Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-01-21
CHAPTER xxI-(continued,.

bearded giant who was killed? The
traitor, of course. We will find that
he was a member Of Armand's 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 If Armand a not been willing
that he should?"
~ don see how Armand could help
himself after that fellow got his hands
on him"
"You don't? And yet vol saw your
self that he was not really bound
that he had cut himself loose!"
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 seizes
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 n proceeds to rip away the
burlap. His triumph will be to open
the secret drawer before Armand's
eyes. And Armand lies there in the
corner, his eyes cleaning, because it is
really the moment Of his triumph
which is at hand!"
THE moment of his triumph" I re-
peated. VIVA do you mean by that,
Godfrey"
Il mean that, the instant the traitor
opened the drawer, he would be stabbed
by the poisoned mechanism! 1t kas for
that that Armand waited!"
l lay back in my chair with a gasp
of amazement and admiration. l had
been blind moi to sc: it! 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
about to happen. There was no time
for hesitation sprang into the room.
armand vanished in an instant, and the
giant also tried to escape; out l caught
him at the door. L had no idea of his
danger; l lac no thought that Armand
Now that it is too late, 1 understand.
He had to kill that man; there were
no two way about it. Whatever the
risk. he had to kill him"
But why" / asked. "Why?"
I seal his lips. If we had cap
tured him. do you suppose Armand's
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 nave 1
felt SO like a fool as when that door
was slammed in my facet"
Perhaps he had that prepared,
| tor " c,rcactnl t;,,iJl, raal, ~ Nc
lieve anything of this extraordinary
man. Perhaps he knew that we were
there all the time
"Of IRIS 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
| 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 it's incredible!" 1 protested
feebly. It's incredib1e!'
Nothing is incredible In connec
ton with that mani"
But the risk-think of the risk he
rant"
What does he care for risks? He
despises them-and rightly. He got
away. didn't he?"
Yes" I SAID, got away; there's
nv 4dSSllcii VI lildl- 1 GUESS. a
well, that is the story of this after
moons tragedy, as l understand it,
proceed I'd Godfrey. more calmly. "And
now I'm going to leave you. I want
you to think it over. If it doesn't hold
together. show me where it doesn't.
But it will hold together-it has to-
because it's true!"
But how about Armand?" l pro-
tested. aren't you going to try to
capture him? Are you going to let hin
get away?"
He won't get away!" and Godfrey's
eyes were cleaning again. 1--WE don't
nave to search for him; for we've got
our trap, Lester, n it's baited with a
bait he can't resist-the Boule cab
inet!"
But he knows it's a trap"
o course he knows it,"
And o really hin he will walk
into it?" l asked incredulously.
Il know he will! One of these days,
he will try to get that cabinet out of the
steel cell at the Twenty-third Street
station, in which we have it locked!"
/ shook my head.
He's no such fool" I said. mo man
Is such a fool as that. He'll give it up
and go quietly back to Paris"
Not if he's the man 1 think he is"
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 l am afraid Of" he
added, his face clouding, SIS that he'll
get away with the cabinet, in spite of
us!"
And he went away down the hall,
leaving me staring after him.
CI} p1rL,P SyTJ