JJ 111 M&Ld
BfV
E .."STEVENSON
Copyrljht. 1913. by Burton E. Stevenson
that cabinet. .M. Armand?"
"We believe It to have been made
for Mine, de Mnntespuii by M. Boule
himself." h1 answered. "It Is the
original of one now hi tlie Louvre
which Im knowu to have belonged to
the Grand I.ouls."
"It was Mr Vnntine'N correct guess
at the history of the cabinet," I ex
plained, "which gave uie the IiiimIm for
my theory A cabinet belonging to
Mme de Montespnu would, of course,
hare n necret drawer What more nat
ural than that It should be guarded by
a M)lsoned mechanism?"
"What more natural. Indeed! It Is
(rood reasoning. .Mr Lester," he agreed
eagerly. his ryes burning like two coals
of fire, so Intense wan his Interest.
have been from boyhood n lover of
tales of mystery. I am fascinated.
"I'erliapn you can assist us." I sug
gested, "for that theory of mine bni
been completely disproved."
"Disproved? Id what way?" bs de
manded. -"The
secret drawer has been found.
"How?" he cried, his voice sharp
with surprise. "Found? The secret
drawer ban been found?"
"Yes. and there wos do poisoned
mechanism guarding It"
He breathed deeply for an Instant
then he pulled himself together with a
little laugh.
"Really." he said. "I must not In
fl til ire myself In this way. Was the
drawer empty?"
"No; there was a pucket of letters
in it"
"Delicious! I,ove letters, of a cer
tainty! From the Great Louis to the
Mouli'spau. perhaps?"
"o, unfortunately, they were of a
much more recent date. They have
been restored to their owner I hope
that yon agree with me that that was
tlie right thing to do?"
"Since the letters have been return
ed." he said at last, a little dryly, "it
Is useless to discuss the matter. Has
not other explanation been found for
the death of Mr. Vantlne and of this
stranger? You do not even know who
lie was?"
"Oil. yes. we have discovered that
He was a worthless fellow named
Drouet. living lu an attic In the. Rue
de la nuchette. In Purls."
M. Armand bad been gazing at me
Intently, but now his look relaxed, and
I fancied that he drew a deep breath
as a man might do when relieved of a
burden.
"You did not, by any chance, know
him?" 1 asked carelessly.
"No, I think not But I do not un
derstand what this Drouet. ns you call
him. was doing in the house of Mr.
Vantlne."
"Ue was trying to get possession of
the letters." I said "What none of
us understands. M. Armiind. Is how he
wag killed. Who or what killed him
How was (hat poison administered.
Can you suggest an explanation?"
"It Is a nice problem." he said, "a
most interesting one I will think It
over. Mr lister I shall see yon
again Wednesday If It Is agreeable
to you we can meet at the bouse of
Mr. Vnutlne and exchange the cabl
nets "
"At what time?"
"I do not know with exactness.
There may lie some delay In getting
the cabinet from the ship Perhaps
It would be better If I called for you?"
"Very well." I assented
CHAPTER XI.
I Part With the Boul Cabinet
THE coroner's Inquest was held
liext day. The police had dis
covered practically no new
evidence, none certaluly which
bed any light on the way In which
Drouet aud Philip Vuutlne had met
leath.
Police Commissioner Grady did not
go oo the stand He was not at the In
quest The case bud been placed In
Slmuionds' hands, and It was he who
testified ou behalf of the police, admit
ting candidly that they were all at sea.
Hut he bad not sbaudoned hope aud
was still working on the case.
The end of the hearing was that the
jury brought in a verdht that Philip
Vautine aud George Drouet bad died
from the effects of a poison adminis
tered by a person or iiersons unknown.
Godfrey Joined me at the duor as I
was leaving
I was glad to bear flmmonds con
fess that the police are up a tree." ba
aald. "Of course Grady Is trying to
sneak ont f It I'll see that 81m
nionds gets a pinrr deal."
"We're all up a tree, aren't we?" I
aald. "Since my theory almut the
Boule cabinet exploded I have Riven
up hope lu the way. I'm golr to
turn the cabinet oer to Its owner tomorrow."
"To Its owner?" be repeated, his
eyes narrowing. "Yes. I thought he'd
be around for It. though I hardly
thought he'd come so soon. Who does
It bapptfii to be. Lester?"
"Why." I Bald, a little Impatiently,
"you know as well as I do that It be
longs to Armand & Son."
You ve seen their representative.
then?" he queried, with a littlu flush
of excitement.
"Ue came to see me yesterday. I'd
like you to meet him, Godfrey He Is
Felix Armand, the 'son' of the firm.
and one of the most finished gentle
men I ever met"
"I'd like to meet him." said Godfrey,
lulling queerly. "Perhaps I shall,
some day. I hope no. anyway. But
how did he explain the blunder, Les
ter?"
"In some way they shipped the
wrong cabinet to Vantlne. The right
one will get here on La Provence to
morrow."
"It Is all most Interesting," Godfrey
commented.
"Godfrey, I added. "I felt yester
day when I was talking with him that
perhaps be knew more about this affair
than be would admit I could see that
be guessed In an Instant who the own
er of the letters was. and what they
contained. Do you think I ought to
hold on to the cabinet a while longer?
I could Invent some pretext for delay,
easily enough."
"Why. no; let him have his cabinet"
aald Godfrey, with an alacrity that sur
prised me. "If your theory about It
baa been exploded, what's the use of
hanging on to it?"
"I don't see any use in doing; so," I
admitted, "but I thought perhaps you
might want more time to examine It"
"I've examined It all I'm going to,'
Godfrey answered, and I told myself
that this was the first time I had
ever known him to admit himself de
feated. "Perhaps I'll see you tomor
row." be added, and we parted at the
corner.
But I did not see him on the morrow
I was rather expecting, a call from hlin
during the morning, and when none
came I was certain I should Bud him
awaiting me when I arrived nt the
Vnutlne house. In coinpmiy with M
Armnud. But he was not there, and
when I asked for hlin Pnrks told me
that he had not seen him since the duy
before.'
I confess that Godfrey's Indifference
to the fate of the cnbinet surprised me
greatly; besides, I was hoping that he
would wish to meet the fascinating
Frenchman more fascinating. If pos
sible, than he had been on Monday
There had been less delay than he had
anticipated In getting the cabluet off
the boat and through The customs, and
It was not yet 3 o'clock when we reach
ed the Vantlne butise.
I haven't seeu Mr. Godfrey." Parks
repeated, "but there's others here as it
fair breaks my heart to see.
lie motioned toward the door of the
music room, and, stepping to It I saw
that the Inventory whs uirtudy lu prog
ress.
"Tlie cabinet Is in tlie room across
the hall." 1 said to M. Armand, and led
the way through the anteroom Into the
room beyond.
Parks switched on the lights for us,
and my companion glnuced with sur
prise at the heavy shutters covering
the windows.
"We put those up for a protection
I explained. "We hud an Idea that
some oue would try to enter, tn fact,
one evening we did tlnd s wire con
necting with the burglar alarm cut.
and. later on. saw some one peering In
through the hole In that shutter yonder."
"Yon did?" .M. Armand queried quick
ly. "Would you recognize the niau, If
you were to meet him agalu?"
"Oh, no: you see the bole la quite
mall. There was nothing visible ex
cept a pair of eyes. Yet I might know
them again, for I never before saw
such eyes so bright so burning."
U. Armand was gazing nt the cab
inet apparently only half listening.
"Will you show me how the secret
drawer U operated. Mr lister?" be
aid. "I am must curious about It"
I placed my hand upon the table and
pressed the three points which the
veiled lady had shown us. The little
handle fell forward with a click, and I
pulled the drawer open.
He examined It with tuii'-d Interest:
pushed It bark Into pli.e and then
opened It himself
"Very clever. Indewd." he said. "I
have never seen t not her so well etm-
cea led."
"My friend and I went over the cab
inet very carefully and could not find
it" 1 said.
"Your frleud-J thick you mentioned
his iniine?1
I I "Yes. Ills ii.-iiiic is liodriev.
"A niau if the law. Hke yourself?"
"Oil, no, a uewsiiiperunin. But he
had been a member of the detective
force before that He is extraordinarily
keen. But that t-omhliiiitiou was toe
much for him."
M. Aruuiud sn.ipin-d the drawer buefe
Into place with a little crash.
"1 am glad, at an. rale, that It wa
discovered." he said. "I will not con
ceal from you. Mr Lester, that It adds
not a little to the value of the cabi
net" "What Is Its valuer I asked. "Mr
Vantlne wanted me to buy It for hlin
and named a most extravagant figure
as the limit he was willing to pay."
"Really." M. Armand answered aft
er an instant's hesitation. - would ir.it
tire to name a ligure. Mr. Lester
without further c;usiiltatlou "with my
father."
"What is It. Parks?" I said as thai
worthy appeared nt the door
"There's a van outside, sir." be said,
"and a couple of men are unloading a
piece of furniture. Is It all right, sir?"
"Yes." I answered. "II uv? them
bring It iu here, and ask the man lu
charge of the Inventory to step over
here a minute. Mr. Vantlne left his
collection of art objects to tile Metro
politan .Museum." I explained to M
Ariiiiind. "iiml I should like the repre
sentative of the museum to be present
when the exchange is made."
"Certainly," he assented. "That la
very Just"
Parks was bin k In a moment, pilot
Ing two men who carried between
them nu object swathed III burlap.
and the Metropolitan limn followed
them In.
"1 am Mr Lester," I said to him.
Mr. Vnutlne's executor, and this Is
M. I'ellx Armiind of Armand & Hon of
Paris We are correcting un error
which wiik made Just before Mr. Vnu
tlne died. That cnblnct yonder was
shipped lilin by mistake In place of
one which he had bought. M. Armand
has caused the right one to be sent
over and will take away the one which
belongs to him. I have already spoken
to the museum's attorney about the
matter, -but I wished you to lie present
when the exchange was made"
"That Is a very handsome piece.
sum me AieiroH)iiuin man "I am
sorry the museum is not to get It"
The two men menu while, under M
Armand'a direction, hud been strip
ping the wrappings from the other cab
inet and It dually stood revealed. It
too. was a beautiful piece of furni
ture, hut even my untrained eye could
see how greatly it fell below the other
"The other cabinet Is yours." I said
to M Annum!.
I shall hope to see you again. Mr
Lester." he said, with a cordiality
which dnttered me. "and to renew our
very pleasant acquaintance When
ever you are lu Purls I trust you will
not full to honor me by letting me
know "
Thank you." I said "I shall cer
tut illy remember that Invitation And
meanwhile, since you are here in New
Vork"-
"Yotf are tnost kind." be broke In.
'mid I was myself hoping that we
might nt least dine together Hut I
am compelled to proceed to Ronton
this evening, and from there I shall go
on to Queliec."
Then he signed to the two men to
take up the cabinet anil himself laid
a protecting liaml upon It as It was
carried through tlie door and down
the steps to the van which was hack
ed up to the curb It was lifted care
fully Inside, the two men da inhered
In beside It. the driver spoke to the
horses, anil the van rolled slowly away
up the avenue
M Armiind watched It for a moment.
tben mounted Into the cub which was
walling, waved n lasl farewell to me
and followed after the vim. We
watched It until It turned westward at
the first cross street
Mr. Godfrey's occupation will be
gone, sulil Parks, with a lime laugh.
He Ii.im fairly lived with that cabinet
for the past three or four days. He
was here lust night for quite awhile."
Last ulght?" I echoed, surprised.
I was sure he would be here today."
I milled. i
The next Instant I was Jumping .
down the steps I wo at a time, for a j
cub in which two men were sitting ,
came down the avenue and rolled slow- !
ly around the corner In the direction
taken by the van One of Its occu- I
pants turned toward me and waved i
his hand, and I rwomil.ed .llui (Jod i
frey. !
It was wllh a certain vexation of j
spirit (lint I found myself racing after I
Godfrey's cab. for I realized that he j
bad not been etiliri'ly frank with mo
Certainly be had dropped no hint of
bis intention to follow Annum).
And it suddenly dawned upon me
that even I did not know the cabinet's
destination. M Armand Had vulun
leered no In formation.
I reached the corner lu time to see
the van turn northward Into Sixth av
enue. At Slxtii-ritli street it turned
westward again, and then northward
Into Seventh aieniie.
What could Ariiiniid be doing In this
part of the town? I asked myself. Did
he propose to leave that priceless cab
inet In this dingy quarter? And then
I paused abruptly and sllppcrf Into an
archway, for the van had stopped some
distance ahead slid was backing up to
the curb
liSsklni! out discreetly, I saw the cab
containing Armand stop also, and that
gentleman ;i lit hied and paid the drlv
er Th "fher enh rntteil on st
rod pace and disapiieiirel Up the
nut. Tbeu Ihe two porters lifted out
the cabinet and, with Aniini.d show
ing them the way. carried It Into the
building before which the van had
stopped.
Tbey were gone f.erhapM five min
utes, from which I argued that they
were carrying It iistalrs; then they
rpaptxurod. ith Armand ac-nipuny-
Ing them He t!i ;.! them mil went
out slso to tip the driver of Ihe van
Thru the p rti r limbed alwrtrd. ami
tt rattled away m;l of rUl AruiatiJ
at'Ksl f.r h iiiomcitt on the step. lik
ing up nu I down the avenue, then dis-
An Instant Inter I saw Godfrey and
another mini whom I recoiridml as
Sluiinoiuts come out of a shop across
f V
I Saw
tha Cab Containing
Stop.
Armand
the street mid dash over to the house
Into which the cabinet had been takeu.
They were .standing ou the doorstep
wlieu I joined them.
It wns u dingy building, entirely
typical 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, aud the
room which the window lighted ex
tended the whole width of the build
lug except for a door which opened
premium lily on the stairway, leading
to the upper stories.
Godfrey's face was flaming with ex
cltcment as he turned the knob of .this
dmir gently-gently. The door was
locked. He stooped and applied an eye
to Ihe key hula
. "The key Is in the lock," he whis
pered.
Siuimonds took from his pocket a
pair of blender tillers and passed them
over.
Godfrey Inserted the pliers in the
keyhole, grasped the end of the key
and turned it slowly.
"Now!" he siild, softly opened the
door aud slipped Inside. I followed,
and Slmmonds dime after me like a
shadow, closing the door carefully be
hind lilm.
Then we all stopped, and my heart
at least, was In my mouth, for from
somewhere overhead came the sound
of a man's voice talking excitedly.
Even In the aelmdarkness I could
see the look of ustoiilshment and alarm
on Godfrey's face as he stood for a
niouieut motionless, llsteuing to that
voire. I also stood with ears u -strain,
but I could make nothing of what It
was saying. Then suddenly I realized
that It was speaking In French. And
yet It whs not Armand's voice of that
I was certain.
Fronting us was a narrow stair
mounting steeply to the story over
head, and after that moment's amazed
hesitation Godfrey sat down on the
bottom step and removed his shoes
quietly, motioning us to do the same
KIuiuioikIs obeyed phlcgimitically, but
my hands were trembling.
When I looked up Godfrey and 81m-
monds were stealing slowly up the
stair, revolver In hand. I followed
them, but I confess my knees were
knnckliiK together, for there was some
thing weird and chilling In that voice
going ou and on- It sounded like the
voire of a inadiiiiin. There was some
thing ii bout It nt ouiu ferocious and
triumphant.
Godfrey paused au Instant at the
stair bend, listening Intently. Then
he moved cautiously forward toward
an open duor. from which the voice
seemed to coine. motioning us at the
same time to stay where we were.
And as 1 knelt, luithcd In perspiration,
I caught one word, repeated over aud
over:
"Revenge, revenge, revenge!"
nicker In tiio air uliove llie man's lieud,
and he screamed shrilly.
"Death!" he shrieked. "Death!"
For one dreadful Instant louger be
stood there motionless; then, with a
strangled cry, he pitched forward heaT
lly at Godfrey's feet I have a con
fused remeuibrauce of Godfrey stocp.
Ing for an Instant above the body,
storing nt It aud then, with a sharp
cry, hurltng himself through that open
doorway. Iu a moment Godfrey was
back In the room, crossed It at a bound
and dashed to the door opening Into
the hall. Just as It was slammed la
his face
I saw him tear desperately at the
knob, tben retreat two steps and hurl
himself against It. But It held firm,
and from the hall outside came a burst
of mocking laughter that fairly froie
my blood.
Slmmoiids was quicker than I. and
together they threw themselves at the
door It cracked omlnouslv. hut till
held Again they tried, and this tlm
It split from top to bottom. Godfrey
kicked the pieces) to either side and
slipped between them. Slmmouds after
him.
1 readied thestulr head lu time to see
Godfrey try the front door and then
turn along the lower hall leading to
the back of the house. Ad Instant
later a chorus of frenzied women's
shrieks miiile my hair stand on eniL
How I got dowu the stairs I do not
know. Hut 1, too. turned hack along
the lower hall, expecting any Instant
to come upon I knew not what horror.
1 reached un open door, passed through.
It ant) found myself lu Ihe laundry lu
the midst of a group of excited and lu
.!.- . .
tiiKiiinii women, who greeted my ap
pearance with a rresh series of screams.
Pliable tu go further, I sat limply
down upon a box and looked at them.
I was still sitting there wbeu Godfrey
came back, breathing heavily, chagrlu
and anger lu Ills eyes
A crime has been committed up
stairs." he said to the manager. "This
gentli'iiinn with me Is Mr Klminonds
of the detective bureau," and at the
words Kimmcmds showed his shield.
We shall have to notify headquar
ters.' Godfrey went on. "and 1 would
ndvlse tbnt you keep your girls at their
work I don't suppose you waut to be
mixed up in It"
Sure not." agreed the manager
promptly, and while filmmonds went
to the idioiie and culled up police head
quarters the ma linger had the girls
buck at their work in short order.
Godfrey came over to me and laid
his hand on my shoulder.
"Why, Lester," he said, "you look as
though you wore ut your last gaBp."
I am. I said. "I'm going to have
nervous prostration If this thing keeps
up You're not looking particularly
happy yourself."
'I'm not happy. I've let that fellow
kill a inn n right under my noseliter
ally under my nose and then get
uway!"
Kill a muni" I repeated. "Do you
mea n
Go upstairs and look at the light
hand of the man lying there," said
Godfrey curtly, "and you'll see what 1
mean."
Slmmoiids Joined us with a twisted
smile on his Hps. and I saw that even
he was considerably shaken.
I got Grady," he said, "and told
him what had happened. He says
ho's too busy (o come up and that I'm
to lake charge of things. The ambu
lance will be around at once. We'd
better get our shoes on and go hack
upstairs mid see If anything ran be
one for that fellow."
Slmmoiids knelt beside the body and
held up the limp right bund for us
to see.
Just above the knuckles were two
tiny Incisions, with a drop or two of
blood oozing awny from them, and
the flesh about them swollen and discolored
Continued next week
TIih Monitor can net engra
vml visilinjr cards for you
Siiinplfs in fctook.
Eastern Ojster Shell
Chick Food
Developing Food
Grit
$1.25 per hundred
2.50 "
2.60 "
1.00
BUT BY THE HUNDRED AND SAVE MONET
6ET OUR PRICE BEFORE YOU SILL TOUR WOOL HO MOUIR
THE INDEPENDENCE SEED AND FEED STORE
They Have It
Wanted
Wool and Mohair
I Pay Highest Market Price for Both at
INDEPENDENCE MONMOUTH
Telephone or write tre at Monmouth if you have either to sell
SACKS! SACKS!!
I have a supply of both wool and
mohairsacks and fleece twine.
I have these supplies at Nelson's
in Independence and at my store
Allen Clark, Monmouth, Oreg.
Pianos
Knabe, Vose & Sons,
Fisher, Bush S Lane.
Hobart M. Cable, Koh
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drew Kohler.
Player Pianos
These are some of the high
grade pianos carried by
The Savage Music House
135 North Liberty St. Salem, Or.
We will take your old piano or organ tn exchange on
new pianos and give you terms to suit.
Indupendence headquarters
BEAVER HOTEL
CHAPTER XII.
"Death."
OliKKKV. on IwiiiiIk and knees,
whh pc-crlng Into the room.
Then he dri-w bin k and mo
tioned iih forward.
In the middle of Hit floor utood the
Hoiile rnliiiict. and lu foro It. with hl
bark t ttio door, stooil a man rlpplin;
saviu.'1-ly invaf the lil; of Imrlup in
which it had bet-u m.iiipwl. talking
to hhnjiflf Ihe wlillt- In m -.ort of anv
ijre ulnonu nnd pan from nio
meat to moment to kIiiiko at a hml
d!i'd bundle lying 011 the Hour ugalnm
the oiiisiti wnll. ("or n time I could
not in.-iki' out what thi-i lnindle was.
Thin. t ruining my eyes. I nan that It
' the liody of a rnn. wrapped
and round to torn wabltfc
roand
fabric.
And as I (tared at bin) I caught the
glitter of hi eyes as lie wa trued the
I mini working at tho cabinet- a (flitter
! not to te mistaken -the same glitter
j which bad o frightened toe ome be
fore. What nas the moanluK of this
ferw'ioiiH scene?
j My heart leaperi Into my throat, for
' Godfrey, with a sharp cry of 'Stop!"
sprung to tils fr.-t and daxhed Into the
room. Hlnimotid.i fit hla heels
j I upjKKe two RerondM elaed before
; I reaebfd the tbreabold. and I stopped
; there, staring, clutching at the wull to
steady niynelf.
' There wag the cabinet with Its wrap
pings torn away, but the figure on the
Boor had disappeared, and t-fore an
open doorway Into another room stood
a num. n giant of a man. his bauds
above liis head, his fin e working wltb
fear anil rage. bbe Godfrey, his ll8
curiing Into a cii'' king Millie, pressed
a M l agnltixt bi hrat.
Then, an I Hf'Hd there staring. It
seemed to nie that there was a sort of
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