would there be a
| snap lock on the outside of the door?
| And to think did't see it! To think
! that was fool enough to suppose that
7 could follow him about the streets Of
| New York without his knowing it! He
knew from the first that he might be
followed, and prepared for it,"
But fits incredible!" protested
| teebly. TITS Incredible"
Nothing Is Incredible In connec-
ton with that mani"
But the risk-think Of the risk he
ran!"
What does he care for risks2 He
despises them-and rightly. He got
| away. DIDN'T hep
Yes" 1 said, The got away; there's
no question of that. l guess"
We'll, that is the story Of this after
moons tragedy, as l understand it,
proceed ID Godfrey. more calmly. And
now I'm going TO leave you. want
you to think it over. II 1t doesn't hold
together, show me where It doesn't.
But 1t will hold together-tt has to
because it's true!"
But how about Armand?" / pro-
tested. Aren't you going to try. to
capture him? Are you goirg to let him
| get awsy?"
HE won't get away!" and Godfrey's
eyes were cleaning again. I'VE don't
nave to search for him; for we've got
our trap, Lester, and it's baited with q
bait he can't resist-the Boule cab
met"
"But he knows it's a trap"
"Of course he knows it,"
And you really think he will walk
into it?" asked incredulously.
! II know he will! One OF these days,
he viii try to get that cabinet out Of the
/ steel cell at the Twenty-third Street
| station, in which we have II locked"
shook my head.
He's no such fool" said. mo man
Is such a fool as that. He'll give ii up
and go quietly back to Paris"
Not II he's the man think he IT,"
said Godfrey. his hand on the door.
HE will never give up! Just wait,
Lester; we shall know in a day or
two which OF us is a true prophet.
The only thing I am afraid Of" he
added, his face clouding. is that he'll
get away with the cabinet, in spite OF
u.s."
And he went away down the han,
leaving me staring after him.