THE MYSTERY OF THE BOULE CABINET

_A Detective Story_

BY

BURTON E. STEVENSON

With Illustrations by THOMAS FOGARTY

1911

To

A. B. M. Fellow-Sherlockian

CONTENTS

 I A CONNOISSEUR'S VAGARY II THE FIRST TRAGEDY III THE WOUNDED HAND IV THE THUNDERBOLT V GRADY TAKES A HAND VI THE WOMAN IN THE CASE VII ROGERS GETS A SHOCK VIII PRECAUTIONS IX GUESSES AT THE RIDDLE X PREPARATIONS XI THE BURNING EYES XII GODFREY IS FRIGHTENED XIII A DISTINGUISHED CALLER XIV THE VEILED LADY XV THE SECRET OF THE UNKNOWN FRENCHMAN XVI PHILIP VANTINE'S CALLER XVII ENTER M. ARMAND XVIII I PART WITH THE BOULE CABINET XIX "LA MORT!" XX THE ESCAPE XXI GODFREY WEAVES A ROMANCE XXII "CROCHARD, L'INVINCIBLE!" XXIII WE MEET M. PIGOT XXIV THE SECRET OF THE CABINET XXV THE MICHAELOVITCH DIAMONDS XXVI THE FATE OF M. PIGOT XXVII THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA XXVIII CROCHARD WRITES AN EPILOGUE

ILLUSTRATIONS

CLUTCHING AT HIS THROAT, HE HALF-TURNED AND FELL

"I GRABBED HER AGAIN, AND JUST THEN MR. VANTINE OPENED THE DOOR ANDCAME OUT INTO THE HALL. "

"A MOMENT LATER M. FÉLIX ARMAND WAS SHOWN IN"

WITH HIS BACK TO THE DOOR, STOOD A MAN RIPPING SAVAGELY AWAY THESTRIPS OF BURLAP

CHAPTER I

A CONNOISSEUR'S VAGARY

"Hello!" I said, as I took down the receiver of my desk 'phone, inanswer to the call. 

"Mr. Vantine wishes to speak to you, sir, " said the office-boy. 

"All right, " and I heard the snap of the connection. 

"Is that you, Lester?" asked Philip Vantine's voice. 

"Yes. So you're back again?"

"Got in yesterday. Can you come up to the house and lunch with meto-day?"

"I'll be glad to, " I said, and meant it, for I liked Philip Vantine. 

"I'll look for you, then, about one-thirty. "

And that is how it happened that, an hour later, I was walking overtoward Washington Square, just above which, on the Avenue, the oldVantine mansion stood. It was almost the last survival of the oldrégime; for the tide of business had long since overflowed from theneighbouring streets into the Avenue and swept its fashionable folkfar uptown. Tall office and loft buildings had replaced thebrownstone houses; only here and there did some old family hold on, like a sullen and desperate rear-guard defying the advancing enemy. 

Philip Vantine was one of these. He had been born in the house wherehe still lived, and declared that he would die there. He had no onebut himself to please in the matter, since he was unmarried and livedalone, and he mitigated the increasing roar and dust of theneighbourhood by long absences abroad. It was from one of these thathe had just returned. 

I may as well complete this pencil-sketch. Vantine was about fiftyyears of age, the possessor of a comfortable fortune, something of aconnoisseur in art matters, a collector of old furniture, a littleeccentric--though now that I have written the word, I find that Imust qualify it, for his only eccentricity was that he persisted, inspite of many temptations, in remaining a bachelor. Marriageablewomen had long since ceased to consider him; mothers with maturingdaughters dismissed him with a significant shake of the head. It wasfrom them that he got the reputation of being an eccentric. But hisreasons for remaining single in no way concerned his lawyers--aposition which our firm had held for many years, and the active workof which had come gradually into my hands. 

It was not very arduous work, consisting for the most part of thedrawing of leases, the collecting of rents, the reinvestment offunds, and the adjustment of minor differences with tenants--all ofwhich were left to our discretion. But occasionally it was necessaryto consult our client on some matter of unusual importance, or to gethis signature to some paper, and, at such times, I always enjoyed thetalk which followed the completion of the business; for Vantine was agood talker, with a knowledge of men and of the world gained by muchtravel and by a detached, humourous and penetrating habit of mind. 

He came forward to meet me, as I gave his man my hat and stick, andwe shook hands heartily. I was glad to see him, and I think he wasglad to see me. He was looking in excellent health, and brown fromthe voyage over. 

"It's plain to see that the trip did you good, " I said. 

"Yes, " he agreed; "I never felt more fit. But come along; we can talkat table. There's a little difficulty I want you to untangle for me. "I followed him upstairs to his study, where a table laid for two hadbeen placed near a low window. 

"I had lunch served up here, " Vantine explained, as we sat down, "because this is the only really pleasant room left in the house. IfI didn't own that plot of ground next door, this place would beimpossible. As it is, I can keep the sky-scrapers far enough away toget a little sunshine now and then. I've had to put in an air filter, too; and double windows in the bedrooms to keep out the noise; but Idare say I can manage to hang on. "

"I can understand how you'd hate to move into a new house, " I said. 

Vantine made a grimace. 

"I couldn't endure a new house. I'm used to this one--I can find myway about in it; I know where things are. I've grown up here, youknow; and, as a man gets older, he values such associations more andmore. Besides, a new house would mean new fittings, new furniture--"

He paused and glanced about the room. Every piece of furniture in itwas the work of a master. 

"I suppose you found some new things while you were away?" I said. "You always do. Your luck's proverbial. "

"Yes--and it's that I wanted to talk to you about, I brought back sixor eight pieces; I'll show them to you presently. They are all prettygood, and one is a thing of beauty. It's more than that--it's anabsolutely unique work of art. Only, unfortunately, it isn't mine. "

"It isn't yours?"

"No; and I don't know whose it is. If I did, I'd go buy it. That'swhat I want you to do for me. It's a Boule cabinet--the mostexquisite I ever saw. "

"Where did it come from?" I questioned, more and more surprised. 

"It came from Paris, and it was addressed to me. The only explanationI can think of is that my shippers at Paris made a mistake, sent me acabinet belonging to some one else, and sent mine to the otherperson. "

"You had bought one, then?"

"Yes; and it hasn't turned up. But beside this one, it's a mere daub. My man Parks got it through the customs yesterday. As there was aBoule cabinet on my manifest, the mistake wasn't discovered until thewhole lot was brought up here and uncrated this morning. "

"Weren't they uncrated in the customs?"

"No; I've been bringing things in for a good many years, and thecustoms people know I'm not a thief. "

"That's quite a compliment, " I pointed out. "They've been tearingthings wide open lately. "

"They've had a tip of some sort, I suppose. Come in, " he added, answering a tap at the door. 

The door opened and Vantine's man came in. 

"A gentleman to see you, sir, " he said, and handed Vantine a card. 

Vantine looked at it a little blankly. 

"I don't know him, " he said. "What does he want?"

"He wants to see you, sir; very bad, I should say. "

"What about?"

"Well, I couldn't just make out, sir; but it seems to be important. "

"Couldn't make out? What do you mean, Parks?"

"I think he's a Frenchman, sir; anyway, he don't know much English. He ain't much of a looker, sir--I've seen hundreds like him sittingout in front of the cafés along the boulevards, taking all afternoonto drink a bock. "

Vantine seemed struck by a sudden idea, and he looked at the cardagain. Then he tapped it meditatively on the table. 

"Shall I show him out, sir?" asked Parks, at last. 

"No, " said Vantine, after an instant's hesitation. "Tell him towait, " and he dropped the card on the table beside his plate. 

"I tell you, Lester, " he went on, as Parks withdrew, "when I wentdownstairs this morning and saw that cabinet, I could hardly believemy eyes. I thought I knew furniture, but I hadn't any idea such acabinet existed. The most beautiful I had ever seen is at the Louvre. It stands in the Salle Louis Fourteenth, to the left as you enter. Itbelonged to Louis himself. Of course I can't be certain without acareful examination, but I believe that cabinet, beautiful as it is, is merely the counterpart of this one. "

He paused and looked at me, his eyes bright with the enthusiasm ofthe connoisseur. 

"I'm not sure I understand your jargon, " I said. "What do you mean by'counterpart?'"

"Boule furniture, " he explained, "is usually of ebony inlaid withtortoise-shell, and incrusted with arabesques in metals of variouskinds. The incrustation had to be very exact, and to get it so, theartist clamped together two plates of equal size and thickness, oneof metal, the other of tortoise-shell, traced his design on the topone, and then cut them both out together. The result was twocombinations, the original, with a tortoise-shell ground and metalapplications; and the counterpart, appliqué metal with tortoise-shellarabesques. The original was really the one which the artist designedand whose effects he studied; the counterpart was merely a resultantaccident with which he was not especially concerned. Understand?"

"Yes, I think so, " I said. "It's a good deal as though MichaelAngelo, when he made one of his sketches, white on black, put a sheetof carbon under his paper and made a copy at the same time, black onwhite. "

"Precisely. And it's the original which has the real artistic value. Of course, the counterpart is often beautiful, too, but in a muchlower degree. "

"I can understand that, " I said. 

"And now, Lester, " Vantine went on, his eyes shining more and more, "if my supposition is correct--if the Grand Louis was content withthe counterpart of this cabinet for the long gallery at Versailles, who do you suppose owned the original?"

I saw what he was driving at. 

"You mean one of his mistresses?"

"Yes, and I think I know which one--it belonged to Madame deMontespan. "

I stared at him in astonishment, as he sat back in his chair, smilingacross at me. 

"But, " I objected, "you can't be sure--"

"Of course I'm not sure, " he agreed quickly. "That is to say, Icouldn't prove it. But there is some--ah--contributory evidence, Ithink you lawyers call it Boule and the Montespan were in their gloryat the same time, and I can imagine that flamboyant creaturecommissioning the flamboyant artist to build her just such acabinet. "

"Really, Vantine, " I exclaimed, "I didn't know you were so romantic. You quite take my breath away. "

He flushed a little at the words, and I saw how deeply in earnest hewas. 

"The craze of the collector takes him a long way sometimes, " he said. "But I believe I know what I'm talking about. I am going to make acareful examination of the cabinet as soon as I can. Perhaps I'llfind something--there ought to be a monogram on it somewhere. What Iwant you to do is to cable my shippers, Armand et Fils, Rue duTemple, find out who owns this cabinet, and buy it for me. "

"Perhaps the owner won't sell, " I suggested. 

"Oh yes, he will. Anything can be bought--for a price. "

"You mean you're going to have this cabinet, whatever the cost?"

"I mean just that. "

"But, surely, there's a limit. "

"No, there isn't. "

"At least you'll tell me where to begin, " I said. "I don't knowanything of the value of such things. "

"Well, " said Vantine, "suppose you begin at ten thousand francs. Wemustn't seem too eager. It's because I'm so eager, I want you tocarry it through for me. I can't trust myself. "

"And the other end?"

"There isn't any other end. Of course, strictly speaking, there is, because my money isn't unlimited; but I don't believe you will haveto go over five hundred thousand francs. "

I gasped. 

"You mean you're willing to give a hundred thousand dollars for thiscabinet?"

Vantine nodded. 

"Maybe a little more. If the owner won't accept that, you must let meknow before you break off negotiations. I'm a little mad about it, Ifancy--all collectors are a little mad. But I want that cabinet, andI'm going to have it. "

I did not reply. I only looked at him. And he laughed as he caught myglance. 

"I can see you share that opinion, Lester, " he said. "You fear forme. I don't blame you--but come and see it. "

He led the way out of the room and down the stairs; but when wereached the lower hall, he paused. 

"Perhaps I'd better see my visitor first, " he said. "You'll find anew picture or two over there in the music-room--I'll be with you ina minute. "

I started on, and he turned through a doorway at the left. 

An instant later, I heard a sharp exclamation; then his voice callingme. 

"Lester! Come here!" he cried. 

I ran back along the hall, into the room which he had entered. He wasstanding just inside the door. 

"Look there, " he said, with a queer catch in his voice, and pointedwith a trembling hand to a dark object on the floor. 

I moved aside to see it better. Then my heart gave a sickening throb;for the object on the floor was the body of a man. 

CHAPTER II

THE FIRST TRAGEDY

It needed but a glance to tell me that the man was dead. There couldbe no life in that livid face, in those glassy eyes. 

"Don't touch him, " I said, for Vantine had started forward. "It's toolate. "

I drew him back, and we stood for a moment shaken as one always is bysudden and unexpected contact with death. 

"Who is he?" I asked, at last. 

"I don't know, " answered Vantine hoarsely. "I never saw him before. "Then he strode to the bell and rang it violently. "Parks, " he went onsternly, as that worthy appeared at the door, "what has been going onin here?"

"Going on, sir?" repeated Parks, with a look of amazement, not onlyat the words, but at the tone in which they were uttered. "I'm sure Idon't know what--"

Then his glance fell upon the huddled body, and he stopped short, hiseyes staring, his mouth open. 

"Well, " said his master, sharply. "Who is he? What is he doing here?"

"Why--why, " stammered Parks, thickly, "that's the man who was waitingto see you, sir. "

"You mean he has been killed in this house?" demanded Vantine. 

"He was certainly alive when he came in, sir, " said Parks, recoveringsomething of his self-possession. "Maybe he was just looking for aquiet place where he could kill himself. He seemed kind of excited. "

"Of course, " agreed Vantine, with a sigh of relief, "that's theexplanation. Only I wish he had chosen some place else. I suppose weshall have to call the police, Lester?"

"Yes, " I said, "and the coroner. Suppose you leave it to me. We'lllock up this room, and nobody must leave the house until the policearrive. "

"Very well, " assented Vantine, visibly relieved, "I'll see to that, "and he hastened away, while I went to the 'phone, called up policeheadquarters, and told briefly what had happened. 

Twenty minutes later, there was a ring at the bell, and Parks openedthe door and admitted four men. 

"Why, hello, Simmonds, " I said, recognising in the first one thedetective-sergeant who had assisted in clearing up the Marathonmystery. And back of him was Coroner Goldberger, whom I had met intwo previous cases; while the third countenance, looking at me with aquizzical smile, was that of Jim Godfrey, the _Record's_ starreporter. The fourth man was a policeman in uniform, who, at a wordfrom Simmonds, took his station at the door. 

"Yes, " said Godfrey, as we shook hands, "I happened to be talking toSimmonds when the call came in, and I thought I might as well comealong. What is it?"

"Just a suicide, I think, " and I unlocked the door into the roomwhere the dead man lay. 

Simmonds, Goldberger and Godfrey stepped inside. I followed andclosed the door. 

"Nothing has been disturbed, " I said. "No one has touched the body. "

Simmonds nodded, and glanced inquiringly about the room; butGodfrey's eyes, I noticed, were on the face of the dead man. Goldberger dropped to his knees beside the body, looked into the eyesand touched his fingers to the left wrist. Then he stood erect againand looked down at the body, and as I followed his gaze, I noted itsattitude more accurately than I had done in the first shock ofdiscovering it. 

It was lying on its right side, half on its stomach, with its rightarm doubled under it, and its left hand clutching at the floor aboveits head. The knees were drawn up as though in a convulsion, and theface was horribly contorted, with a sort of purple tinge under theskin, as though the blood had been suddenly congealed. The eyes werewide open, and their glassy stare added not a little to the apparentterror and suffering of the face. It was not a pleasant sight, andafter a moment, I turned my eyes away with a shiver of repugnance. 

The coroner glanced at Simmonds. 

"Not much question as to the cause, " he said. "Poison of course. "

"Of course, " nodded Simmonds. 

"But what kind?" asked Godfrey. 

"It will take a post-mortem to tell that, " and Goldberger bent foranother close look at the distorted face. "I'm free to admit thesymptoms aren't the usual ones. "

Godfrey shrugged his shoulders. 

"I should say not, " he agreed, and turned away to an inspection ofthe room. 

"What can you tell us about it, Mr. Lester?" Goldberger questioned. 

I told all I knew--how Parks had announced a man's arrival, howVantine and I had come downstairs together, how Vantine had calledme, and finally how Parks had identified the body as that of thestrange caller. 

"Have you any theory about it?" Goldberger asked. 

"Only that the call was merely a pretext--that what the man wasreally looking for was a place where he could kill himselfunobserved. "

"How long a time elapsed after Parks announced the man before you andMr. Vantine came downstairs?"

"Half an hour, perhaps. "

Goldberger nodded. 

"Let's have Parks in, " he said. 

I opened the door and called to Parks, who was sitting on the bottomstep of the stair. 

Goldberger looked him over carefully as he stepped into the room; butthere could be no two opinions about Parks. He had been with Vantinefor eight or ten years, and the earmarks of the competent andfaithful servant were apparent all over him. 

"Do you know this man?" Goldberger asked, with a gesture toward thebody. 

"No, sir, " said Parks. "I never saw him till about an hour ago, whenRogers called me downstairs and said there was a man to see Mr. Vantine. "

"Who is Rogers?"

"He's the footman, sir. He answered the door when the man rang. "

"Well, and then what happened?"

"I took his card up to Mr. Vantine, sir. "

"Did Mr. Vantine know him?"

"No, sir; he wanted to know what he wanted. "

"What _did_ he want?"

"I don't know, sir; he couldn't speak English hardly at all--he wasFrench, I think. "

Goldberger looked down at the body again and nodded. 

"Go ahead, " he said. 

"And he was so excited, " Parks added, "that he couldn't remember whatlittle English he did know. "

"What made you think he was excited?"

"The way he stuttered, and the way his eyes glinted. That's whatmakes me think he just come in here to kill hisself quiet like--Ishouldn't be surprised if you found that he'd escaped fromsomewhere. I had a notion to put him out without bothering Mr. Vantine--I wish now I had--but I took his card up, and Mr. Vantinesaid for him to wait; so I come downstairs again, and showed the manin here, and said Mr. Vantine would see him presently, and thenRogers and me went back to our lunch and we sat there eating till thebell rang, and I came in and found Mr. Vantine here. "

"Do you mean to say that you and Rogers went away and left thisstranger here by himself?"

"The servants' dining-room is right at the end of the hall, sir. Weleft the door open so that we could see right along the hall, clearto the front door. If he'd come out into the hall, we'd have seenhim. "

"And he didn't come out into the hall while you were there?"

"No, sir. "

"Did anybody come in?"

"Oh, no, sir; the front door has a snap-lock. It can't be opened fromthe outside without a key. "

"So you are perfectly sure that no one either entered or left thehouse by the front door while you and Rogers were sitting there?"

"Nor by the back door either, sir; to get out the back way, you haveto pass through the room where we were. "

"Where were the other servants?"

"The cook was in the kitchen, sir. This is the housemaid's afternoonout. "

The coroner paused. Godfrey and Simmonds had both listened to thisinterrogation, but neither had been idle. They had walked softlyabout the room, had looked through a door opening into another roombeyond, had examined the fastenings of the windows, and had ended bylooking minutely over the carpet. 

"What is the room yonder used for?" asked Godfrey, pointing to theconnecting door. 

"It's a sort of store-room just now, sir, " said Parks. "Mr. Vantineis just back from Europe, and we've been unpacking in there some ofthe things he bought while abroad. "

"I guess that's all, " said Goldberger, after a moment. "Send in Mr. Vantine, please. "

Parks went out, and Vantine came in a moment later. He corroboratedexactly the story told by Parks and myself, but he added one detail. 

"Here is the man's card, " he said, and held out a square ofpasteboard. 

Goldberger took the card, glanced at it, and passed it on toSimmonds. 

"That don't tell us much, " said the latter, and gave the card toGodfrey. I looked over his shoulder and saw that it contained asingle engraved line:

 M. THÉOPHILE D'AURELLE

"Except that he's French, as Parks suggested, " said Godfrey. "That'sevident, too, from the cut of his clothes. "

"Yes, and from the cut of his hair, " added Goldberger. "You say youdidn't know him, Mr. Vantine?"

"I never before saw him, to my knowledge, " answered Vantine. "Thename is wholly unknown to me. "

"Well, " said Goldberger, taking possession of the card again andslipping it into his pocket, "suppose we lift him onto that couch bythe window and take a look through his clothes. "

The man was slightly built, so that Simmonds and Goldberger raisedthe body between them without difficulty and placed it on the couch. I saw Godfrey's eyes searching the carpet. 

"What I should like to know, " he said, after a moment, "is this: ifthis fellow took poison, what did he take it out of? Where's thepaper, or bottle, or whatever it was?"

"Maybe it's in his hand, " suggested Simmonds, and lifted the righthand, which hung trailing over the side of the couch. 

Then, as he raised it into the light, a sharp cry burst from him. 

"Look here, " he said, and held the hand so that we all could see. 

It was swollen and darkly discoloured. 

"See there, " said Simmonds, "something bit him, " and he pointed totwo deep incisions on the back of the hand, just above the knuckles, from which a few drops of blood had oozed and dried. 

With a little exclamation of surprise and excitement, Godfrey bentfor an instant above the injured hand. Then he turned and looked atus. 

"This man didn't take poison, " he said, in a low voice. "He waskilled!"

CHAPTER III

THE WOUNDED HAND

"He was killed!" repeated Godfrey, with conviction; and, at thewords, we drew together a little, with a shiver of repulsion. Deathis awesome enough at any time; suicide adds to its horror; murdergives it the final touch. 

So we all stood silent, staring as though fascinated at the handwhich Simmonds held up to us; at those tiny wounds, encircled bydiscoloured flesh and with a sinister dash of clotted blood runningaway from them. Then Goldberger, taking a deep breath, voiced thethought which had sprung into my own brain. 

"Why, it looks like a snake-bite!" he said, his voice sharp withastonishment. 

And, indeed, it did. Those two tiny incisions, scarcely half an inchapart, might well have been made by a serpent's fangs. 

The quick glance which all of us cast about the room was, of course, as involuntary as the chill which ran up our spines; yet Godfrey andI--yes, and Simmonds--had the excuse that, once upon a time, we hadhad an encounter with a deadly snake which none of us was likely everto forget. We all smiled a little sheepishly as we caught eachother's eyes. 

"No, I don't think it was a snake, " said Godfrey, and again bentclose above the hand. "Smell it, Mr. Goldberger, " he added. 

The coroner put his nose close to the hand and sniffed. 

"Bitter almonds!" he said. 

"Which means prussic acid, " said Godfrey, "and not snake poison. " Hefell silent a moment, his eyes on the swollen hand. The rest of usstared at it too; and I suppose all the others were labouring as Iwas with the effort to find some thread of theory amid this chaos. "It might, of course, have been self-inflicted, " Godfrey added, quiteto himself. 

Goldberger sneered a little. No doubt he found theincomprehensibility of the problem rather trying to his temper. 

"A man doesn't usually commit suicide by sticking himself in the handwith a fork, " he said. 

"No, " agreed Godfrey, blandly; "but I would point out that we don'tknow as yet that it _is_ a case of suicide; and I'm quite sure that, whatever it may be, it isn't usual. "

Goldberger's sneer deepened. 

"Did any reporter for the _Record_ ever find a case that _was_usual?" he queried. 

It was a shrewd thrust, and one that Godfrey might well have wincedunder. For the _Record_ theory was that nothing was news unless itwas strange and startling, and the inevitable result was that the_Record_ reporters endeavoured to make everything strange andstartling, to play up the outré details at the expense of the rest ofthe story, and even, I fear, to invent such details when noneexisted. 

Godfrey himself had been accused more than once of a too-luxuriantimagination. It was, perhaps, a realisation of this which hadpersuaded him, years before, to quit the detective force and takeservice with the _Record_. What might have been a weakness in thefirst position, was a mighty asset in the latter one, and he had wonan immense success. 

Please understand that I set this down in no spirit of criticism. Ihad known Godfrey rather intimately ever since the days when we werethrown together in solving the Holladay case, and I admired sincerelyhis ready wit, his quick insight, and his unshakable aplomb. He usedhis imagination in a way which often caused me to reflect that thepolice would be far more efficient if they possessed a dash of thesame quality; and I had noticed that they were usually glad of hisassistance, while his former connection with the force and hiscareful maintenance of the friendships formed at that time gave himan entrée to places denied to less-fortunate reporters. I had neverknown him to do a dishonourable thing--to fight for a cause hethought unjust, to print a fact given to him in confidence, or tomake a statement which he knew to be untrue. Moreover, a lively senseof humour made him an admirable companion, and it was this quality, perhaps, which enabled him to receive Goldberger's thrust with agood-natured smile. 

"We've got our living to make, you know, " he said. "We make it ashonestly as we can. What do _you_ think, Simmonds?"

"I think, " said Simmonds, who, if he possessed an imagination, neverpermitted it to be suspected, "that those little cuts on the hand aremerely an accident. They might have been caused in half a dozen ways. Maybe he hit his hand on something when he fell; maybe he jabbed iton a buckle; maybe he had a boil on his hand and lanced it with hisknife. "

"What killed him, then?" Godfrey demanded. 

"Poison--and it's in his stomach. We'll find it there. "

"How about the odour?" Godfrey persisted. 

"He spilled some of the poison on his hand as he lifted it to hismouth. Maybe he had those cuts on his hand and the poison inflamedthem. Or maybe he's got some kind of blood disease. "

Goldberger nodded his approval, and Godfrey smiled as he looked athim. 

"It's easy to find explanations, isn't it?" he queried. 

"It's a blamed sight easier to find a natural and simpleexplanation, " retorted Goldberger hotly, "than it is to find anunnatural and far-fetched one--such as how one man could kill anotherby scratching him on the hand. I suppose you think this fellow wasmurdered? That's what you said a minute ago. "

"Perhaps I was a little hasty, " Godfrey admitted, and I suspectedthat, whatever his thoughts, he had made up his mind to keep them tohimself. "I'm not going to theorise until I've got something to startwith. The facts seem to point to suicide; but if he swallowed prussicacid, where's the bottle? He didn't swallow that too, did he?"

"Maybe we'll find it in his clothes, " suggested Simmonds. 

Thus reminded, Goldberger fell to work looking through the dead man'spockets. The clothes were of a cheap material and not very new, sothat, in life, he must have presented an appearance somewhat shabby. There was a purse in the inside coat pocket containing two bills, onefor ten dollars and one for five, and there were two or three dollarsin silver and four five-centime pieces in a small coin purse which hecarried in his trousers' pocket. The larger purse had four or fivecalling cards in one of its compartments, each bearing a differentname, none of them his. On the back of one of them, Vantine's addresswas written in pencil. 

There were no letters, no papers, no written documents of any kind inthe pockets, the remainder of whose contents consisted of such oddsand ends as any man might carry about with him--a cheap watch, apen-knife, a half-empty packet of French tobacco, a sheaf ofcigarette paper, four or five keys on a ring, a silk handkerchief, and perhaps some other articles which I have forgotten--but not athing to assist in establishing his identity. 

"We'll have to cable over to Paris, " remarked Simmonds. "He's French, all right--that silk handkerchief proves it. "

"Yes--and his best girl proves it, too, " put in Godfrey. 

"His best girl?"

For answer, Godfrey held up the watch, which he had been examining. He had opened the case, and inside it was a photograph--thephotograph of a woman with bold, dark eyes and full lips and ovalface--a face so typically French that it was not to be mistaken. 

"A lady's-maid, I should say, " added Godfrey, looking at it again. "Rather good-looking at one time, but past her first youth, and socompelled perhaps to bestow her affections on a man a little beneathher--no doubt compelled also to contribute to his support in order toretain him. A woman with many pasts and no future--"

"Oh, come, " broke in Goldberger impatiently, "keep your second-handepigrams for the _Record_. What we want are facts. "

Godfrey flushed a little at the words and laid down the watch. 

"There is one fact which you have apparently overlooked, " he saidquietly, "but it proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that this fellowdidn't drift in here by accident. He came here of intention, and theintention wasn't to kill himself, either. "

"How do you know that?" demanded Goldberger, incredulously. 

Godfrey picked up the purse, opened it, and took out one of thecards. 

"By this, " he said, and held it up. "You have already seen what iswritten on the back of it--Mr. Vantine's name and the number of thishouse. That proves, doesn't it, that this fellow came to New Yorkexpressly to see Mr. Vantine?"

"Perhaps you think Mr. Vantine killed him, " suggested Goldberger, sarcastically. 

"No, " said Godfrey; "he didn't have time. You understand, Mr. Vantine, " he added, smiling at that gentleman, who was listening toall this with perplexed countenance, "we are simply talking now aboutpossibilities. You couldn't possibly have killed this fellow becauseLester has testified that he was with you constantly from the momentthis man entered the house until his body was found, with theexception of the few seconds which elapsed between the time youentered this room and the time he joined you here, summoned by yourcry. So you are out of the running. "

"Thanks, " said Vantine, drily. 

"I suppose, then, you think it was Parks, " said Goldberger. 

"It may quite possibly have been Parks, " agreed Godfrey, gravely. 

"Nonsense!" broke in Vantine, impatiently. "Parks is as straight as astring--he's been with me for eight years. "

"Of course it's nonsense, " assented Goldberger. "It's nonsense to saythat he was killed by anybody. He killed himself. We'll learn thecause when we identify him--jealousy maybe, or maybe just hard luck--he doesn't look affluent. "

"I'll cable to Paris, " said Simmonds. "If he belongs there, we'll soonfind out who he is. "

"You'd better call an ambulance and have him taken to the morgue, "went on Goldberger. "Somebody may identify him there. There'll be acrowd to-morrow, for, of course, the papers will be full of thisaffair--"

"The _Record_, at least, will have a very full account, " Godfreyassured him. 

"And I'll call the inquest for the day after, " Goldberger continued. "I'll send my physician down to make a post-mortem right away. Ifthere's any poison in this fellow's stomach, we'll find it. "

Godfrey did not speak; but I knew what was in his mind. He wasthinking that, if such poison existed, the vessel which had containedit had not yet been found. The same thought, no doubt, occurred toSimmonds, for, after ordering the policeman in the hall to call theambulance, he returned and began a careful search of the room, usinghis electric torch to illumine every shadowed corner. Godfrey devotedhimself to a similar search; but both were without result. ThenGodfrey made a minute inspection of the injured hand, whileGoldberger looked on with ill-concealed impatience; and finally hemoved toward the door. 

"I think I'll be going, " he said. "But I'm interested in what yourphysician will find, Mr. Coroner. "

"He'll find poison, all right, " asserted Goldberger, with decision. 

"Perhaps he will, " admitted Godfrey. "Strange things happen in thisworld. Will you be at home to-night, Lester?"

"Yes, I expect to be, " I answered. 

"You're still at the Marathon?"

"Yes, " I said; "suite fourteen. "

"Perhaps I'll drop around to see you, " he said, and a moment later weheard the door close behind him as Parks let him out. 

"Godfrey's a good man, " said Goldberger, "but he's too romantic. Helooks for a mystery in every crime, whereas most crimes are merelyplain, downright brutalities. Take this case. Here's a man killshimself, and Godfrey wants us to believe that death resulted from ascratch on the hand. Why, there's no poison on earth would kill a manas quick as that--for he must have dropped dead before he could getout of the room to summon help. If it was prussic acid, he swallowedit. Remember, he wasn't in this room more than fifteen or twentyminutes, and he was quite dead when Mr. Vantine found him. Men don'tdie as easily as all that--not from a scratch on the hand. They don'tdie easily at all. It's astonishing how much it takes to kill a man--how the spirit, or whatever you choose to call it, clings tolife. "

"How do you explain the address on the card, Mr. Goldberger?" Iasked. 

"My theory is that this fellow really had some business with Mr. Vantine; probably he wanted to borrow some money, or ask for help;and then, while he was waiting, he suddenly gave the thing up andkilled himself. The address has no bearing whatever, that I can see, on the question of suicide. And I'll say this, Mr. Lester, if thisisn't suicide, it's the strangest case I ever had anything to dowith. "

"Yes, " I agreed, "if it isn't suicide, we come to a blank wall rightaway. "

"That's it, " and Goldberger nodded emphatically. "Here's theambulance, " he added, as the bell rang. 

The bearers entered with the stretcher, placed the body on it, andcarried it away. Goldberger paused to gather up the articles he hadtaken from the dead man's pockets. 

"You gentlemen will have to give your testimony at the inquest, " hesaid. "So will Parks and Rogers. It will be day after to-morrow, probably at ten o'clock, but I'll notify you of the hour. "

"Very well, " I said; "we'll be there, " and Goldberger bade usgood-bye, and left the house. "And now, " I added, to Vantine, "I mustbe getting back to the office. They'll be asking the police to lookfor me next. Man alive!" and I glanced at my watch, "it's after fouro'clock. "

"Too late for the office, " said Vantine. "Better come upstairs andhave a drink. Besides, I want to talk with you. "

"At least, I'll let them know I'm still alive, " I said, and I calledup the office and allayed any anxiety that may have been felt thereconcerning me. I must admit that it did not seem acute. 

"I feel the need of a bracer after all this excitement, " Vantineremarked, as he opened the cellarette. "Help yourself. I dare sayyou're used to this sort of thing--"

"Finding dead men lying around?" I queried, with a smile. "No--it'snot so common as you seem to think. "

"Tell me, Lester, " and he looked at me earnestly, "do you think thatpoor devil came in here just to get a chance to kill himselfquietly?"

"No, I don't, " I said. 

"Then what did he come in for?"

"I think Goldberger's theory a pretty good one--that he had heard ofyou as a generous fellow and came in here to ask help; and while hewas waiting, suddenly gave it up--"

"And killed himself?" Vantine completed. 

I hesitated. I was astonished to find, at the back of my mind, agrowing doubt. 

"See here, Lester, " Vantine demanded, "if he didn't kill himself, what happened to him?"

"Heaven only knows, " I answered, in despair. "I've been asking myselfthe same question, without finding a reasonable answer to it. As Isaid to Goldberger, it's a blank wall. But if anybody can see throughit, Jim Godfrey can. "

Vantine seemed deeply perturbed. He took a turn or two up and downthe room, then stopped in front of me and looked me earnestly in theeye. 

"Tell me, Lester, " he said, "do you believe that theory of Godfrey's--that that insignificant wound on the hand caused death?"

"It seems absurd, doesn't it? But Godfrey is a sort of genius atdivining such things. "

"Then you _do_ believe it?"

I asked myself the same question before I answered. 

"Yes, I do, " I said, finally. 

Vantine walked up and down the room again, his eyes on the floor, hisbrows contracted. 

"Lester, " he said, at last, "I have a queer feeling that the businesswhich brought this man here in some way concerned the Boule cabinet Iwas telling you about. Perhaps it belonged to him. "

"Hardly, " I protested, recalling his shabby appearance. 

"At any rate, I remember, as I was looking at his card, that somesuch thought occurred to me. It was for that reason I told Parks toask him to wait. "

"It's possible, of course, " I admitted. "But that wouldn't explainhis excitement. And that reminds me, " I added, "I haven't sent offthat cable. "

"Any time to-night will do. It will be delivered in the morning. Butyou haven't seen the cabinet yet. Come down and look at it. "

He led the way down the stair. Parks met us in the lower hall. 

"There's a delegation of reporters outside, sir, " he said. "They saythey've got to see you. "

Vantine made a movement of impatience. 

"Tell them, " he said, "that I positively refuse to see them or toallow my servants to see them. Let them get their information fromthe police. "

"Very well, sir, " said Parks, and turned away grinning. 

Vantine passed on through the ante-room in which we had found thebody of the unfortunate Frenchman, and into the room beyond. Five orsix pieces of furniture, evidently just unpacked, stood there, but, ignorant as I am of such things, he did not have to point out to methe Boule cabinet. It dominated the room, much as Madame deMontespan, no doubt, dominated the court at Versailles. 

I looked at it for some moments, for it was certainly a beautifulpiece of work, with a wealth of inlay and incrustation little shortof marvellous. But I may as well say here that I never reallyappreciated it. The florid style of the Fourteenth and FifteenthLouis is not at all to my taste; and I am too little of a connoisseurto admire a beauty which has no personal appeal for me. So I amafraid that Vantine found me a little cold. 

Certainly there was nothing cold about the way he regarded it. Hiseyes gleamed with a strange fire as he looked at it; he ran hisfingers over the inlay with a touch almost reverent; he pulled outfor me the little drawers with much the same air that another friendof mine takes down his Kilmarnock Burns from his bookshelves; hepointed out to me the grace of its curves in the same tone that oneuses to discuss the masterpiece of a great artist. And then, findingno echo to his enthusiasm, he suddenly stopped. 

"You don't seem to care for it, " he said, looking at me. 

"That's my fault and not the fault of the cabinet, " I pointed out. "I'm not educated up to it; I'm too little of an artist, perhaps. "

He was flushed, as a man might be should another make a disparagingremark about his wife, and he led the way from the room at once. 

"Remember, Lester, " he said, a little sternly, pausing with his handon the front door, "there is to be no foolishness about securing thatcabinet for me. Don't you let it get away. I'm in deadly earnest. "

"I won't let it get away, " I promised. "Perhaps it's just as well I'mnot over-enthusiastic about it. "

"Let me know as soon as you have any news, " he said, and opened thedoor for me. 

I had intended walking home, but as I turned up the Avenue, I metsweeping down it a flood of girls just released from the workshops ofthe neighbourhood. I struggled against it for a few moments, thengave it up, hailed a cab, and settled back against the cushions witha sigh of relief. I was glad to be out of Vantine's house; somethingthere oppressed me and left me ill at ease. Was Vantine quite normal, I wondered? Could any man be normal who was willing to pay a hundredthousand dollars for a piece of furniture? Especially a man who couldnot afford such extravagance? I knew the size of Vantine's fortune;it was large, but a hundred thousand dollars represented more than ayear's income. And then I smiled to myself. Of course Vantine hadbeen merely jesting when he named that limit. The cabinet could bebought for a tenth of it, at the most. And, still smiling, I left thecab, paid the driver, and mounted to my rooms. 

CHAPTER IV

THE THUNDERBOLT

It was about eight o'clock that evening that Godfrey tapped at mydoor, and when I let him in, I could tell by the way his eyes wereshining that he had some news. 

"I can't stay long, " he said. "I've got to get down to the office andput the finishing touches on that story;" but nevertheless he tookthe cigar I proffered him and sank into the chair opposite my own. 

I knew Godfrey, so I waited patiently until the cigar was goingnicely, then--

"Well?" I asked. 

"It's like old times, isn't it, Lester?" and he smiled across at me. "How many conferences have we had in this room? How many of yourcigars have I made away with?"

"Not half enough recently, " I said. "You haven't been here formonths. "

"I'm sure to drift back, sooner or later, because you seem to have aknack of getting in on the interesting cases. And I want to say this, Lester, that of all I ever had, not one has promised better thanthis one does. If it only keeps up--but one mustn't expect too much!"

"You've been working on it, of course?"

"I haven't been idle, and just now I'm feeling rather pleased withmyself. The coroner's physician finished his post-mortem half an houror so ago. "

"Well?" I said again. 

"The stomach was absolutely normal. It showed no trace of poison ofany kind. "

He stretched himself, lay back in his chair, sent a smoke-ringcircling toward the ceiling, and watched it, smiling absently. 

"Rather a facer for our friend Goldberger, " he added, after a minute. 

"What's the matter with Goldberger? He seemed rather peeved with youthis afternoon. "

"No wonder. He's Grady's man, and we're after Grady. Grady isn't fitto head the detective bureau--he got the job through his pull withTammany--he's stupid, and I suspect he's crooked. The _Record_ sayshe has got to go. "

"So, of course, he _will_ go, " I commented, smiling. 

"He certainly will, " assented Godfrey seriously, "and that beforelong. But meanwhile it's a little difficult for me, because hispeople don't know which way to jump. Once he's out, everything willbe serene again. "

I wasn't interested in Grady, so I came back to the case in hand. 

"Look here, Godfrey, " I said, "if it wasn't poison, what was it?"

"But it _was_ poison. "

"Inserted at the hand?"

He nodded. 

"Goldberger says there's no poison known which could be used that wayand which would act so quickly. "

"Goldberger is right in that, " agreed Godfrey; "but there's a poisonunknown that will--because it did. "

"It wasn't a snake bite?"

"Oh, no; snake poison wouldn't kill a man that quickly--not even afer-de-lance. That fellow practically dropped where he was struck. "

"Then what was it?"

Godfrey was sitting erect again. He was not smiling now. His face wasvery stern. 

"That is what I am going to find out, Lester, " he said; "that is theproblem I've set myself to solve--and it's a pretty one. There is onething certain--that fellow was killed by some agency outside himself. In some way, a drop or two of poison was introduced into his blood byan instrument something like a hypodermic needle; and that poison wasso powerful that almost instantly it caused paralysis of the heart. After all, that isn't so remarkable as it might seem. The blood inthe veins of the hand would be carried back to the heart in four orfive seconds. "

"But you've already said there's no poison so powerful as all that. "

"I said we didn't know of any. I wouldn't be so sure that Catherinede Medici didn't. "

"What has Catherine de Medici to do with it?"

"Nothing--except that what has been done may always be done again. Those old stories are, no doubt, exaggerated; but it seems fairlycertain that the Queen of Navarre was killed with a pair of poisonedgloves, the Duc d'Anjou with the scent of a poisoned rose, and thePrince de Porcian with the smoke of a poisoned lamp. This case isn'tas extraordinary as those. "

"No, " I agreed, and fell silent, shivering a little, for there issomething horrible and revolting about the poisoner. 

"After all, " went on Godfrey, at last, "there is one thing thatneither you nor I nor any reasonable man can believe, and that isthat this Frenchman came from heaven knows where--from Paris, perhaps--with Vantine's address in his pocket, and hunted up thehouse and made his way into it simply to kill himself there. He hadsome other object, and he met his death while trying to accomplishit. "

"Have you found out who he is?"

"No; he's not registered at any of the hotels; the French consulnever heard of him; he belongs to none of the French societies; he'snot known in the French quarter. He seems to have dropped in from theclouds. We've cabled our Paris office to look him up; we may hearfrom there to-night. But even if we discover the identity ofThéophile d'Aurelle, it won't help us any. "

"Why not?" I demanded. 

"Because it is evident that that isn't his name. "

"Go ahead and tell me, Godfrey, " I said, as he looked at me, smiling. "I don't see it. "

"Why, it's plain enough. He had five cards in his pocket, no twoalike. The sixth, selected probably at random, he had sent up toVantine. "

I saw it then, of course; and I felt a good deal as the Spanishsavants must have felt when Columbus stood the egg on end. Godfreysmiled again at my expression. 

"The real d'Aurelle, whoever he may turn out to be, may be able tohelp us, " he added. "If he can't, we may learn something from theParis police. The dead man's Bertillon measurements have been cabledover to them. Even that won't help, if he has never been arrested. And, of course, we can't get at motives until we find out somethingabout him. "

"But, Godfrey, " I said, "suppose you knew who he was and what hewanted with Vantine--suppose you could make a guess at who killedhim and why--how was it done? That is what stumps me. How was itdone?"

"Ah!" agreed Godfrey. "That's it! How was it done? I told you it wasa pretty case, Lester. But wait till we hear from Paris. "

"That reminds me, " I said, sitting up suddenly, "I've got to cable toParis myself, on some business for Mr. Vantine. "

"Not connected with this affair?"

"Oh, no; his shippers over there sent him a piece of furniture thatdoesn't belong to him. He asked me to straighten the matter out. "

I rang for the hall-boy, asked for a cable-blank, and sent off amessage to Armand & Son, telling them of the mistake and asking themto cable the name of the owner of the cabinet now in Mr. Vantine'spossession. Godfrey sat smoking reflectively while I was thusengaged, staring straight before him with eyes that saw nothing; butas I sat down again and took up my pipe, ready to continue theconversation, he gave himself a sort of shake, put on his hat, andgot to his feet. 

"I must be moving along, " he said. "There's no use sitting heretheorising until we have some sort of foundation to build on. "

"Goldberger was right in one thing, " I remarked. "He pointed out, after you left, that most crimes are not romances, but merebrutalities. Perhaps this one--"

The ringing of my telephone stopped me. 

"Hello, " I said, taking down the receiver. 

"Is that you, Mr. Lester?" asked a voice. 

"Yes. "

"This is Parks, " and I suddenly realised that his voice wasunfamiliar because it was hoarse and quivering with emotion. "Couldyou come down to the house right away, sir?"

"Why, yes, " I said, wonderingly, "if it's important. Does Mr. Vantineneed me?"

"We all need you!" said the voice, and broke into a dry sob. "ForGod's sake, come quick, Mr. Lester!"

"All right, " I said without further parley, for evidently he had losthis self-control. "Something has happened down at Vantine's, " I addedto Godfrey, as I hung up the receiver. "Parks seems to be scared todeath. He wants me to come down right away, " and I reached for my hatand coat. 

"Shall I come, too?" asked Godfrey. 

Even under the stress of the moment, I could not but smile at thequestion and at the tone in which it was uttered. 

"Perhaps you'd better, " I agreed. "It sounded pretty serious. "

We went down together in the elevator, and three minutes later we hadhailed a taxi and were speeding eastward toward the Avenue. It hadstarted to drizzle, and the asphalt shone like a black mirror, dancing with the lights along either side. The streets were almostempty, for the theatre-crowd had passed, and as we reached the Avenueand turned down-town, the driver pushed up his spark, and we hurtledalong toward Fourteenth street at a speed which made me think of thetraffic regulations. But no policeman interfered, and five minuteslater we drew up before the Vantine place. 

Parks must have been on the front steps looking for me, for he camerunning down them almost before the car had stopped. I caught aglimpse of his face under the street lights, as I thrust a bill intothe driver's hand, and it fairly startled me. 

"Is it you, Mr. Lester?" he gasped. "Good God, but I'm glad you'rehere--"

I caught him by the arm. 

"Steady, man, " I said. "Don't let yourself go to pieces. Now--whathas happened?"

He seemed to take a sort of desperate grip of himself. 

"I'll show you, sir, " he said, and ran up the steps, along the hall, to the door of the ante-room where we had found the Frenchman's body. "In there, sir!" he sobbed. "In there!" and clung to the wall as Iopened the door and stepped inside. 

The room was ablaze with light, and for an instant my eyes were sodazzled that I could distinguish nothing. Dimly I saw Godfrey springforward and drop to his knees. 

Then my eyes cleared, and I saw, on the very spot where d'Aurelle haddied, another body--or was it the same, brought back that thetragedy of the afternoon might, in some mysterious way, be re-enacted?

I remember bending over and peering into the face--

It was the face of Philip Vantine. 

A minute must have passed as I stood there dazed and shaken. I wasconscious, in a way, that Godfrey was examining him. Then I heard hisvoice. 

"He's dead, " he said. 

Then there was an instant's silence. 

"Lester, look here!" cried Godfrey's voice, sharp, insistent. "ForGod's sake, look here!"

Godfrey was kneeling there holding something toward me. 

"Look here!" he cried again. 

It was the dead man's hand he was holding; the right hand; a swollenand discoloured hand. And on the back of it, just above the knuckles, were two tiny wounds, from which a few drops of blood had trickled. 

And as I stared at this ghastly sight, scarce able to believe myeyes, I heard a choking voice behind me, saying over and over again:

"It was that woman done it! It was that woman done it! Damn her! Itwas that woman done it!"

CHAPTER V

GRADY TAKES A HAND

I have no very clear remembrance of what happened after that. Theshock was so great that I had just strength enough to totter to achair and drop into it, and sit there staring vaguely at that darksplotch on the carpet. I told myself that I was the victim of adreadful nightmare; that all this was the result of over-wroughtnerves and that I should wake presently. No doubt I had been workingtoo hard. I needed a vacation--well, I would take it. . . . 

And all the time I knew that it was not a nightmare, but grimreality; that Philip Vantine was dead--killed by a woman. Who hadtold me that? And then I remembered the sobbing voice. . . . 

Two or three persons came into the room--Parks and the otherservants, I suppose; I heard Godfrey's voice giving orders; andfinally someone held a glass to my lips and commanded me to drink. Idid so mechanically; coughed, spluttered, was conscious of a gratefulwarmth, and drank eagerly again. And then I saw Godfrey standing overme. 

"Feel better?" he asked. 

I nodded. 

"I don't wonder it knocked you out, " he went on. "I'm feeling shakymyself. I had them call Vantine's physician--but he can't doanything. "

"He's dead, then?" I murmured, my eyes on that dark and crumpledobject which had been Philip Vantine. 

"Yes--just like the other. "

Then I remembered, and I caught his arm and drew him down to me. 

"Godfrey, " I whispered, "whose voice was it--or did I dream it--something about a woman?"

"You didn't dream it--it was Rogers--he's almost hysterical. We'llget the story, as soon as he quiets down. "

Someone called him from the door, and he turned away, leaving mestaring blankly at nothing. So there had been a woman in Vantine'slife! Perhaps that was why he had never married. What ugly skeletonwas to be dragged from its closet?

But if a woman killed Vantine, the same woman also killed d'Aurelle. Where was her hiding-place? From what ambush did she strike?

I glanced about the room, as a tremor of horror seized me. I arose, shaking, from the chair and groped my way toward the door. Godfreyheard me coming, swung around, and, with one glance at my face, cameto me and caught me by the arms. 

"What is it, Lester?" he asked. 

"I can't stand it here, " I gasped. "It's too horrible!"

"Don't think about it. Come out here and have another drink. "

He led me into the hall, and a second glass of brandy gave me backsomething of my self-control. I was ashamed of my weakness, but whenI glanced at Godfrey, I saw how white his face was. 

"Better take a drink yourself, " I said. 

I heard the decanter rattle on the glass. 

"I don't know when I have been so shaken, " he said, setting the glassdown empty. "It was so gruesome--so unexpected--and then Rogerscarrying on like a madman. Ah, here's the doctor, " he added, as thefront door opened and Parks showed a man in. 

I knew Dr. Hughes, of course, returned his nod, and followed him andGodfrey into the ante-room. But I had not yet sufficiently recoveredto do more than sit and stare at him as he knelt beside the body andassured himself that life had fled. Then I heard Godfrey telling himall we knew, while Hughes listened with incredulous face. 

"But it's absurd, you know!" he protested, when Godfrey had finished. "Things like this don't happen here in New York. In Florence, perhaps, in the Middle Ages; but not here in the twentieth century!"

"I can scarcely believe my own senses, " Godfrey agreed. "But I sawthe Frenchman lying here this afternoon; and now here's Vantine. "

"On the same spot?"

"As nearly as I can tell. "

"And killed in the same way?"

"Killed in precisely the same way. "

Hughes turned back to the body again, and looked long and earnestlyat the injured hand. 

"What sort of instrument made this wound, would you say, Mr. Godfrey?" he questioned, at last. 

"A sharp instrument, with two prongs. My theory is that the prongsare hollow, like a hypodermic needle, and leave a drop or two ofpoison at the bottom of the wound. You see a vein has been cut. "

"Yes, " Hughes assented. "It would scarcely be possible to pierce thehand here without striking a vein. One of the prongs would be sure todo it. "

"That's the reason there are two of them, I fancy. "

"But you are, of course, aware that no poison exists which would actso quickly?" Hughes inquired. 

Godfrey looked at him strangely. 

"You yourself mentioned Florence a moment ago, " he said. "You meant, I suppose, that such a poison did, at one time, exist there?"

"Something of the sort, perhaps, " agreed Hughes. "The words werepurely instinctive, but I suppose some such thought was runningthrough my head. "

"Well, the poison that existed in Florence five centuries ago, existshere to-day. There's the proof of it, " and Godfrey pointed to thebody. 

Hughes drew a deep breath of wonder and horror. 

"But what sort of devilish instrument is it?" he cried, his nervesgiving way for an instant, his voice mounting shrilly. "Above all, who wields it?"

He stared about the room, as though half-expecting to see some mightyand remorseless arm poised, ready to strike. Then he shook himselftogether. 

"I beg pardon, " he said, mopping the sweat from his face; "but I'mnot used to this sort of thing; and I'm frightened--yes, I reallybelieve I'm frightened, " and he laughed, a little unsteady laugh. 

"So am I, " said Godfrey; "so is Lester; so is everybody. You needn'tbe ashamed of it. "

"What frightens me, " went on Hughes, evidently studying his ownsymptoms, "is the mystery of it--there is something supernaturalabout it--something I can't understand. How does it happen that eachof the victims is struck on the right hand? Why not the left hand?Why the hand at all?"

Godfrey answered with a despairing shrug. 

"That is what we've got to find out, " he said. 

"We shall have to call in the police, " suggested Hughes. "Maybe theycan solve it. "

Godfrey smiled, a little sceptical smile, quickly suppressed. 

"At least, they will have to be given the chance, " he agreed. "ShallI attend to it?"

"Yes, " said Hughes; "and you would better do it right away. Thesooner they get here the better. "

"Very well, " assented Godfrey, and left the room. 

Hughes sat down heavily on the couch near the window, and mopped hisface again, with a shaking hand. Death he was accustomed to--butdeath met decently in bed and resulting from some understood cause. Death in this horrible and mysterious form shook him; he could notunderstand it, and his failure to understand appalled him. He was aphysician; it was his business to understand; and yet here was deathin a form as mysterious to him as to the veriest layman. It compelledhim to pause and take stock of himself--always a disconcertingprocess to the best of us!

That was a trying half hour. Hughes sat on the couch, breathingheavily, staring at the floor, perhaps passing his own ignorance inreview, perhaps wondering if he had always been right in prescribingthis or that. As for me, I was thinking of my dead friend. Iremembered Philip Vantine as I had always known him--a kindly, witty, Christian gentleman. I could see his pleasant eyes looking at me infriendship, as they had looked a few hours before; I could hear hisvoice, could feel the clasp of his hand. That such a man should bekilled like this, struck down by a mysterious assassin, armed with apoisoned weapon. . . . 

A woman! Always my mind came back to that. A woman! Poison was awoman's weapon. But who was she? How had she escaped? Where had sheconcealed herself? How was she able to strike so surely? Above all, why should she have chosen Philip Vantine, of all men, for hervictim--Philip Vantine, who had never injured any woman--and then Ipaused. For I realised that I knew nothing of Vantine, except what hehad chosen to tell me. Parks would know. And then I shrank from thethought. Must we probe that secret? Must we compel a man to betrayhis master?

My face was burning. No, we could not do that--that would beabominable. . . . 

The door opened and Godfrey came in. This time, he was not alone. Simmonds and Goldberger followed him, and their faces showed thatthey were as shaken and nonplussed as I. There was a third man withthem whom I did not know; but I soon found out that it wasFreylinghuisen, the coroner's physician. 

They all looked at the body, and Freylinghuisen knelt beside it andexamined the injured hand; then he sat down by Dr. Hughes, and theywere soon deep in a low-toned conversation, whose subject I couldguess. I could also guess what Simmonds and Godfrey were talkingabout in the farther corner; but I could not guess why Goldberger, instead of getting to work, should be walking up and down, pullingimpatiently at his moustache and glancing at his watch now and then. He seemed to be waiting for some one, but not until twenty minuteslater did I suspect who it was. Then the door opened again to admit ashort, heavy-set man, with florid face, stubbly black moustache, andlittle, close-set eyes, preternaturally bright. He glanced about theroom, nodded to Goldberger, and then looked inquiringly at me. 

"This is Mr. Lester, Commissioner Grady, " said Goldberger, and Irealised that the chief of the detective bureau had come up fromheadquarters to take personal charge of the case. 

"Mr. Lester is Mr. Vantine's attorney, " the coroner added, inexplanation. 

"Glad to know you, Mr. Lester, " said Grady, shortly. 

"And now, I guess, we're ready to begin, " went on the coroner. 

"Not quite, " said Grady, grimly. "We'll excuse all reporters, first, "and he looked across at Godfrey, his face darkening. 

I felt my own face flushing, and started to protest, but Godfreysilenced me with a little gesture. 

"It's all right, Lester, " he said. "Mr. Grady is quite within hisrights. I'll withdraw--until he sends for me. "

"You'll have a long wait, then!" retorted Grady, with a sarcasticlaugh. 

"The longer I wait, the worse it will be for you, Mr. Grady, " saidGodfrey quietly, opened the door and closed it behind him. 

Grady stared after him for a moment in crimson amazement. Then, mastering himself with an effort, he turned to the coroner. 

"All right, Goldberger, " he said, and sat down to watch theproceedings. 

A very few minutes sufficed for Hughes and Freylinghuisen and I totell all we knew of this tragedy and of the one which had precededit. Grady seemed already acquainted with the details of d'Aurelle'sdeath, for he listened without interrupting, only nodding from timeto time. 

"You've got a list of the servants here, of course, Simmonds, " hesaid, when we had finished the story. 

"Yes, sir, " and Simmonds handed it to him. "H-m, " said Grady, as heglanced it over. "Five of 'em. Know anything about 'em?"

"They've all been with Mr. Vantine a long time, sir, " repliedSimmonds. "So far as I've been able to judge, they're all right. "

"Which one of 'em found Vantine's body?"

"Parks, I think, " I said. "It was he who called me. "

"Better have him in, " said Grady, and doubled up the list and slippedit into his pocket. 

Parks came in looking decidedly shaky; but answered Grady's questionsclearly and concisely. He told first of the events of the afternoon, and then passed on to the evening. 

"Mr. Vantine had dinner at home, sir, " he said. "It was served, Ithink, at seven o'clock. He must have finished a little afterseven-thirty. I didn't see him, for I was straightening things aroundup in his room and putting his clothes away. But he told Rogers--"

"Never mind what he told Rogers, " broke in Grady. "Just tell us whatyou know. "

"Very well, sir, " said Parks, submissively. "I had a lot of work todo--we just got back from Europe yesterday, you know--and I kept on, putting things in their places and straightening around, and it musthave been half-past eight when I heard Rogers yelling for me. Ithought the house was on fire, and I come down in a hurry. Rogers wasstanding out there in the hall, looking like he'd seen a ghost. Hekind of gasped and pointed to this room, and I looked in and saw Mr. Vantine laying there--"

His voice choked at the words, but he managed to go on, after amoment. 

"Then I telephoned for Mr. Lester, " he added, "and that's all Iknow. "

"Very well, " said Grady. "That's all for the present. Send Rogersin. "

Rogers's face, as he entered the room, gave me a kind of shock, forit was that of a man on the verge of hysteria. He was a man of aboutfifty, with iron-grey hair, and a smooth-shaven face, ordinarilyruddy with health. But now his face was livid, his cheeks lined andshrunken, his eyes blood-shot and staring. He reeled rather thanwalked into the room, one hand clutching at his throat, as though hewere choking. 

"Get him a chair, " said Grady, and Simmonds brought one forward andremained standing beside it. "Now, my man, " Grady continued, "you'llhave to brace up. What's the matter with you, anyhow? Didn't you eversee a dead man before?"

"It ain't that, " gasped Rogers. "It ain't that--though I never saw amurdered man before. "

"What?" demanded Grady, sharply. "Didn't you see that fellow thisafternoon?"

"That was different, " Rogers moaned. "I didn't know him. Besides, Ithought he'd killed himself. We all thought so. "

"And you don't think Vantine did?"

"I know he didn't, " and Rogers's voice rose to a shrill scream. "Itwas that woman done it! Damn her! She done it! I knowed she was up tosome crooked work when I let her in!"

CHAPTER VI

THE WOMAN IN THE CASE

It was coming now; the secret, however sordid, however ugly, was tobe unveiled. I saw Grady's face set in hard lines; I could hear thestir of interest with which the others leaned forward. . . . 

Grady took a flask from his pocket and opened it. 

"Take a drink of this, " he said, and placed it in Rogers's hand. 

I could hear the mouth of the flask clattering against his teeth, ashe put it eagerly to his mouth and took three or four long swallows. 

"Thank you, sir, " he said, more steadily, and handed the flask backto its owner. A little colour crept into his face; but I fanciedthere was a new look in his eyes--for, as the horror faded, fear tookits place. 

Grady screwed the cap on the flask with great deliberation, andreturned it to his pocket. And all the time Rogers was watching himfurtively, wiping his mouth mechanically with a trembling hand. 

"Now, Rogers, " Grady began, "I want you to take your time and tell usin detail everything that happened here to-night. You say a woman didit. Well, we want to hear all about that woman. Now go ahead; andremember there's no hurry. "

"Well, sir, " began Rogers slowly, as though carefully considering hiswords, "Mr. Vantine came out from dinner about half-past seven--maybea little later than that--and told me to light all the lights in hereand in the next room. You see there are gas and electrics both, sir, and I lighted them all. He had gone into the music-room on the otherside of the hall, so I went over there and told him the lights wereall lit. He was looking at a new picture he'd bought, but he left itright away and come out into the hall. 

"'I don't want to be disturbed, Rogers, ' he said, and come in hereand shut the door after him. 

"It was maybe twenty minutes after that that the door-bell rung, andwhen I opened the door, there was a woman standing on the steps. "

He stopped and swallowed once or twice, as though his throat was dry, and I saw that his fingers were twitching nervously. 

"Did you know her?" questioned Grady. 

Rogers loosened his collar with a convulsive movement. 

"No, sir, I'd never seen her before, " he answered hoarsely. 

"Describe her. "

Rogers closed his eyes, as though in an effort of recollection. 

"She wore a heavy veil, sir, so that I couldn't see her very well;but the first thing I noticed was her eyes--they were so bright, theyseemed to burn right through me. Her face looked white behind herveil, and I could see how red her lips were--I didn't like her looks, sir, from the first. "

"How was she dressed?"

"In a dark gown, sir, cut so skimpy that I knowed she was Frenchbefore she spoke. "

"Ah!" said Grady. "She was French, was she?"

"Yes, sir; though she could speak some English. She asked for Mr. Vantine. I told her Mr. Vantine was busy. And then she said somethingvery fast about how she must see him, and all the time she keptedging in and in, till the first thing I knowed she was inside thedoor, and then she just pulled the door out of my hand and shut it. Iask you, sir, is that the way a lady would behave?"

"No, " said Grady, "I dare say not. But go ahead, --and take yourtime. "

Rogers had regained his self-confidence, and he went ahead almostglibly. 

"'See here, madam, ' says I, 'we've had enough trouble here to-daywith Frenchies, and if you don't get out quietly, why, I'll have toput you out. '

"'I must see Mistaire Vangtine, ' she says, very fast. 'I must seeMistaire Vangtine. It is most necessaire that I see MistaireVangtine. '

"'Then I'll have to put you out, ' says I, and took hold of her arm. And at that she screamed and jerked herself away; and I grabbed heragain, and just then Mr. Vantine opened the door there and came outinto the hall. 

"'What's all this, Rogers?' he says. 'Who is this party?'

"But before I could answer, that wild cat had rushed over to him andbegun to reel off a string of French so fast I wondered how she gother breath. And Mr. Vantine looked at her kind of surprised at first, and then he got more interested, and finally he asked her in here andshut the door, and that was the last I saw of them. "

"You mean you didn't let the woman out?" demanded Grady. 

"Yes, sir, that's just what I mean. I thought if Mr. Vantine wantedto talk with her, well and good; that was his business, not mine; soI went back to the pantry to help the cook with the silver, expectingto hear the bell every minute. But the bell didn't ring, and aftermaybe half an hour, I came out into the hall again to see if thewoman had gone; and I walked past the door of this room but didn'thear nothing; and then I went on to the front door, and was surprisedto find it wasn't latched. "

"Maybe you hadn't latched it, " suggested Grady. 

"It has a snap-lock, sir; when that woman slammed it shut, I heard itcatch. "

"You're sure of that?"

"Quite sure, sir. "

"What did you do then?"

"I closed the door, sir, and then come back along the hall. I feltuneasy, some way; and I stood outside the door there listening; but Icouldn't hear nothing; and then I tapped, but there wasn't no answer;so I tapped louder, with my heart somehow working right up into mymouth. And still there wasn't no answer, so I just opened the doorand looked in--and the first thing I see was him--"

Rogers stopped suddenly, and caught at his throat again. 

"I'll be all right in a minute, sir, " he gasped. "It takes me thisway sometimes. "

"No hurry, " Grady assured him, and then, when his breath was comingeasier, "What did you do then?"

"I was so scared I couldn't scarcely stand, sir; but I managed to getto the foot of the stairs and yell for Parks, and he come runningdown--and that's all I remember, sir. "

"The woman wasn't here?"

"No, sir. "

"Did you look through the rooms?"

"No, sir; when I found the front door open, I knowed she'd gone out. She hadn't shut the door because she was afraid I'd hear her. "

"That sounds probable, " agreed Grady. "But what makes you think shekilled Vantine?"

"Well, sir, " answered Rogers, slowly, "I guess I oughtn't to havesaid that; but finding the door open that way, and then coming on Mr. Vantine sort of upset me--I didn't know just what I was saying. "

"You don't think so now, then?" questioned Grady, sharply. 

"I don't know what to think, sir. "

"You say you never saw the woman before?"

"Never, sir. "

"Had she ever been here before?"

"I don't think so, sir. The first thing she asked was if this waswhere Mr. Vantine lived. "

Grady nodded. 

"Very good, Rogers, " he said. "I'll be offering you a place on theforce next. Would you know this woman if you saw her again?"

Rogers hesitated. 

"I wouldn't like to say sure, sir, " he answered, at last. "I mightand I might not. "

"Red lips and a white face and bright eyes aren't much to go on, "Grady pointed out. "Can't you give us a closer description?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. I just got a general impression, like, of herface through her veil. "

"You say you didn't search these rooms?"

"No, sir, I didn't come inside the door. "

"Why not?"

"I was afraid to, sir. "

"Afraid to?"

"Yes, sir; I'm afraid to be here now. "

"Did Parks come in?"

"No, sir; I guess he felt the same way I did. "

"Then how did you know Vantine was dead? Why didn't you try to helphim?"

"One look was enough to tell me that wasn't no use, " said Rogers, andglanced, with visible horror, at the crumpled form on the floor. 

Grady looked at him keenly for a moment; but there seemed to be noreason to doubt his story. Then the detective looked about the room. 

"There's one thing I don't understand, " he said, "and that is whyVantine should want all these lights. What was he doing in here?"

"I couldn't be sure, sir; but I suppose he was looking at thefurniture he brought over from Europe. He was a collector, you know, sir. There are five or six pieces in the next room. "

Without a word, Grady arose and passed into the room adjoining, weafter him; only Rogers remained seated where he was. I rememberglancing back over my shoulder and noting how he huddled forward inhis chair, as though crushed by a great weight, the instant our backswere turned. 

But I forgot Rogers in contemplation of the scene before me. 

The inner room was ablaze with light, and the furniture stoodhap-hazard about it, just as I had seen it earlier in the day. Onlyone thing had been moved. That was the Boule cabinet. 

It had been carried to the centre of the room, and placed in the fullglare of the light from the chandelier. It stood there blazing witharrogant beauty, a thing apart. 

Who had helped Vantine place it there, I wondered? Neither Rogers norParks had mentioned doing so. I turned back to the outer room. 

Rogers was sitting crouched forward in his chair, his hands over hiseyes, and I could feel him jerk with nervousness as I touched him onthe shoulder. 

"Oh, is it you, Mr. Lester?" he gasped. "Pardon me, sir; I'm not atall myself, sir. "

"I can see that, " I said, soothingly; "and no wonder. I just wantedto ask you--did you help move any of the furniture in the roomyonder?"

"Help move it, sir?"

"Yes--help change the position of any of it since this afternoon?"

"No, sir; I haven't touched any of it, sir. "

"That's all right, then, " I said, and turned back into the innerroom. 

Vantine had said that he intended examining the cabinet in detail atthe first opportunity; I remembered how his eyes had gleamed as helooked at it; how his hand had trembled as he caressed thearabesques. No doubt he was making that examination when he had hearda woman's cry and had gone out into the hall to see what the matterwas. 

Then he and the woman had entered the ante-room together; he hadclosed the door; and then. . . . 

Like a lightning-flash, a thought leaped into my brain--a reason--anexplanation--wild, improbable, absurd, but still an explanation!

I choked back the cry which rose to my lips; I gripped my handsbehind me, in a desperate attempt to hold myself in check; and, fascinated as by a deadly serpent, I stood staring at the cabinet. 

For there, I felt certain, lay the clue to the mystery!

CHAPTER VII

ROGERS GETS A SHOCK

Grady, Simmonds and Goldberger examined the room minutely, for theyseemed to feel that the secret of the tragedy lay somewhere withinits four walls; but I watched them only absently, for I had lostinterest in the procedure. I was perfectly sure that they would findnothing in any way bearing upon the mystery. I heard Grady commentupon the fact that there was no door except the one opening into theante-room, and saw them examine the window-catches. 

"Nobody could raise these windows without alarming the house, " Gradysaid, and pointed to a tiny wire running along the woodwork. "There'sa burglar alarm. "

Simmonds assented, and finally the trio returned to the ante-room. 

"We'd like to look over the rest of the house, " Grady said to Rogers, who was sitting erect again, looking more like himself, and the fourmen went out into the hall together. I remained behind with Hughesand Freylinghuisen. They had lifted the body to the couch and weremaking a careful examination of it. Heavy at heart, I sat down nearby and watched them. 

That Philip Vantine should have been killed by enthusiasm for thehobby which had given him so much pleasure seemed the very irony offate, yet such I believed to be the case. To be sure, there werevarious incidents which seemed to conflict with such a theory, andthe theory itself seemed wild to the point of absurdity; but at leastit was a ray of light in what had been utter darkness. I turned itover and over in my mind, trying to fit into it the happenings of theday--I must confess with very poor success. Freylinghuisen's voicebrought me out of my reverie. 

"The two cases are precisely alike, " he was saying. "The symptoms areidentical. And I'm certain we shall find paralysis of the heart andspinal cord in this case, just as I did in the other. Both men werekilled by the same poison. "

"Can you make a guess as to the nature of the poison?" Hughesinquired. 

"Some variant of hydrocyanic acid, I fancy--the odour indicatesthat; but it must be about fifty times as deadly as hydrocyanic acidis. "

They wandered away into a discussion of possible variants, sotechnical and be-sprinkled with abstruse words and formulae that Icould not follow them. Freylinghuisen, of course, had all this sortof thing at his fingers' ends--post-mortems were his every-dayoccupation, and no doubt he had been furbishing himself up, sincethis last one, in preparation for the inquest, where he wouldnaturally wish to shine. I could see that he enjoyed displaying hisknowledge before Hughes, who, although a family practitioner of highstanding, with an income greater than Freylinghuisen's many timesover, had no such expert knowledge of toxicology as a coroner'sphysician would naturally possess. 

The two detectives and the coroner came back while the discussion wasstill in progress and listened in silence to Freylinghuisen'sstatement of the case. Grady's mahogany face told absolutely nothingof what was passing in his brain, but Simmonds was plainlybewildered. It was evident from his look that nothing had been foundto shed any light on the mystery; and now that his suicide theory hadfallen to pieces, he was completely at sea. So, I suspected, wasGrady, but he was too self-composed to betray it. 

The coroner drew the two physicians aside and talked to them for afew moments in a low tone. Then he turned to Grady. 

"Freylinghuisen thinks there is no necessity for a post-mortem, " hesaid. "The symptoms are in every way identical with those of theother man who was killed here this afternoon. There can be noquestion that both of them died from the same cause. He is ready tomake his return to that effect. "

"Very well, " assented Grady. "The body can be turned over to therelatives, then. "

"There aren't any relatives, " I said; "at least, no near ones. Vantine was the last of this branch of the family. I happen to knowthat our firm has been named as his executors in his will, so, ifthere is no objection, I'll take charge of things. "

"Very well, Mr. Lester, " said Grady again; and then he looked at me. "Do you know the provisions of the will?" he asked. 

"I do. "

"In the light of those provisions, do you know of any one who wouldhave an interest in Vantine's death?"

"I think I may tell you the provisions, " I said, after a moment. "With the exception of a few legacies to his servants, his wholefortune is left to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "

"You have been his attorney for some time?"

"We have been his legal advisers for many years. "

"Have you ever learned that he had an enemy?"

"No, " I answered instantly; "so far as I know, he had not an enemy onearth. "

"He was never married, I believe?"

"No. "

"Was he ever, to your knowledge, involved with a woman?"

"No, " I said again. "I was astounded when I heard Rogers's story. "

"So you can give us no hint as to this woman's identity?"

"I only wish I could!" I said, with fervour. 

"Thank you, Mr. Lester, " and Grady turned to Simmonds. "I don't seethat there is anything more we can do here, " he added. "There's onething, though, Mr. Lester, I will have to ask you to do. That is tokeep all the servants here until after the inquest. If you thinkthere is any doubt of your ability to do that, we can, of course, putthem under arrest--"

"Oh, that isn't necessary, " I broke in. "I will be responsible fortheir appearance at the inquest. "

"I'll have to postpone it a day, " said Goldberger. "I wantFreylinghuisen to make some tests to-morrow. Besides, we've got toidentify d'Aurelle, and these gentlemen seem to have their work cutout for them in finding this woman--"

Grady looked at Goldberger in a way which indicated that he thoughthe was talking too much, and the coroner stopped abruptly. A momentlater, all four men left the house. 

Dr. Hughes lingered for a last word. 

"The undertaker had better be called at once, " he said. "It won't doto delay too long. "

I knew what he meant. Already the face of the dead man was showingcertain ugly discolourations. 

"I can send him around on my way home, " he added, and I thanked himfor assuming this unpleasant duty. 

As the door closed behind him, I heard a step on the stair, andturned to see Godfrey calmly descending. 

"I came in a few minutes ago, " he explained, in answer to my look, "and have been glancing around upstairs. Nothing there. How did ourfriend Grady get along?"

"Fairly well; but if he guesses anything, his face didn't show it. "

"His face never shows anything, because there's nothing to show. Hehas cultivated that sibylline look until people think he's a wonder. But he's simply a stupid ignoramus. "

"Oh, come, Godfrey, " I protested, "you're prejudiced. He went rightto the point. Do you know Rogers's story?"

"About the woman? Certainly. Rogers told it to me before Gradyarrived. "

"Well, " I commented, "you didn't lose any time. "

"I never do, " he assented blandly. "And now I'm going to prove to youthat Grady is merely a stupid ignoramus. He has heard all theevidence, but does he know who that woman was?"

"Of course not, " I said, and then I looked at him. "Do you mean thatyou do? Then I'm an ignoramus, too!"

"My dear Lester, " protested Godfrey, "you are not a detective--that'snot your business; but it _is_ Grady's. At least, it is supposed tobe, and the safety of this city as a place of residence depends moreor less upon the truth of that assumption. On the strength of it, hehas been made deputy police commissioner, in charge of the detectivebureau. "

"Then you mean that you _do_ know who she was?"

"I'm pretty sure I do--that is what I came back to prove. Where'sRogers?"

"I'll ring for him, " I said, and did so, and presently he appeared. 

"Did you ring, sir?" he asked. 

He was still miserably nervous, but much more self-controlled than hehad been earlier in the evening. 

"Yes, " I said. "Mr. Godfrey wishes to speak to you. "

It seemed to me that Rogers turned visibly paler; there was certainlyfear in the glance he turned upon my companion. But Godfrey smiledreassuringly. 

"We'd better give him his instructions about the reporters, firstthing, hadn't we, Lester?" he inquired. 

"Which reporters?" I queried. 

"All the others, of course. They will be storming this house, Rogers, before long. You will meet them at the door, you will refuse to admitone of them; you will tell them that there is nothing to be learnedhere, and that they must go to the police. Tell them thatCommissioner Grady himself is in charge of the case and will no doubtbe glad to talk to them. Is that right, Lester?"

"Yes, Ulysses, " I agreed, smiling. 

"And now, " continued Godfrey, watching Rogers keenly, "I have aphotograph here that I want you to look at. Did you ever see thatperson before?" and he handed a print to Rogers. 

The latter hesitated an instant, and then took the print with atrembling hand. Stark fear was in his eyes again; then slowly heraised the print to the light, glanced at it. . . . 

"Catch him, Lester!" Godfrey cried, and sprang forward. 

For Rogers, clutching wildly at his collar, spun half around and fellwith a crash. Godfrey's arm broke the fall somewhat, but as for me, Iwas too dazed to move. 

"Get some water, quick!" Godfrey commanded sharply, as Parks camerunning up. "Rogers has been taken ill. "

And then, as Parks sped down the hall again, I saw Godfrey loosen thecollar of the unconscious man and begin to chafe his templesfiercely. 

"I hope it isn't apoplexy, " he muttered. "I oughtn't to have shockedhim like that. "

At the words, I remembered; and, stooping, picked up the photographwhich had fluttered from Rogers's nerveless fingers. And then I, too, uttered a smothered exclamation as I gazed at the dark eyes, the fulllips, the oval face--the face which d'Aurelle had carried in hiswatch!

CHAPTER VIII

PRECAUTIONS

But it wasn't apoplexy. It was Parks who reassured us, when he camehurrying back a minute later with a glass of water in one hand and asmall phial in the other. 

"He has these spells, " he said. "It's a kind of vertigo. Give him awhiff of this. "

He uncorked the phial and handed it to Godfrey, and I caught thepenetrating fumes of ammonia. A moment later, Rogers gaspedconvulsively. 

"He'll be all right pretty soon, " remarked Parks, with readyoptimism. "Though I never saw him quite so bad. "

"We can't leave him lying here on the floor, " said Godfrey. 

"There's a couch-seat in the music-room, " Parks suggested, and thethree of us bore the still unconscious man to it. 

Then Godfrey and I sat down and waited, while he gasped his way backto life. 

"Though he can't really tell us much, " Godfrey observed. "In fact, Idoubt if he'll be willing to tell anything. But his face, when helooked at the picture, told us all we need to know. "

Thus reminded, I took the photograph out of the pocket into which Ihad slipped it, and looked at it again. 

"Where did you get it?" I asked. 

"The police photographer made some copies. This is one of them. "

"But what made you suspect that the two women were the same?"

"I don't just know, " answered Godfrey, reflectively. "They were bothFrench--and Rogers spoke of the red lips; somehow it seemed probable. Mr. Grady will find some things he doesn't know in to-morrow's_Record_. But then he usually does. This time, I'm going to rub itin. Hello, " he added, "our friend is coming around. "

I looked at Rogers and saw that his eyes were open. They were staringat us as though wondering who we were. Godfrey passed an arm underhis head and held the glass of water to his lips. 

"Take a swallow of this, " he said, and Rogers obeyed mechanically, still staring at him over the rim of the glass, "How do you feel?"

"Pretty weak, " Rogers answered, almost in a whisper. "Did I have afit?"

"Something like that, " said Godfrey, cheerfully; "but don't worry. You'll soon be all right again. "

"What sent me off?" asked Rogers, and stared up at him. Then his faceturned purple, and I thought he was going off again. But after amoment's heavy breathing, he lay quiet. "I remember now, " he said. "Let me see that picture again. "

I passed it to him. His hand was trembling so he could hardly takeit; but I saw he was struggling desperately to control himself, andhe managed to hold the picture up before his eyes and look at it withapparent unconcern. 

"Do you know her?" Godfrey asked. 

To my infinite amazement, Rogers shook his head. 

"Never saw her before, " he muttered. "When I first looked at her, Ithought I knew her; but it ain't the same woman. "

"Do you mean to say, " Godfrey demanded sternly, "that that is not thewoman who called on Mr. Vantine to-night?"

Again Rogers shook his head. 

"Oh, no, " he protested; "it's not the same woman at all. This one isyounger. "

Godfrey made no reply; but he sat down and looked at Rogers, andRogers lay and gazed at the picture, and gradually his face softened, as though at some tender memory. 

"Come, Rogers, " I urged, at last. "You'd better tell us all you know. If this is the woman, don't hesitate to say so. "

"I've told you all I know, Mr. Lester, " said Rogers, but he did notmeet my eyes. "And I'm feeling pretty bad. I think I'd better begetting to bed. "

"Yes, that's best, " agreed Godfrey promptly. "Parks will help you, "and he held out his hand for the photograph. 

Rogers relinquished it with evident reluctance. He opened his lips asthough to ask a question; then closed them again, and got slowly tohis feet, Parks aiding him. 

"Good-night, gentlemen, " he said weakly, and shuffled away, leaningheavily on Parks's shoulder. 

"Well!" said I, looking at Godfrey. "What do you think of that?"

"He's lying, of course. We've got to find out why he's lying andbring it home to him. But it's getting late--I must get down to theoffice. One word, Lester--be sure Rogers doesn't give you the slip. "

"I'll have him looked after, " I promised. "But I fancy he'll beafraid to run away. Besides, it is possible he's telling the truth. Idon't believe any woman had anything to do with either death. "

Godfrey turned, as he was starting away, and stopped to look at me. 

"Who did then?" he asked. 

"Nobody. "

"You mean they both suicided in that abnormal way?"

"No, it wasn't suicide--they were killed--but not by a human being--at least, not directly. " I felt that I was floundering hopelessly, and stopped. "I can't tell you now, Godfrey, " I pleaded. "I haven'thad time to think it out. You've got enough for one day. "

"Yes, " he smiled; "I've got enough for one day. And now good-bye. Perhaps I'll look in on you about midnight, on my way home, if I getthrough by then. "

I sighed. Godfrey's energy became a little wearing sometimes. I wasalready longing for bed, and there remained so much to be done. Buthe, after a day which I knew had been a hard one, and with amany-column story still to write, was apparently as fresh and eageras ever. 

"All right, " I agreed. "If you see a light, come up. If there isn'tany light, I'll be in bed, and I'll kill you if you wake me. "

"Conditions accepted, " he laughed, as I opened the door for him. 

Parks joined me as I turned back into the house. 

"I got Rogers to bed, sir, " he said. "He'll be all right in themorning. But he's a queer duck. "

"How long have you known him, Parks?"

"He's been with Mr. Vantine about five years. I don't know much abouthim; he's a silent kind of fellow, keeping to hisself a good deal andsort of brooding over things. But he did his work all right, exceptonce in a while when he keeled over like he did to-night. "

"Parks, " I said, suddenly, "I'm going to ask you a question. You knowthat Mr. Vantine was a friend of mine, and I thought a great deal ofhim. Now, what with this story Rogers tells, and one or two otherthings, there is talk of a woman. Is there any foundation for talk ofthat kind?"

"No, sir, " said Parks, emphatically. "I've been Mr. Vantine's valetfor eight years and more, and in all that time he has never beenmixed up with a woman in any shape or form. I always fancied he'dloved a lady who died--I don't know what made me think so; butanyhow, since I've known him, he never looked at a woman--not inthat way. "

"Thank you, Parks, " I said, with a sigh of relief. "I've been throughso much to-day, that I felt I couldn't endure that; and now--"

"Beg pardon, sir, " said a voice at my elbow; "we have everythingready, sir. "

I turned with a start to see a little, clean-shaven man standingthere, rubbing his hands softly together and gazing blandly up at me. 

"The undertaker's assistant, sir, " explained Parks, seeing my look ofastonishment. "He came while you and Mr. Godfrey were in themusic-room. Dr. Hughes sent him. "

"Yes, sir, " added the little man; "and we have the corpse ready forthe coffin. Very nice it looks, too; though it was a hard job. Was itpoison killed him, sir?"

"Yes, " I answered, with a feeling of nausea, "it was poison. "

"Very powerful poison, too, I should say, sir; we didn't get herenone too soon. Where shall we put the body, sir?"

"Why not leave it where it is?" I asked, impatiently. 

"Very good, sir, " said the man, and presently he and his assistanttook themselves off, to my intense relief. 

"And now, Parks, " I began, "there is something I want to say to you. Let us go somewhere and sit down. "

"Suppose we go up to the study, sir. You're looking regularly doneup, if you'll permit me to say so, sir. Shall I get you something?"

"A brandy-and-soda, " I assented; "and bring one for yourself. "

"Very good, sir, " and a few minutes later we were sitting oppositeeach other in the room where Vantine had offered me similarrefreshment not many hours before. I looked at Parks as he sat there, and turned over in my mind what I had to say to him. I liked the man, and I felt he could be trusted. At any rate, I had to take the risk. 

"Now, Parks, " I began again, setting down my glass, "what I have tosay to you is very serious, and I want you to keep it to yourself: Iknow that you were devoted to Mr. Vantine--I may as well tell youthat he has remembered you in his will--and I am sure you are willingto do anything in your power to help solve the mystery of his death. "

"That I am, sir, " Parks agreed, warmly. "I was very fond of him, sir;nobody will miss him more than I will. "

I realised that the tragedy meant far more to Parks than it did evento me, for he had lost not only a friend, but a means of livelihood, and I looked at him with heightened sympathy. 

"I know how you feel, " I said, "and I am counting on you to help me. I have a sort of idea how his death came about. Only the vaguestpossible idea, " I added hastily, as his eyes widened with interest;"altogether too vague to be put into words. But I can say this much--the mystery, whatever it is, is in the ante-room where the bodieswere found, or in the room next to it where the furniture is. Now, Iam going to lock up those rooms, and I want you to see that nobodyenters them without your knowledge. "

"Not very likely that anybody will want to enter them, sir, " andParks laughed a grim little laugh. 

"I am not so sure of that, " I dissented, speaking very seriously. "Infact, I am of the opinion that there _is_ somebody who wants to enterthose rooms very badly. I don't know who he is, and I don't know whathe is after; but I am going to make it your business to keep him out, and to capture him if you catch him trying to get in. "

"Trust me for that, sir, " said Parks promptly. "What is it you wantme to do?"

"I want you to put a cot in the hallway outside the door of theante-room and sleep there to-night. To-morrow I will decide what furtherprecautions are necessary. "

"Very good, sir, " said Parks. "I'll get the cot up at once. "

"There is one thing more, " I went on. "I have given the coroner mypersonal assurance that none of the servants will leave the houseuntil after the inquest. I suppose I can rely on them?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I'll see they understand how important it is. "

"Rogers, especially, " I added, looking at him. 

"I understand, sir, " said Parks, quietly. 

"Very well. And now let us go down and lock up those rooms. "

They were still ablaze with light; but both of us faltered a little, I think, on the threshold of the ante-room. For in the middle of thefloor stood a stretcher, and on it was an object covered with asheet, its outlines horribly suggestive. But I took myself in handand entered. Parks followed me and closed the door. 

The ante-room had two windows, and the room beyond, which was acorner one, had three. All of them were locked, but a pane of glassseemed to me an absurdly fragile barrier against any one who reallywished to enter. 

"Aren't there some wooden shutters for these windows?" I asked. 

"Yes, sir; they were taken down yesterday and put in the basement. Shall I get them?"

"I think you'd better, " I said. "Will you need any help?"

"No, sir; they're not heavy. If you'll wait here, you can snap thebolts into place when I lift them up from the outside. "

"Very well, " I agreed, and Parks hurried away. 

I entered the inner room and stopped before the Boule cabinet. Therewas a certain air of arrogance about it, as it stood there in thatblaze of light, its inlay aglow with a thousand subtle reflections; aflaunting air, the air of a courtesan conscious of her beauty andpleased to attract attention--just the air with which Madame deMontespan must have sauntered down the mirror gallery at Versailles, ablaze with jewels, her skirts rustling, her figure swayingsuggestively. Something threatening, too; something sinister anddeadly--

There was a rattle at the window, and I saw Parks lifting one of theshutters into place. I threw up the sash, and pressed the heavy boltscarefully into their sockets, then closed the sash and locked it. Thetwo other windows were secured in their turn, and with a last lookabout the room, I turned out the lights. The ante-room windows weresoon shuttered in the same way, and with a sigh of relief I toldmyself that no entrance to the house could be had from thatdirection. With Parks outside the only door, the rooms ought to besafe from invasion. 

Then, before extinguishing the lights, I approached that silentfigure on the stretcher, lifted the sheet and looked for the lasttime upon the face of my dead friend. It was no longer staring andterrible, but calm and peaceful as in sleep--almost smiling. Withwet eyes and contracted throat, I covered the face again, turned outthe lights, and left the room. Parks met me in the hall, carrying acot, which he placed close across the doorway. 

"There, " he said; "nobody will get into that room without my knowingit. "

"No, " I agreed; and then a sudden thought occurred to me. "Parks, " Isaid, "is it true that there is a burglar-alarm on all the windows?"

"Yes, sir. It rings a bell in Mr. Vantine's bedroom, and another inmine, and sends in a call to the police. "

"Is it working?"

"Yes, sir; Mr. Vantine himself tested it this evening just beforedinner. "

"Then why didn't it work when I opened those windows just now?" Idemanded. 

Parks laughed. 

"Because I threw off the switch, sir, " he explained, "when I came outto get the shutters. The switch is in a little iron box on the walljust back of the stairs, sir. It's one of my duties to turn it onevery night before I go to bed. "

I breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Is it on again, now?"

"It certainly is, sir. After what you told me, I'd not be likely toforget it. "

"You'd better have a weapon handy, too, " I suggested. 

"I have a revolver, sir. "

"That's good. And don't hesitate to use it. I'm going home--I'm deadtired. "

"Shall I call a cab, sir?"

"No, the walk will do me good. I'll see you to-morrow. "

Parks helped me into my coat and opened the door for me. Glancingback, after a moment, I saw that he was standing on the steps gazingafter me. I could understand his reluctance to go back into thatdeath-haunted house; and I found myself breathing deeply with therelief of getting out of it. 

CHAPTER IX

GUESSES AT THE RIDDLE

The walk uptown did me good. The rain had ceased, and the air feltclean and fresh as though it had been washed. I took deep breaths ofit, and the feeling of fatigue and depression which had weighed uponme gradually vanished. I was in no hurry--went out of my way alittle, indeed, to walk out into Madison Square and look back at thetowering mass of the Flatiron building, creamy and delicate as carvedivory under the rays of the moon--and it was long past midnight whenI finally turned in at the Marathon. Higgins, the janitor, was justclosing the outer doors, and he joined me in the elevator a momentlater. 

"There's a gentleman waiting to see you, sir, " he said, as the carstarted upward. "Mr. Godfrey, sir. He came in about ten minutes ago. He said you were expecting him, so I let him into your rooms. "

"That was right, " I said, and reflected again upon Godfrey'sexhaustless energy. 

I found him lolling in an easy chair, and he looked up with a smileat my entrance. "Higgins said you hadn't come in yet, " he explained, "so I thought I'd wait a few minutes on the off chance that youmightn't be too tired to talk. If you are, say so, and I'll be movingalong. "

"I'm not too tired, " I said, hanging up my coat. "I feel a good dealbetter than I did an hour ago. "

"I saw that you were about all in. "

"How do you keep it up, Godfrey?" I asked, sitting down opposite him. "You don't seem tired at all. "

"I _am_ tired, though, " he said, "a little. But I've got a fool brainthat won't let my body go to sleep so long as there is work to bedone. Then, as soon as everything is finished, the brain lets go andthe body sleeps like a log. Now I knew I couldn't go to sleepproperly to-night until I had heard the very interesting theory youare going to confide to me. Besides, I have a thing or two to tellyou. "

"Go ahead, " I said. 

"We had a cable from our Paris office just before I left. It seemsthat M. Théophile d'Aurelle plays the fiddle in the orchestra of theCafé de Paris. He played as usual to-night, so that it is manifestlyimpossible that he should also be lying in the New York morgue. Moreover, none of his friends, so far as he knows, is in America. Nodoubt he may be able to identify the photograph of the dead man, andwe've already started one on the way, but we can't hear from it forsix or eight days. But my guess was right--the fellow's name isn'td'Aurelle. "

"You say you have a photograph?"

"Yes, I had some taken of the body this afternoon. Here's one ofthem. Keep it; you may have a use for it. "

I took the card, and, as I gazed at the face depicted upon it, Irealised that the distorted countenance I had seen in the afternoonhad given me no idea of the man's appearance. Now the eyes wereclosed and the features composed and peaceful, but even death failedto give them any dignity. It was a weak and dissipated face, the faceof a hanger-on of cafés, as Parks had said--of a loiterer along theboulevards, of a man without ambition, and capable of any depth ofmeanness and deceit. At least, that is how I read it. 

"He's evidently low-class, " said Godfrey, watching me. "One of thoseparasites, without work and without income, so common in Paris. Shop-girls and ladies' maids have a weakness for them. "

"I think you are right, " I agreed; "but, at the same time, if he wasof that type, I don't see what business he could have had with PhilipVantine. "

"Neither do I; but there are a lot of other things I don't see, either. We're all in the dark, Lester; have you thought of that?Absolutely in the dark. "

"Yes, I have thought of it, " I said, slowly. 

"No doubt we can establish this fellow's identity in time--soonerthan we think, perhaps, for most of the morning papers will run hispicture, and if he is known here in New York at all, it will berecognised by some one. When we find out who he is, we can probablyguess at the nature of his business with Vantine. We can find out whothe woman was who called to see Vantine to-night--that is just a caseof grilling Rogers; then we can run her down and get her secret outof her. We can find why Rogers is trying to shield her. All that iscomparatively simple. But when we have done it all, when we have allthese facts in hand, I am afraid we shall find that they are utterlyunimportant. "

"Unimportant?" I echoed. "But surely--"

"Unimportant because we don't want to know these things. What we wantto know is how Philip Vantine and this unknown Frenchman were killed. And that is just the one thing which, I am convinced, neither the mannor the woman nor Rogers nor anybody else we have come across in thiscase can tell us. There's a personality behind all this that wehaven't even suspected yet, and which, I am free to confess, I don'tknow how to get at. It puzzles me; it rather frightens me; it's likea threatening shadow which one can't get hold of. "

There was a moment's silence; then, I decided, the time had come forme to speak. 

"Godfrey, " I said, "what I am about to tell you is told inconfidence, and must be held in confidence until I give youpermission to use it. Do you agree?"

"Go on, " he said, his eyes on my face. 

"Well, I believe I know how these two men were killed. Listen. "

And I told him in detail the story of the Boule cabinet; I repeatedVantine's theory of its first ownership; I named the price which hewas ready to pay for it; I described the difference between anoriginal and a counterpart, and dwelt upon Vantine's assertion thatthis was an original of unique and unquestionable artistry. Longbefore I had finished, Godfrey was out of his chair and pacing up anddown the room, his face flushed, his eyes glowing. 

"Beautiful!" he murmured from time to time. "Immense! What a case itwill make, Lester!" he cried, stopping before my chair and beamingdown upon me, as I finished the story. "Unique, too; that's thebeauty of it! As unique as this adorable Boule cabinet!"

"Then you see it, too?" I questioned, a little disappointed that mytheory should seem so evident. 

"See it?" and he dropped into his chair again. "A man would be blindnot to see it. But all the same, Lester, I give you credit forputting the facts together. So many of us--Grady, for instance!--aren't able to do that, or to see which facts are essential andwhich are negligible. Now the fact that Vantine had accidentally comeinto possession of a Boule cabinet would probably seem negligible toGrady, whereas it is the one big essential fact in this whole case. And it was you who saw it. "

"You saw it, too, " I pointed out, "as soon as I mentioned it. "

"Yes; but you mentioned it in a way which made its importancemanifest. I couldn't help seeing it. And I believe that we have botharrived at practically the same conclusions. Here they are, " and hechecked them off on his fingers. "The cabinet contains a secretdrawer. This is inevitable, if it really belonged to Madame deMontespan. Any cabinet made for her would be certain to have a secretdrawer--she would require it, just as she would require lace on herunderwear or jewelled buttons on her gloves. That drawer, since itwas, perhaps, to contain such priceless documents as the love lettersof a king--even more so, if the love letters were from another man!--must be adequately guarded, and therefore a mechanism was devised tostab the person attempting to open it and to inject into the wound apoison so powerful as to cause instant death. Am I right so far?"

"Wonderfully right, " I nodded. "I had not put it so clearly, even tomyself. Go ahead. "

"We come to the conclusion, then, " continued Godfrey, "that thebusiness of this unknown Frenchman with Vantine in some way concernedthis cabinet. "

"Vantine himself thought so, " I broke in. "He told me afterwards thatit was because he thought so he consented to see him. "

"Good! That would seem to indicate that we are on the right track. The Frenchman's business, then, had something to do with thiscabinet, and with this secret drawer. Left to himself, he discoveredthe cabinet in the room adjoining the ante-room, attempted to openthe drawer, and was killed. "

"Yes, " I agreed; "and now how about Vantine?"

"Vantine's death isn't so simply explained. Presumably the unknownwoman also called on business relating to the cabinet. She, also, wanted to open the secret drawer, in order to secure its contents--that seems fairly certain from her connection with the firstcaller. "

"You still think it was her photograph he carried in his watch?"

"I am sure of it. But how did it happen that it was Vantine who waskilled? Did the woman, warned by the fate of the man, deliberatelyset Vantine to open the drawer in order that she might run no risk?Or was she also ignorant of the mechanism? Above all, did she succeedin getting away with the contents of the drawer?"

"What _was_ the contents of the drawer?" I demanded. 

"Ah, if we only knew!"

"Perhaps the woman had nothing to do with it. Vantine himself told methat he was going to make a careful examination of the cabinet. Nodoubt that is exactly what he was doing when the woman's arrivalinterrupted him. He might have let her out of the house himself, andthen, returning to the cabinet, stumbled upon the secret drawer aftershe had gone. "

"Yes; that is quite possible, too. At any rate, you agree with methat both men were killed in some such way as I have described?"

"Absolutely. I think there can be no doubt of it. "

"There are objections--and rather weighty ones. The theory explainsthe two deaths, it explains the similarity of the wounds, it explainshow both should be on the right hand just above the knuckles, itexplains why both bodies were found in the same place since both menstarted to summon help. But, in the first place, if the Frenchman gotthe drawer open, who closed it?"

"Perhaps it closed itself when he let go of it. "

"And closed again after Vantine opened it?"

"Yes. "

"It would take a very clever mechanism to do that. "

"But at least it's possible. "

"Oh, yes; it's possible. And we must remember that the poisoners ofthose days were very ingenious. That was the heydey of La Voisin andthe Marquise de Brinvilliers, of Elixi, and heaven knows how manyother experts who had followed Catherine de Medici to France. Sothat's all quite possible. But there is one thing that isn'tpossible, and that is that a poison which, if it is administered aswe think it is, must be a liquid, could remain in that cabinet freshand ready for use for more than three hundred years. It would havedried up centuries ago. Nor would the mechanism stay in order solong. It must be both complicated and delicate. Therefore it wouldhave to be oiled and overhauled from time to time. If it is worked bya spring--and I don't see how else it can be worked--the spring wouldhave to be renewed and wound up. "

"Well?" I asked, as he paused. 

"Well, it is evident that the drawer contains something more recentthan the love letters of Louis Fourteenth. It must have been put inworking order quite recently. But by whom and for what purpose? Thatis the mystery we have to solve--and it is a mighty pretty one. Andhere's another objection, " he added. "That Frenchman knew about thesecret drawer, because, according to our theory, he opened it and gotkilled. Why didn't he also know about the poison?"

That was an objection, truly, and the more I thought of it, the moreserious it seemed. 

"It may be, " said Godfrey, at last, "that d'Aurelle was going italone--that he had broken with the gang--"

"The gang?"

"Of course there is a gang. This thing has taken careful planning andconcerted effort. And the leader of the gang is a genius! I wonder ifyou understand how great a genius? Think: he knows the secret of thedrawer of Madame de Montespan's cabinet; but above all he knows thesecret of the poison--the poison of the Medici! Do you know what thatmeans, Lester?"

"What _does_ it mean?" I asked, for Godfrey was getting ahead of me. 

"It means he is a great criminal--a really great criminal--one of theelect from whom crime has no secrets. Observe. He alone knows thesecret of the poison; one of his men breaks away from him, and paysfor his mutiny with his life. He is the brain; the others are merelythe instruments!"

"Then you don't believe it was by accident that cabinet was sent toVantine?"

"By accident? Not for an instant! It was part of a plot--and asplendid plot!"

"Can you explain that to me, too?" I queried, a little ironically, for I confess it seemed to me that Godfrey was permitting hisimagination to run away with him. 

He smiled good-naturedly at my tone. 

"Of course, this is all mere romancing, " he admitted. "I am the firstto acknowledge that. I was merely following out our theory to whatseemed its logical conclusion. But perhaps we are on the wrong trackaltogether. Perhaps d'Aurelle, or whatever his name is, justblundered in, like a moth into a candle-flame. As for the plot--well, I can only guess at it. But suppose you and I had pulled off some bigrobbery--"

He stopped suddenly, and his face went white and then red. 

"What is it, Godfrey?" I cried, for his look frightened me. 

He lay back in his chair, his hands pressed over his eyes. I couldsee how they were trembling--how his whole body was trembling. 

"Wait!" he said, hoarsely. "Wait!" Then he sat upright, his facetense with anxiety. "Lester!" he cried, his voice shrill with fear. "The cabinet--it isn't guarded!"

"Yes, it is, " I said. "At least I thought of that!"

And I told him of the precautions I had taken to keep it safe. Heheard me out with a sigh of relief. 

"That's better, " he said. "Parks wouldn't stand much show, I'mafraid, if worst came to worst; but I think the cabinet is safe--forto-night. And before another night, Lester, we will have a look forourselves. "

"A look?"

"Yes; for the secret drawer!"

I stared at him fascinated, shrinking. 

"And we shall find it!" he added. 

"D'Aurelle and Vantine found it, " I muttered thickly. 

"Well?"

"And they're both dead!"

"It won't kill us. We will go about it armoured, Lester. Thatpoisoned fang may strike--"

"Don't!" I cried, and cowered back into my chair. "I--I can't do it, Godfrey. God knows, I'm no coward--but not that!"

"You shall watch me do it!" he said. 

"That would be even worse!"

"But I'll be ready, Lester. There will be no danger. Come, man! Why, it's the chance of a lifetime--to rifle the secret drawer of Madamede Montespan! Yes!" he added, his eyes glowing, "and to matchourselves against the greatest criminal of modern times!"

His shrill laugh told how excited he was. 

"And do you know what we shall find in that drawer, Lester? But no--it is only a guess--the wildest sort of a guess--but if it isright--if it is right!"

He sprang from his chair, biting his lips, his whole frame quivering. But he was calmer in a moment. 

"Anyway, you will help me, Lester? You will come?"

There was a wizardry in his manner not to be resisted. Besides--torifle the secret drawer of Madame de Montespan! To match oneselfagainst the greatest criminal of modern times! What an adventure!

"Yes, " I answered, with a quick intaking of the breath; "I'll come!"

He clapped me on the shoulder, his face beaming. 

"I knew you would! To-morrow night, then--I'll call for you here atseven o'clock. We'll have dinner together--and then, hey for thegreat secret! Agreed?"

"Agreed!" I said. 

He caught up coat and hat and started for the door. 

"There are things to do, " he said; "that armour to prepare--the planof campaign to consider, you know. Good-night, then, till--thisevening!"

The door closed behind him, and his footsteps died away down thehall. I looked at my watch--it was nearly two o'clock. 

Dizzily I went to bed. But my sleep was broken by a fearful dream--adream of a serpent, with blazing eyes and dripping fangs, poised tostrike!

CHAPTER X

PREPARATIONS

My first thought, when I awoke next morning, was for Parks, forGodfrey's manner had impressed me with the feeling that Parks was inmuch more serious danger than either he or I suspected. It was with alively sense of relief, therefore, that I heard Parks's voice answermy call on the 'phone. 

"This is Mr. Lester, " I said. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything serene, sir, " he answered. "It would take a mighty smoothburglar to get in here now, sir. "

"How is that?" I asked. 

"Reporters are camped all around the house, sir. They seem to thinksomebody else will be killed here to-day. "

He laughed as he spoke the words, but I was far from thinking theidea an amusing one. 

"I hope not, " I said, quickly. "And don't let any of the reportersin, nor talk to them. Tell them they must go to the police for theirinformation. If they get too annoying, let me know, and I'll have anofficer sent around. "

"Very good, sir. "

"And, Parks. "

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't let anybody in the house--no matter what he wants--unless Mr. Grady or Mr. Simmonds or Mr. Goldberger accompanies him. Don't letanybody in you don't know. If there is any trouble, call me up. Iwant you to be careful about this. "

"I understand, sir. "

"How is Rogers?" I asked. 

"Much better, sir. He wanted to get up, but I told him he might aswell stay in bed, and I'd look after things. I thought that was thebest place for him, sir. "

"It is, " I agreed. "Keep him there as long as you can. I'll come induring the day, if possible; in any event, Mr. Godfrey and I will bethere this evening. Call me at the office, if you need me foranything. "

"Very good, sir, " said Parks again, and I hung up. 

I glanced through Godfrey's account of the affair while I ate mybreakfast, and noted with amusement the sly digs taken atCommissioner Grady. Under the photograph of the unknown woman was thelegend:

 MR. VANTINE'S MYSTERIOUS CALLER

 (Grady Please Notice)

And it was intimated that when Grady wanted any real informationabout an especially puzzling case, he had to go to the _Record_ toget it. 

This, however, was merely by the way, for the story of the doubletragedy, fully illustrated, was flung across many columns, and wasplainly considered the great news feature of the day. 

I glanced at two or three other papers on my way down-town. All ofthem featured the tragedy with a riot of pictures--pictures ofd'Aurelle and Vantine, of Grady (very large), of Simmonds, ofGoldberger, of Freylinghuisen, of the Vantine house, diagrams of theante-room showing the position in which the bodies were found, anatomical charts showing the exact nature of the wounds, pictures ofthe noted poisoners of history with a highly-coloured list of theirachievements--but, when it came to the story of the tragedy itself, their accounts were far less detailed and intimate than that in the_Record_. They were, indeed, for the most part, mere farragos oftheories, guesses, blood-curdling suggestions, and mysterious hintsof important information confided to the reporters but withheld fromthe public until the criminal had been run to earth. That this wouldsoon be accomplished not a single paper doubted, for had not Grady, the mighty Grady, taken personal charge of the case? (Here followed aglowing history of Grady's career. )

It was evident enough that all these reporters had been compelled togo to Grady for their information, and I could fancy them damning himbetween their teeth as they penned these panegyrics. I could alsofancy their city editors damning as they compared these incoherentimaginings with the admirable and closely-written story in the_Record_, and I suspected that it was the realisation of the_Record's_ triumph which had caused the descent of the phalanx ofreporters upon the Vantine place. 

I went over the whole affair with Mr. Royce, as soon as he reachedthe office, and spent the rest of the day arranging the papersrelating to Vantine's affairs and getting them ready to probate. Parks called me up once or twice for instructions as to variousdetails, and Vantine's nearest relative, a third or fourth cousin, wired from somewhere in the west that he was starting for New York atonce. And then, toward the middle of the afternoon, came thecablegram from Paris which I had almost forgotten to expect:

 "Royce & Lester, New York. 

 "Regret mistake in shipment exceedingly. Our representative will call to explain. 

 "Armand et Fils. "

So there was an end of the romance Godfrey had woven, and which I hadbeen almost ready to believe--the romance of design, of a carefullylaid plot, and all that. It had been merely accident, after all. AndI smiled a little sarcastically at myself for my credulity. No doubtmy own romance of a secret drawer and a poisoned mechanism wouldprove equally fabulous. In my over-wrought state of the night before, it had seemed reasonable enough; but here, in the cold light of day, it seemed preposterous. How Grady and Goldberger would have laughedat it!

I put the whole thing impatiently away from me, and turned to otherwork; but I found I could not conquer a certain deep-seatednervousness; so at last I locked my desk, told the boy I would not beback, and took a cab for a long drive through the park. The freshair, the smell of the trees, the sight of the children playing alongthe paths, did me good, and I was able to greet Godfrey with a smilewhen he called for me at seven o'clock. 

"I've engaged a table at a little place around the corner, " he said. "It is managed by a friend of mine, and I think you'll like it. "

I did. Indeed, the dinner was so good that it demanded undividedattention, and not until the coffee was on the table and the cigarslighted did we speak of the business which had brought us together. 

"Anything new?" I asked, as we pushed back our chairs. 

"No, nothing of any importance. The man at the morgue has not beenidentified. In the first place, the Paris police have never taken hisBertillon measurements. "

"Then he's not a criminal?"

"He has never been arrested, " Godfrey qualified. "More peculiar isthe fact that he hasn't been recognised here. Two million people, probably, saw his photograph in the papers this morning. Some ofthem thought they knew him and went around to the morgue to see hisbody, but nothing came of it. The police have no report of any suchman missing. "

"That _is_ peculiar, isn't it!" I commented. 

"It's very peculiar. It means one of two things--either the fellow'sfriends are keeping dark purposely, or he didn't have any friends, here in New York, at least. But even then, one would think thatwhoever rented him a room would wonder what had become of him, andwould make some inquiries. "

"Perhaps he hadn't rented a room, " I suggested. "Perhaps he had justreached New York, and went direct to Vantine's. "

Godfrey's face lighted up. 

"From the steamer, of course! I ought to have guessed as much fromthe cut of his hair. He hasn't been out of France more than ten daysor so. Excuse me a moment. "

He hurried away, and five minutes passed before he came back. 

"I 'phoned the office to send some men around to the boats which camein yesterday. If he was a passenger, some one of the stewards willrecognise his photograph. There were three boats he might have comeon--the _Adriatic_ and _Cecelie_ from Cherbourg, and _La Touraine_from Havre. There is nothing else that I know of, " he addedthoughtfully, "except that Freylinghuisen thinks he has discoveredthe nature of the poison. He says it is some very powerful variant ofprussic acid. "

"Yes, " I said, "I heard him say something of the sort last night. "

"I had a talk with him this afternoon about it, and he was quitelearned, " Godfrey went on. "This is a great chance for him to getbefore the public, and he's making the most of it. I gathered fromwhat he said that ordinary prussic acid, which is deadly enough, heaven knows, contains only two per cent. Of the poison; while thestrongest solution yet obtained contains only four per cent. Freylinghuisen says that whoever concocted this particular poison hasevidently discovered a new way of doing it--or rediscovered an oldway--so that it is at least fifty per cent. Effective. In otherwords, if you can get a fraction of a drop of it in a man's blood, you kill him by paralysis quicker than if you put a bullet throughhis heart. "

"Nothing can save a man, then?" I questioned. 

"Nothing on earth. Oh, I don't say that if somebody had an axe handyand chopped your arm off at the shoulder an instant after you werestruck on the hand, you mightn't have a chance to live; but it wouldtake mighty quick work, and even then, it would be nip and tuck. Freylinghuisen thinks it is a new discovery. I don't. I think someone has dug up one of the old Medici formulae. Maybe it was placed inthe secret drawer, so that there would never be any lack ofammunition for the mechanism. "

"Godfrey, " I said, "are you still bent on fooling with that thing?"

"More than ever; I'm going to find that secret drawer. And if thefangs strike--well, I'm ready for them. See here what I had madetoday. "

He drew from his pocket something that looked like a steel gauntlet, such as one sees on suits of old armour. He slipped it over his righthand. 

"You see it covers the back of the hand completely, " he said, "halfway down the first joint of the fingers. It is made of the tougheststeel and would turn a bullet. And do you see how it is depressed inthe middle, Lester?"

"Yes, " I said, "I was wondering why you had it made in that shape. "

"I want to get a sample of that poison. My theory is that when thefangs strike the hand, the shock drives out a drop or two of thepoison. I don't want those drops to get away; I want them to rollinto this depression, and I shall very carefully bottle them. Thinkwhat they are, Lester--the poison of the Medici!"

I sat for a moment looking at him, half in amusement, half in sorrow. It seemed a pity that his theory must come tumbling down, it was sopicturesque, and he was so interested and enthusiastic over it. Andit would make such a good story! He caught my glance, and put thegauntlet back into his pocket. 

"Well, what is it?" he asked quietly. 

For answer, I got out the cablegram and passed it across to him. Heread it with brows contracted. 

"That seems to put a puncture in our little romance, doesn't it?" Iasked, at last. 

He nodded thoughtfully. 

"Yes, it does, " and he read the message again, word by word. "Armand's man hasn't called yet?"

"No, I didn't get the message till about three o'clock. I supposehe'll be around to-morrow. "

"You will have to turn the cabinet over to him, of course?"

"Why, yes, it belongs to him. At least, it doesn't belong toVantine. "

He slipped the message into its envelope and handed it back to me. Icould see that he was perplexed and upset. 

"Well, in spite of this, " he said finally, "I am still interested inthat cabinet, Lester, and I wish you would keep possession of it aslong as you can. At least, I wouldn't give it up until he deliveredto you the other cabinet which Vantine really bought. "

"Oh, I'll make him do that, " I agreed quickly. "That will no doubttake a few days--longer than that if Vantine's cabinet is in Paris. "

Godfrey raised a finger to the waiter, asked for the check, and paidit. 

"And now let us go down and have a look at this one, " he said, "as weintended doing. You will think me foolish, Lester, but even thatcablegram hasn't shaken my belief in the existence of that secretdrawer. "

"And all the rest?" I asked. 

"Yes, " he answered slowly, "and all the rest. " He said nothing moreuntil we stopped before the Vantine house, but I could see, from hispuckered brows, how desperately he was trying to untangle this quirkin the mystery. 

"The siege seems to have been lifted, " I remarked, as we alighted. 

"The siege?"

"Parks telephoned me that your esteemed contemporaries had the placesurrounded. I told him to hold the fort!"

"Poor boys!" he commented, smiling. "To think that all they know iswhat Grady is able to tell them!" Then he stopped before the houseand made a careful survey of it. 

"Which room is the cabinet in?" he asked. 

"The ante-room is there at the left where those two shuttered windowsare. The cabinet is in the corner room--there is one window on thisside and two on the other. "

"Wait till I take a look at them, " he said, and, vaulting the lowrailing, he walked quickly along the front of the house and aroundthe corner. He was gone only a minute. "They're all right, " he said, in a tone of relief. 

"Of course they're all right. You didn't suppose--"

"If that cabinet contains what I thought it did, Lester--yes, " headded, a little savagely, as he saw my look, "and what I still thinkit does--it wouldn't be safe in the strongest vault of the NationalCity Bank, " and he motioned for me to ring the bell. 

I did so, in silence. 

Parks answered it almost instantly, and I could tell from the way hisface changed how glad he was to see me. 

"Well, Parks, " I said, as we stepped inside, "everything is allright, I hope?"

"Yes, sir, " he answered. "But--but it gets on the nerves a little, sir. "

I heard a movement behind me, as I gave Parks my coat, and turned tosee Rogers sitting on the cot. 

"Hello, " I said, "so you're able to be up, are you?"

"Yes, sir, " he answered, without looking at me. "I thought I'd comedown and keep Parks company. "

Parks smiled a little sheepishly. 

"I asked him to, Mr. Lester, " he said. "I got so lonesome and jumpyhere by myself that I just had to have somebody to talk to. Especially, after the burglar-alarm rang. "

"The burglar-alarm?" repeated Godfrey quickly. "What do you mean?"

"We've got a burglar-alarm on the windows, sir. It's usually turnedoff in the day-time, but I thought I'd better leave it on to-day, andit rang about the middle of the afternoon. I thought at first thatone of the other servants had raised a window, but none of them had. Something went wrong with it, I guess. "

"Did you take a look at the windows?" I asked. 

"Yes, sir; a policeman came to see what was the matter and we wentaround and examined the windows, but they were all locked. It made mefeel kind of scary for a while. "

"Does the alarm work now?"

"No, sir; the policeman said there must be a short circuit somewhere, and that he'd notify the people who put it in; but nobody has comearound yet to fix it. "

"We'd better take a look at the windows, ourselves, " said Godfrey. "You stay here, Parks. We can find them, all right; and I don't wantyou to leave that door unguarded for a single instant. "

We went from window to window, and Godfrey examined each of them witha minuteness that astonished me, for I had no idea what he expectedto find. But we completed the circuit of the ground floor without hisapparently discovering anything out of the way. 

"Let's take a look at the basement, " he said, and led the waydownstairs with a readiness which told me that he had been over thehouse before. 

In the kitchen, we came upon the cook and housemaid sitting closetogether and talking in frightened whispers. They watched usapprehensively, and I stopped to reassure them, while Godfreyproceeded with his search. Then I heard him calling me. 

I found him in a kind of lumber-room, standing before its singlesmall window, his electric torch in his hand. 

"Look there, " he said, his voice quivering with excitement, and threwa circle of light on the jamb of the window at the spot where theupper and lower sashes met. 

"What is it?" I asked, after a moment. "I don't see anything wrong. "

"You don't? You don't see that this house was to be entered to-night?Then what does this mean?"

With his finger-nail, he turned up the end of a small insulated wire. And then I saw that the wire had been cut. 

CHAPTER XI

THE BURNING EYES

For an instant, I did not grasp the full significance of that severedwire. Then I understood. 

"Yes, " said Godfrey drily, "that romance of mine is looking up again. Somebody was preparing for a quiet invasion of the house to-night--somebody, of course, interested in that cabinet. "

"He wasn't losing any time, " I ventured. 

"He knew he hadn't any to lose. When you put those wooden shuttersup, you warned him that you suspected his game. He knew, if the alarmwas on, it would ring when he cut the wire, but he also knew that thechances were a hundred to one against the cut being discovered, orthe alarm put in working order, before to-morrow. "

"Why can't we ambush him?" I suggested. 

"We might try, but it will be a mighty risky undertaking, Lester. "

"One risky undertaking is enough for to-night, " I said, with a sigh, for my belief in the existence of the secret drawer and the poisonand all the rest of it had come back with a rush. I felt almostapologetic toward Godfrey for ever doubting him. "We'd better waitand see if we survive the first one before we arrange for any more. "

"All right, " Godfrey laughed. "But I'll fix this break. "

He got out his pen-knife, loosened two or three of the staples whichheld the wire in place, drew it out, scraped back the insulation, andtwisted the ends tightly together. 

"There, " he added, "that's done. If the invader tampers with thewindow again, he will set off the alarm. But I don't believe he'lltouch it. I fancy he already knows his little game is discovered. "

"How would he know it?" I demanded, incredulously. 

"If he is keeping an eye on this window, as he naturally would do, hehas seen my light. Perhaps he is watching us now. "

I glanced at the dark square of the window with a little shiver. Thisbusiness was getting on my nerves again. But Godfrey turned away witha shrug of the shoulders. 

"Now for the cabinet, " he said, and led the way back upstairs. 

Rogers was still sitting dejectedly on the cot, and, looking at himmore closely, I could see that he was white and shaken. His trouble, whatever its nature, plainly lay heavy on his mind. 

"Have you anything to tell us, this evening, Rogers?" I asked, kindly, but he only shook his head. 

"I've told you everything I know, sir, " he answered, in a low voice. 

"I'm not going to worry you, Rogers, " I went on, "but I want you tothink it over. You can rely upon me to help you, if I can. "

He looked up quickly, but caught himself, and turned his eyes away. 

"Thank you, sir, " was all he said. 

"And now, " I added, briskly, "I'll have to ask you to get up. Movethe cot away from the door, Parks. "

Parks obeyed me with astonished face. 

"You're not going in there, sir!" he protested, as I turned the knob. 

"Yes, we are, " I said, and opened the door. "Is--is. . . . "

"No, sir, " broke in Parks, understanding. "The undertakers broughtthe coffin and put him in it and moved him over to the drawing-roomthis afternoon, sir. "

"I'm glad of that. I want all the lights lit, Parks, just as theywere last night. "

Parks reached inside the door and switched on the electrics. Then hewent away, came back in a moment with a taper, and proceeded to lightthe gas-lights. A moment later, the lights in the inner room werealso blazing. 

"There you are, sir, " said Parks, and retreated to the door. "Willyou need me?"

"Not now. But wait in the hall outside. We may need you. " I had anotion to tell him to have an axe handy, but I saw Godfrey smiling. 

"Very good, sir, " said Parks, evidently relieved, and went out andclosed the door. 

I led the way into the inner room. 

"Well, there it is, " I said, and nodded toward the Boule cabinet, standing in the full glare of the light, every inlay and incrustationglittering like the eyes of a basilisk. "It isn't too late to give itup, Godfrey. "

"Oh, yes, it is, " he said, coolly, removing his coat "It was too latethe moment you told me that story. Why, Lester, if I gave it up, Ishould never sleep again!"

"And if you don't, you may never wake again, " I pointed out. 

He laughed lightly. 

"What a dismal prophet you are! Draw up a chair and watch me. "

He pulled back his shirt-sleeves, and placed his electric torch onthe floor beside the cabinet. Then he paused with folded arms tocontemplate this masterpiece of M. Boule. 

"It _is_ a beauty, " he said, at last, and then drew out the littledrawers, one after another, looked them over, and placed themcarefully on a chair. "Now, " he added, "let us see if there is anyspace that isn't accounted for. "

He took from his pocket a folding rule of ivory, opened it, and begana series of measurements so searching and intricate that half an hourpassed without a word being spoken. Then he pulled up another chair, and sat down beside me. 

"I seem to be pretty much up against it, " he said, "no doubt just asthe designer of the cabinet would wish me to be. The whole bottom ofthe desk is inclosed, and those three little drawers take up only asmall part of the space. Then the back of the cabinet seems to bedouble--at least, there's a space of three inches I can't accountfor. So there's room for a dozen secret drawers, if the Montespanrequired so many. And now to find the combination. "

He adjusted the steel gauntlet carefully to his right hand and satdown on the floor before the cabinet. 

"I'll begin at the bottom, " he said. "If there is any spot I miss, tell me of it. "

He ran his fingers up and down the graceful legs, carefully feelingevery inequality of the elaborate bronze ornamentation. Particularlydid his fingers linger on every boss and point, striving to push itin or move it up or down; but they were all immovable. Then heexamined the bottom of the table minutely, using his torch toillumine every crevice; but again without result. 

Another half hour passed so, and when at last he came out from underthe table, his face was dripping with sweat. 

"It's trying work, " he said, sitting down again and mopping his face. "But isn't it a beauty, Lester? The more I look at it, the morewonderful it seems. "

"I told Philip Vantine I wasn't up to it, and I'm not, " I said. 

"Nor I, but I can appreciate it to the extent of my capacity. It'sthe Louis Fourteenth ideal of beauty--splendour carried to the nthdegree. Look at the arabesques along the front--can you imagineanything more graceful? And the engraving--nothing cut-and-driedabout that. It was done by a burin in the hands of a master--perhapsby Boule himself. I don't wonder Vantine was rather mad about it. Butwe haven't found that drawer yet, " and he drew his chair close to thecabinet. 

"I'd point out one thing to you, Godfrey, " I said: "if you go onpoking about with the fingers of both hands, as you've been doing, you are just as apt to get struck on the left hand as on the right. "

"That's true, " he agreed. "Stop me if I forget. "

There were three little drawers in the front of the table, and theseGodfrey had removed. He inserted his hand into the space from whichhe had taken them, and examined it carefully. Then, inch by inch, heran his fingers over the bosses and arabesques with which the sidesand top of the table were incrusted. It seemed to me that, if thesecret drawer were anywhere, it must be somewhere in this part of thecabinet, and I watched him with breathless interest. Once I thoughthe had found the drawer, for a piece of inlay at the side of thetable seemed to give a little under the pressure of his fingers; butno hidden spring was touched; no drawer sprang open; no poisonedfangs descended. 

"Well, " said Godfrey, sitting back in his chair at last, and wipinghis face again, "there's so much done. If there is any secret drawerin the lower part of the cabinet, it is mighty cleverly concealed. Now we'll try the upper part. "

The upper part of the cabinet consisted of a series of drawers, rising one above the other, and terminated by a triangular pediment, its tympanum ornamented with some beautiful little bronzes. Thedrawers themselves were concealed by two doors, opening in thecentre, and covered with a most intricate design of arabesquedincrustations. 

"If there is a secret drawer here, " said Godfrey, "it is somewhere inthe back, where there seems to be a hollow space. But to discover thecombination. . . . "

He ran his fingers over the inlay, and then, struck by a suddenthought, tested each of the little figures along the tympanum, butthey were all set solidly in place. 

"There's one thing sure, " he said, "the combination, whatever it is, is of such a nature that it could not be discovered accidentally--bya person leaning on the cabinet, for instance. It isn't a question ofmerely touching a spring; it is probably a question of releasing aseries of levers, which must be worked in a certain order, or thedrawer won't open. I'm afraid we are up against it. "

"I can't pretend I'm sorry, " I said, with a sigh of relief. "As faras I am concerned, I'm perfectly willing that the drawer should goundiscovered. "

"Well, I am not!" retorted Godfrey, curtly, and he sat regarding thecabinet with puckered brows. Then he rose and began tapping at theback. 

I don't know what it was--for I was conscious of no noise--but somemysterious attraction drew my eyes to the window at the farther sideof the room. Near the top of the wooden shutter, which Parks and Ihad put in place, was a small semi-circular opening, to allow thepassage of a little light, perhaps, and peering through this openingwere two eyes--two burning eyes. . . . 

They were fixed upon Godfrey with such feverish intentness that theydid not see my glance, and I lowered my head instantly. 

"Godfrey, " I said, in a shaking voice, "don't look up; don't moveyour head; but there is some one peering through the hole in theshutter opposite us. "

Godfrey did not answer for quite a minute, but kept calmly on withhis examination of the cabinet. 

"Did he see you look at him?" he asked, at last. 

"No, he was looking at you, with his eyes almost starting out of hishead. I never saw such eyes!"

"Did you see anything of his face?"

"No, the hole is too small. I fancy I saw the fingers of one hand, which he had thrust through to steady himself. "

"How high is the hole?"

"Near the top of the window. "

Godfrey came back to his chair a moment later, sat down in it, andpassed his handkerchief slowly over his face. Then he leaned forward, apparently to examine the legs of the cabinet. 

"I saw him, " he said. "Or, rather, I saw his eyes. Rather fierce, aren't they?"

"They're a tiger's eyes, " I said, with conviction. 

"Well, there is no use going ahead with this while he is out there. Even if we found the drawer, we'd both be dead an instant later. "

"You mean he'd kill us?"

"He would shoot us instantly. Imagine what a sensation that wouldmake, Lester. Parks hears two pistol shots, rushes in and finds uslying here dead. Grady would have a convulsion--and we should bothbe famous for a few days. "

"I'll seek fame in some other way, " I said drily. "What are you goingto do about it?"

"We've got to try to capture him; and if we do--well, we shall havethe fame all right! But it's a good deal like trying to pick up ascorpion--we're pretty sure to get hurt. If that fellow out there iswho I think he is, he's about the most dangerous man on earth. "

He went on tapping the surface of the cabinet. As for me, I wouldhave given anything for another look at those gleaming eyes. Theyseemed to be burning into me; hot flashes were shooting up and downmy back. 

"Why can't I go out as though I were going after something, " Isuggested. "Then Parks and I could charge around the corner and gethim. "

"You wouldn't get him, he'd get you. You wouldn't have a chance onearth. If there is a window upstairs over that one, you might dropsomething out on him, or borrow Parks's pistol and shoot him--"

"That would be pretty cowardly, wouldn't it?" I suggested, mildly. 

"My dear Lester, " Godfrey protested, "when you attack a poisonoussnake, you don't do it with bare hands, do you?"

I couldn't help it--I glanced again at the window. . . . 

"He's gone!" I cried. 

Godfrey was at the window in two steps. 

"Look at that!" he said, "and then tell me he isn't a genius!"

I followed the direction of his pointing finger and saw that, justopposite the opening in the shutter, a little hole had been cut inthe window-pane. 

"That fellow foresees everything, " said Godfrey, with enthusiasm. "Heprobably cut that hole as soon as it was dark. He must have guessedwe were going to examine the cabinet to-night--and he wanted not onlyto see, but to hear. He heard everything we said, Lester!"

"Let's go after him!" I cried, and, without waiting for an answer, Isprang across the ante-room and snatched open the door which led intothe hall. 

Parks and Rogers were sitting on the couch just outside and I neversaw two men more thoroughly frightened. 

"For God's sake, Mr. Lester!" gasped Rogers, and stopped, his hand athis throat. 

"Is it Mr. Godfrey?" cried Parks. 

"There's a man outside. Got your pistol, Parks?"

"Yes, sir, " and he took it from his pocket. 

I snatched it from him, opened the front door, leaped the railing, and stole along the house to the corner. 

Then, taking my courage in both hands, I charged around it. 

There was no one in sight; but from somewhere near at hand came aburst of mocking laughter. 

CHAPTER XII

GODFREY IS FRIGHTENED

I was still staring about me, that mocking laughter in my ears, whenGodfrey joined me. 

"He got away, of course, " he said coolly. 

"Yes, and I heard him laugh!" I cried. 

Godfrey looked at me quickly. 

"Come, Lester, " he said, soothingly, "don't let your nerves run awaywith you. "

"It wasn't my nerves, " I protested, a little hotly. "I heard it quiteplainly. He can't be far away. "

"Too far for us to catch him, " Godfrey retorted, and, torch in hand, proceeded to examine the window-sill and the ground beneath it. "There is where he stood, " he added, and the marks on the sill wereevident enough. "Of course he had his line of retreat blocked out, "and he flashed his torch back and forth across the grass, but theturf was so close that no trace of footsteps was visible. 

We went slowly back to the house, and Godfrey sat down again to acontemplation of the cabinet. 

"It's too much for me, " he said, at last. "The only way I can findthat drawer, I'm afraid, is with an axe. But I don't want to smashthe thing to pieces--"

"I should say not! It would be like smashing the Venus de Milo. "

"Hardly so bad as that. But we won't smash it yet awhile. I'm goingto look up the subject of secret drawers--perhaps I'll stumble uponsomething that will help me. "

"And then, of course, " I said, disconsolately, "it is quite possiblethat there isn't any such drawer at all. "

But Godfrey shook his head decidedly. 

"I don't agree with you there, Lester. I'll wager that fellow who waslooking in at us could find it in a minute. "

"He seemed mighty frightened lest you should. "

"He had reason to be, " Godfrey rejoined grimly. "I'll have anothertry at it to-morrow. One thing we've got to take care of, and that isthat our friend of the burning eyes doesn't get a chance at itfirst. "

"Those shutters are pretty strong, " I pointed out. "And Parks is nofool. "

"Yes, " agreed Godfrey, "the shutters are pretty strong--they mightkeep him out for ten minutes--scarcely longer than that. As forParks, he wouldn't last ten seconds. You don't seem to understand theextraordinary character of this fellow. "

"During your period of exaltation last night, " I reminded him, "youreferred to him as the greatest criminal of modern times. "

"Well, " smiled Godfrey, "perhaps that _was_ a little exaggerated. Suppose we say one of the greatest--great enough, surely, to walk allaround us, if we aren't on guard. I think I would better drop a wordto Simmonds and get him to send down a couple of men to watch thehouse. With them outside, and Parks on the inside, it ought to befairly safe. "

"I should think so!" I said. "One would imagine you were gettingready to repel an army. Who is this fellow, anyway, Godfrey? You seemto be half afraid of him!"

"I'm wholly afraid of him, if he's who I think he is--but it's a mereguess as yet, Lester. Wait a day or two. I'll call up Simmonds. "

He went to the 'phone, while I sat down again and looked at thecabinet in a kind of stupefaction. What was the intrigue, of which itseemed to be the centre? Who was this man, that Godfrey shouldconsider him so formidable? Why should he have chosen Philip Vantinefor a victim?

Godfrey came back while I was still groping blindly amid this maze ofmystery. 

"It's all right, " he said. "Simmonds is sending two of his best mento watch the house. " He stood for a moment gazing down at thecabinet. "I'm coming back to-morrow to have another try at it, " headded. "I have left the gauntlet there on the chair, so if you feellike having a try yourself, Lester. . . . "

"Heaven forbid!" I protested. "But perhaps I would better tell Parksto let you in. I hope I won't find you a corpse here, Godfrey!"

"So do I! But I don't believe you will. Yes, tell Parks to let me inwhenever I come around. And now about Rogers. "

"What about him?"

"I rather thought I might want to grill him to-night. But perhaps Iwould better wait till I get a little more to go on. " He paused for amoment's thought. "Yes; I'll wait, " he said, finally. "I don't wantto run any risk of failing. "

We went out into the hall together, and I told Parks to admitGodfrey, whenever he wished to enter. Rogers was still sitting on thecot, looking so crushed and sorrowful that I could not help pityinghim. I began to think that, if he were left to himself a day or twolonger, he would tell all we wished to know without any grilling. 

I confided this idea to Godfrey as we went down the front steps. 

"Perhaps you're right, " he agreed. "I don't believe the fellow isreally crooked. Something has happened to him--something inconnection with that woman--and he has never got over it. Well, weshall have to find out what it was. Hello, here are Simmonds's men, "he added, as two policemen stopped before the house. 

"Is this Mr. Godfrey?" one of them asked. 

"Yes, " said Godfrey. 

"Mr. Simmonds told us to report to you, sir, if you were here. "

"What we want you to do, " said Godfrey, "is to watch the house--watchit from all sides--patrol clear around it, and see that no oneapproaches it. "

"Very well, sir, " and the men touched their helmets, and one of themwent around to the back of the house, while the other remained infront. 

"Perhaps if they concealed themselves, " I suggested, "the fellowmight venture back and be nabbed. "

But Godfrey shook his head. 

"I don't want him to venture back, " he said. "I want to scare himoff. I want him to see we're thoroughly on guard. " He hailed apassing cab, and paused with one foot on the step. "I've already toldyou, Lester, " he added, over his shoulder, "that I'm afraid of him. Perhaps you thought I was joking, but I wasn't. I was never moreserious in my life. The _Record_ office, " he added to the cabby, andjingled away, leaving me staring after him. 

As I turned homeward, I could not but ponder over this remarkable andmysterious being with whom Godfrey was so impressed. Never before hadI known him to hesitate to match himself with any adversary; but now, it seemed to me, he shunned the contest, or at least feared it--feared that he might be outwitted and outplayed! How great acompliment that was to the mysterious unknown only I could guess!

And then I shivered a little as I recalled that mocking and ironiclaughter. And I quickened my step, with a glance over my shoulder;for if Godfrey was afraid, how much more reason had I to be! It waswith a sense of relief, of which I was a little ashamed, that Ireached my apartment at the Marathon and locked the door. 

Just before I turned in for the night, I heard from Godfrey again, for my telephone rang, and it was his voice that answered. 

"I just wanted to tell you, Lester, " he said, "that your guess wasright. The mysterious Frenchman came over on _La Touraine_, landingat noon yesterday. He came in the steerage, and the stewards knownothing about him. What time was it he got to Vantine's?"

"About two, I should say. "

"So he probably went directly there from the boat, as you thought. That accounts for nobody knowing him. The steamship company isholding a bag belonging to him. I'll get them to open it to-morrow, and perhaps we shall find out who he was. "

"But, Godfrey, " I broke in, "how about this other fellow--the manwith the burning eyes? He's getting on my nerves!"

"Don't let him do that, Lester!" he laughed. "We're in no danger solong as we are not around that cabinet! That's the storm centre! Ican't tell you more than that. Good-night!" and he hung up withoutwaiting for me to answer. 

CHAPTER XIII

A DISTINGUISHED CALLER

It was shortly after I reached the office, next morning, that theoffice-boy came in and handed me a card with an awed and reverent airso at variance with his usual demeanour that I glanced at the squareof pasteboard in some astonishment. Then, I confess, an awed andreverent feeling crept over me, also, for the card bore the name ofSereno Hornblower. 

That name is quite unknown outside the legal profession of the threegreat cities of the east, New York, Boston and Philadelphia; forSereno Hornblower has never held a public office, has never made apublic speech, has never responded to a toast, has never served on apublic committee, has never, so far as I know, conducted a case incourt or addressed a jury--has never, in a word, figured in thenewspapers in any way; and yet his income would make that of anyother lawyer in the country look like thirty cents. 

For Sereno Hornblower is the confidential attorney of most of our"best families. " He has held that position for years, and it is saidthat no case placed unreservedly in his hands ever resulted in apublic scandal. He accepts clients with great care; he hassteadfastly refused the business of Pittsburgh millionaires, remunerative as it was certain to be; but he seems to take a sort ofpersonal pride in keeping intact the reputations of the old families, even when their scions embark in the most outrageous escapades. Ifyou are descended from the Pilgrims or the Patroons, Mr. Hornblowerwill ask no further recommendation. 

His reputation for tact and delicacy is tremendous; and yet those whohave found themselves opposed to him have never been long inrealising that there was a most redoubtable mailed fist under thevelvet glove. Altogether a remarkable man, whose memoirs would makeabsorbing reading, could he be persuaded to write them--which isquite beyond the bounds of possibility. I had never met him eitherprofessionally or personally, and it was with some eagerness that Itold the office-boy to show him in at once. 

Sereno Hornblower did not look the part. His reputation led one toexpect a sort of cross between Uriah Heep and Sherlock Holmes, butthere was nothing secretive or insinuating about his appearance. Hewas a bluff and hearty man of middle age, rather heavy-set, fresh-faced and clean-shaven, and with very bright blue eyes--evidentlya man with a good digestion and a comfortable conscience. Had I met himon Broadway, I should have taken him for a ripe and finishedcomedian. There was about him an air which somehow reminded me ofJoseph Jefferson--perhaps it was his bright blue eyes. It may havebeen this very appearance of bluff sincerity and honest downrightnesswhich accounted for his success. 

We shook hands, and he sat down and plunged at once, without aninstant's hesitation, into the business which had brought him. Looking back at it, understanding as I do now the delicate nature ofthat business, I admire more and more that bluff readiness; thoughthe more I think of it, the more I am convinced that he had thoughtout definitely beforehand precisely what he was going to say. The manwho can carry through a carefully premeditated scene with an air ofcomplete unpremeditation has an immense advantage. 

"Mr. Lester, " he began, "I understand that you are the administratorof the estate of the late Philip Vantine?"

"Our firm is, " I corrected. 

"But you, personally, have been attending to his business?"

"Yes. "

"He was a collector of old furniture, I believe?"

"Yes. "

"And on his last trip to Europe, from which he returned only a fewdays ago, he purchased of Armand & Son, of Paris, a Boule cabinet?"

I could not repress a start of astonishment. 

"Are you acting for Armand & Son?" I queried. 

"Not at all. I am acting for a lady whom, for the present, we willcall Madame X. "

The thought flashed through my mind that Madame X. And the mysteriousFrenchwoman might be one and the same person. Then I put aside theidea as absurd. Sereno Hornblower would never accept such a client. 

"Mr. Vantine did buy such a cabinet, " I said. 

"And it is in your possession?"

"There is at his residence a Boule cabinet which was shipped him fromParis, but, only a few hours before his death, Mr. Vantine assured methat it was not the one he had purchased. "

"You mean that a mistake had been made in the shipment?"

"That is what we supposed, and a cablegram from Armand & Son hassince confirmed it. "

Mr. Hornblower pondered this for a moment. 

"Where is the cabinet which Mr. Vantine did buy?" he asked at last. 

"I have no idea. Perhaps it is still in Paris. But I am expecting arepresentative of the Armands to call very soon to straighten thingsout. "

Again my companion fell silent, and sat rubbing his chin absently. 

"It is very strange, " he said, finally. "If the cabinet was still atParis, one would think it would have been discovered before my clientmade inquiry about it. "

"There are a good many things which are strange about this wholematter, " I supplemented. 

"Would you have any objection to my client seeing this cabinet, Mr. Lester?"

It was my turn to hesitate. 

"Mr. Hornblower, " I said, finally, "I will be frank with you. Thereis a certain mystery surrounding this cabinet which we have not beenable to solve. I suppose you have read of the mysterious deaths ofMr. Vantine and of an unknown Frenchman, both in the same room at theVantine house, and both apparently from the same cause?"

He nodded. 

"Do you mean that this cabinet is connected with them in any way?" heasked quickly. 

"We believe so; though as yet we have been able to prove absolutelynothing. But we are guarding the cabinet very closely. I should notobject to your client seeing it, but I could not permit her to touchit--not, at least, without knowing why she wished to do so. You willremember that you have told me nothing of why she is interested init. "

"I am quite ready to tell you the story, Mr. Lester, " he said. "It isonly fair that I should do so. After you have heard it, if you agree, we will take Madame X. To see the cabinet. "

"Very well, " I assented. 

He settled back in his chair, and his face became more grave. 

"My client, " he began, "is a member of a prominent American family--amost prominent family. Three years ago, she married a Frenchnobleman. You can, perhaps, guess her name, but I should prefer thatneither of us utter it. "

I nodded my agreement. 

"This nobleman has been both prodigal and unfaithful. He hasscattered my client's fortune with both hands. He has flaunted hismistresses in her face. He has even tried to compel her to receiveone of them. I am free to confess that I consider her a fool not tohave left him long ago. At last her trustees interfered, for herfather had been wise enough to place a portion of her fortune intrust. They paid her husband's debts, placed him on an allowance, andnotified his creditors that his debts would not be paid again. "

I had by this time, of course, guessed the name of his client, sincethese details had long been a matter of public notoriety, and, I needhardly say, listened to the story with a heightened interest. 

"The allowance is a princely one, " Mr. Hornblower continued, "but itdoes not suffice Monsieur X. No allowance would suffice him--the moremoney he had, the more ways he would find of spending it. So he hasbecome a thief. He has taken to selling the objects of art with whichhis residences are filled, and which are really the property of myclient, since they were purchased with her money. About two weeksago, my client returned to Paris from a stay at her château inNormandy to find that he had almost denuded the town house. Tapestries, pictures, sculptures--everything had been sold. Amongother things which he had taken was a Boule cabinet, which had beenused by my client as her private writing-desk. The cabinet was a mostvaluable one; but it is not its monetary value which makes my clientso anxious to recover it. "

He paused an instant and cleared his throat, and I realised that hewas coming to the really delicate part of the story. 

"Monsieur X. Had had the decency, " he went on, more slowly, "to, ashe thought, retain his wife's private papers. He had caused thecontents of the various drawers to be dumped out upon a chair. Butthere was one drawer of which he knew nothing--a secret drawer, knownonly to my client. That drawer contained a packet of letters which myclient is most anxious to regain. Of their nature, I will saynothing--indeed, I know very little about them, for, after all, thatis none of my business. But she has given me to understand that theirrecovery is essential to her peace of mind. "

I nodded again; there was really no need that he should say more. Only, I reflected, a faithless husband has no reason to complain ifhis wife repays him in the same coin!

"My client went to work at once to regain the cabinet, " continued Mr. Hornblower, plainly relieved that the thinnest ice had been crossed. "She found that it had been sold to Armand & Son. Hastening to theiroffices, she learned that it had been resold by them to Mr. Vantineand sent forward to him here. So she came over on the first boat, ostensibly to visit her family, but really to ask Mr. Vantine'spermission to open the drawer and take out the letters. His deathinterfered with this, and, in despair, she came to me. I need hardlyadd, that no member of her family knows anything about this matter, and it is especially important that her husband should never evensuspect it. On her behalf, I apply to you, as Mr. Vantine's executor, to restore these letters to their owner. "

I sat for a moment turning this extraordinary story over in my mind, and trying to make it fit in with the occurrences of the past twodays. But it would not fit--at least, it would not fit with my theoryas to the cause of those occurrences. For, surely, Madame X. Wouldscarcely guard the secret of that drawer with poison!

"Does any one besides your client know of the existence of theseletters?" I asked, at last. 

"I think not, " answered Mr. Hornblower, smiling drily. "They are notof a nature which my client would care to communicate to any one. Infact, Mr. Lester, as you have doubtless suspected, they arecompromising letters. We must get them back at any cost. "

"As a matter of fact, " I pointed out, "there are always at least twopeople who know of the existence of every letter--the person whowrites it and the person who receives it. "

"I had thought of that, but the person who wrote these letters isdead. "

"Dead?" I repeated. 

"He was killed in a duel some months ago, " explained Mr. Hornblower, gravely. 

"By Monsieur X. ?" I asked quickly. 

"By Monsieur X. , " said Mr. Hornblower, and sat regarding me, his lipspursed, as an indication, perhaps, that he would say no more. 

But there was no necessity that he should. I knew enough of Frenchlaw and of French habits of thought to realise that if those lettersever came into possession of Monsieur X. , the game would be entirelyin his hands. His wife would be absolutely at his mercy. And thethought flashed through my mind that perhaps in some way he hadlearned of the existence of the letters, and was trying desperatelyto get them. That thought was enough to swing the balance in hiswife's favour. 

"I am sure, " I said, "that Mr. Vantine would instantly have consentedto your client opening the drawer and taking out the letters. And, ashis executor, I also consent, for, whoever may own the cabinet, theletters are the property of Madame X. All this providing, of course, that this should prove to be the right cabinet. But I must warn you, Mr. Hornblower, that I believe two men have already been killedtrying to open that drawer, " and I told him, while he sat therestaring in profound amazement, of my theory in regard to the death ofPhilip Vantine and of the unknown Frenchman. "I am inclined tothink, " I concluded, "that Vantine blundered upon the drawer whileexamining the cabinet; but there is no doubt that the other man knewof the drawer, and also, presumably, of its contents. "

"Well!" exclaimed my companion. "I have listened to many astonishingstories in my life, but never one to equal this. And you know nothingof this Frenchman?"

"Nothing except that he came from Havre on _La Touraine_ lastThursday, and drove from the dock direct to Vantine's house. "

"My client also came on _La Touraine_--but that, no doubt, was a merecoincidence. "

"That may be, " I agreed, "but it is scarcely a coincidence that bothhe and your client were after the contents of that drawer. "

"You mean. . . . "

"I mean that the mysterious Frenchman may very possibly have been anemissary of Monsieur X. Madame may have betrayed the secret to him inan unguarded moment. "

Mr. Hornblower rose abruptly. He was evidently much disturbed. 

"You may be right, " he agreed. "I will communicate with my client atonce. I take it that she has your permission to see the cabinet; and, if it proves to be the right one, that she may open the drawer andremove the letters. "

"If she cares to take the risk, " I assented. 

"Very well; I will call you as soon as I have seen her, " he said. "Inany event, I thank you for your courtesy, " and he left the office. 

He must have driven straight to her family residence on the Avenue;or perhaps she was awaiting him at his office; at any rate, he calledme up inside the half hour. 

"My client would like to see the cabinet at once, " he said. "She isin a very nervous condition; especially since she learned that someone else has tried to open the drawer. When will it be convenient foryou to go with us?"

"I can go at once, " I said. 

"Then we will drive around for you. We should be there in fifteen ortwenty minutes. "

"Very well, " I said, "I'll be ready. I shall, of course, want to takea witness with me. "

"That is quite proper, " assented Mr. Hornblower. "We can have noobjection to that. In twenty minutes, then. "

I got the _Record_ office as soon as I could, but Godfrey was notthere. He did not come on usually, some one said, until the middle ofthe afternoon. I rang his rooms, but there was no reply. Finally Icalled up the Vantine house. 

"Parks, " I said, "I am bringing up some people to look at thatcabinet. It might be just as well to get that cot out of the way andhave all the lights going?"

"The lights are already going, sir, " he said. 

"Already going? What do you mean?"

"Mr. Godfrey has been here for quite a while, sir, fooling with thatcabinet thing. "

"He has!" and then I reflected that I ought to have guessed hiswhereabouts. "Tell him, Parks, that I am bringing some people up tosee the cabinet, and that I should like him to stay there and be awitness of the proceedings. "

"Very well, sir, " assented Parks. 

"Everything quiet?"

"Oh, yes, sir; there was two policemen outside all night, and Rogersand me inside. "

"Mr. Hornblower's carriage is below, sir, " announced the office-boy, opening the door. 

"All right, " I said. "We are coming right up, Parks. Good-bye, " and Ihung up and slipped into my coat. 

Then, as I took down my hat, a sudden thought struck me. 

If the unknown Frenchman was indeed an emissary of Monsieur X. , Madame might be acquainted with him. It was a long shot, but worthtrying! I stepped to my desk, took out the photograph which Godfreyhad given me, and slipped it into my pocket. Then I hurried out tothe elevator. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE VEILED LADY

There were three persons in the carriage. Mr. Hornblower sat with hisback to the horses, and two women were on the opposite seat. Bothwere dressed in black and heavily veiled, but there was about themthe indefinable distinction of mistress and maid. It would bedifficult to tell precisely in what the distinction consisted, but itwas there. Mr. Hornblower glanced behind me as I entered. 

"You spoke of a witness, " he said. 

"He is at the Vantine house, " I explained, and sat down beside him. 

"This is Mr. Lester, " he said, and the veiled lady opposite him, whomI had known at once to be the mistress, inclined her head a little. 

Those were the only words spoken. The carriage rolled out to Broadwayand then turned northward, making such progress as was possible alongthat crowded thoroughfare. I glanced from time to time at the womenopposite, and was struck by the contrast in their behaviour. One satquite still, her hands in her lap, her head bent, admirablyself-contained; the other was restless and uneasy, unable to controla nervous twitching of the fingers. I wondered why the maid shouldseem more upset than her mistress, and decided finally that heruneasiness was merely lack of breeding. But the contrast interestedme. 

At Tenth Street, the carriage turned westward again, skirtedWashington Square, turned into the Avenue, and stopped before theVantine house. Mr. Hornblower assisted the women to alight, and I ledthe way up the steps. But as we reached the top and came upon thefuneral wreath on the door, the veiled lady stopped with a littleexclamation. 

"I did not know, " she said, quickly. "Perhaps, after all, we wouldbetter wait. I did not realise. . . . "

"There are no relatives to be hurt, madame, " I interrupted. "As forthe dead man, what can it matter to him?" and I rang the bell. 

Parks opened the door, and, nodding to him, I led the way along thehall and into the ante-room. Godfrey was awaiting us there, and I sawthe flame of interest which leaped into his eyes, as Mr. Hornblowerand the two veiled women entered. 

"This is my witness, " I said to the former. "Mr. Godfrey--Mr. Hornblower. "

Godfrey bowed, and Hornblower regarded him with a good-humouredsmile. 

"If I were not sure of Mr. Godfrey's discretion, " he said, "I shouldobject. But I have tested it before this, and know that it can berelied upon. "

"There is only one person to whom I yield precedence in the matter ofdiscretion, " rejoined Godfrey, smiling back at him, "and that is Mr. Hornblower. He is in a class quite by himself. "

"Thank you, " said the lawyer, and bowed gravely. 

During this interchange of compliments, the woman I had decided wasthe maid had sat down, as though her legs were unable to sustain her, and was nervously clasping and unclasping her hands; even hermistress showed signs of impatience. 

"The cabinet is in here, " I said, and led the way into the innerroom, the two men and the veiled lady at my heels. 

It stood in the middle of the floor, just as it had stood since thenight of the tragedy, and all the lights were going. As I entered, Inoticed Godfrey's gauntlet lying on a chair. 

"Is it the right one, madame?" I asked. 

She gazed at it a moment, her hands pressed against her breast. 

"Yes!" she answered, with a gasp that was almost a sob. 

I confess I was astonished. I had never thought it could be the rightone; even now I did not see how it could possibly be the right one. 

"You are sure?" I queried incredulously. 

"Do you think I could be mistaken in such a matter, sir? I assure youthat this cabinet at one time belonged to me. You permit me?" sheadded, and took a step toward it. 

"One moment, madame, " I interposed. "I must warn you that in touchingthat cabinet you are running a great risk. "

"A great risk?" she echoed, looking at me. 

"A very great risk, as I have pointed out to Mr. Hornblower. I havereason to believe that two men met death while trying to open thatsecret drawer. "

"I believe Mr. Hornblower did tell me something of the sort, " shemurmured; "but of course that is all a mistake. "

"Then the drawer is not guarded by poison?" I questioned. 

"By poison?" she repeated blankly, and carried her handkerchief toher lips. "I do not understand. "

I knew that my theory was collapsing, utterly, hopelessly. I darednot look at Godfrey. 

"Is there not, connected with the drawer, " I asked, "a mechanismwhich, as the drawer is opened, plunges two poisoned fangs into thehand which opens it?"

"No, Mr. Lester, " she answered, astonishment in her voice, "I assureyou there is no such mechanism. "

I clutched at a last straw, and a sorry one it was!

"The mechanism may have been placed there since the cabinet passedfrom your possession, " I suggested. 

"That is, perhaps, possible, " she agreed, though I saw that she wasunconvinced. 

"At any rate, madame, " I said, "I would ask that, in opening thedrawer, you wear this gauntlet, " and I picked up Godfrey's gauntletfrom the chair on which it lay. "It is needless that you should takeany risk, however slight. Permit me, " and I slipped the gauntlet overher right hand. 

As I did so, I glanced at Godfrey. He was staring at the veiled ladywith such a look of stupefaction that I nearly choked with delight. It had not often been my luck to see Jim Godfrey mystified, but hewas certainly mystified now!

The veiled lady regarded the steel glove with a little laugh. 

"I am now free to open the drawer?" she asked. 

"Yes, madame. "

She moved toward the cabinet, Godfrey and I close behind her. At lastthe secret which had defied us was to be revealed. And with itsrevelation would come the end of the picturesque and romantic theorywe had been building up so laboriously. 

Instinctively, I glanced toward the shuttered window, but thesemi-circle of light was unobscured. 

The veiled lady bent above the table and disposed the fingers of herright hand to fit the metal inlay midway of the left side. 

"It is a little awkward, " she said. "I have always been accustomed tousing the left hand. You will notice that I am pressing on threepoints; but to open the drawer, one must press these points in acertain order--- first this one, then this one, and then this one. "

There was a sharp click, and, at the side of the table, a piece ofthe metal inlay fell forward. 

"That is the handle, " said the veiled lady, and, without an instant'shesitation, while my heart stood still, she grasped it and drew out ashallow drawer. "Ah!" and, casting aside the ridiculous gauntlet, shecaught up the packet of papers which lay within. Then, with aneffort, she controlled herself, slipped off the ribbon which held thepacket together, and spread out before my eyes ten or twelveenvelopes. "You will see that they are only letters, Mr. Lester, " shesaid in a low voice, "and I assure you that they belong to me. "

"I believe you, madame, " I said, and with a sigh of relief that wasalmost a sob, she rebound the packet and slipped it into the bosom ofher gown. "There is one thing, " I added, "which madame can, perhaps, do for me. "

"I shall be most happy!" she breathed. 

"As I have told Mr. Hornblower, " I continued, "two men died in thisroom the day before yesterday. Or, rather, it was in the room beyondthat they died; but we believed it was here they received the woundswhich caused death. It seems that we were wrong in this. "

"Undoubtedly, " she agreed. "There has never been any such weirdmechanism as you described connected with that drawer, Mr. Lester. Atleast, not since I have had it. There is a legend, you know, that thecabinet was made for Madame de Montespan. "

She was talking more freely now; evidently a great load had beenlifted from her--perhaps I did not guess how great!

"Mr. Vantine suspected as much, " I said. "He was a connoisseur offurniture, and there was something about this cabinet which told himit had belonged to the Montespan. He was examining it at the time hedied. What the other man was doing, we do not know, but if we couldidentify him, it might help us. "

"You have not identified him?"

"We know nothing whatever about him, except that he was presumably aFrenchman, and that he arrived on _La Touraine_, two days ago. "

"That is the boat upon which I came over. "

"It has occurred to me, madame, that you may have seen him--that hemay even be known to you. "

"What was his name?"

"The card he sent in to Mr. Vantine bore the name of Théophiled'Aurelle. "

She shook her head. 

"I have never before heard that name, Mr. Lester. "

"We believe it to have been an assumed name, " I said; "but perhapsyou will recognise this photograph, " and I drew it from my pocket andhanded it to her. 

She took it, looked at it, and again shook her head. Then she lookedat it again, turning aside and raising her veil in order to see itbetter. 

"There seems to be something familiar about the face, " she said, atlast, "as though I might have seen the man somewhere. "

"On the boat, perhaps, " I suggested, but I knew very well it was noton the boat, since the man had crossed in the steerage. 

"No; it was not on the boat. I did not leave my stateroom on theboat. But I am quite sure that I have seen him--and yet I can't saywhere. "

"Perhaps, " I said, in a low voice, "he may have been one of thefriends of your husband. "

I saw her hand tremble under the blow, but it had to be struck. Andshe was brave. 

"The same thought occurred to me, Mr. Lester, " she answered; "but Iknow very few of my husband's friends; certainly not this one. Andyet. . . . Perhaps my maid can help us. "

Photograph in hand, she stepped through the doorway into the outerroom. The maid was sitting on the chair where we had left her; herhands clenched tightly together in her lap, as though it was only bysome violent effort she could maintain her self-control. 

"Julie, " said the veiled lady, in rapid French, "I have here thephotograph of a man who was killed in this room most mysteriously afew days ago. These gentlemen wish to identify him. The face seems tome somehow familiar, but I cannot place it. Look at it. "

Julie put forth a shaking hand, took the photograph, and glanced atit; then, with a long sigh, slid limply to the floor, before eitherGodfrey or I could catch her. 

As she fell, her veil, catching on the chair-back, was torn away;and, looking down at her, a great emotion burst within me, for Irecognised the mysterious woman whose photograph d'Aurelle hadcarried in his watch-case. 

CHAPTER XV

THE SECRET OF THE UNKNOWN FRENCHMAN

For a moment, I stood spell-bound, staring down at that jaded andpassion-stained countenance; then Godfrey sprang forward and liftedthe unconscious woman to the couch. 

"Bring some water, " he said, and as he turned and looked at me, I sawthat his face was glowing with excitement. 

I rushed to the door and snatched it open. Rogers was standing in thehall outside, and I sent him hurrying for the water, and turned backinto the room. 

Godfrey was chafing the girl's hands, and the veiled lady was bendingover her, fumbling at the hooks of her bodice. Evidently she couldnot see them, for, with a sudden movement, she put back her veil. Myheart warmed to her at that act of sacrifice; and after a singleglance at her, I turned away my eyes. 

I saw Godfrey's start of recognition as he looked down at her; thenhe, too, looked aside. 

"Here's the water, sir, " said Rogers, and handed me glass andpitcher. 

The next instant, his eyes fell upon the woman on the couch. He stoodstaring, his face turning slowly purple; then, clutching at histhroat, he half-turned and fell, just as I had seen him do oncebefore. 

Hornblower, who was staring at the unconscious woman and mopping hisface feverishly, spun around at the crash. 

"Well, I'll be damned!" he said, in a hoarse voice, as he saw Rogersextended on the floor at his feet. "What's the matter with thishouse, anyway?"

So great was the tension on my nerves that I could scarcely restraina shout of laughter. I turned it into a shout for Parks; but hisface, when he appeared on the threshold, was too much for me, and Isank into a chair, laughing hysterically. 

"For God's sake!" Parks began. . . . 

"It's all right, " Godfrey broke in, sharply, "Rogers has had anotherfit. Get the ammonia!"

Parks staggered away, and Mr. Hornblower sat down weakly. 

"I don't see the joke!" he growled, glaring at me, his face crimson. 

"Get a grip of yourself, Lester, " said Godfrey, savagely, seized thepitcher from my hand, and hurried with it to madame. 

I _did_ get a grip of myself, and when Parks came back a moment laterwith the ammonia, was able to hold up Rogers's head, while Parksapplied the phial to his nostrils. 

"Give me a whiff of it, too, Parks, " I said, unsteadily, and in aninstant my eyes were streaming; but I had escaped hysteria. "Straighten Rogers out and let him lie there, " I gasped, and satdizzily down upon the floor. But I dared not look at Hornblower. Ifelt that another glance at his dazed countenance would send me offagain. 

Madame, meanwhile, had dashed some water into the face of theunconscious Julie--much to the detriment of her complexion!--watchedher a moment, then stood erect and lowered her veil. 

"She will soon be all right again, " she said; and, truly enough, atthe end of a few seconds, the girl opened her eyes and looked dazedlyabout her. Then a violent trembling seized her. 

"What is it, Julie?" asked her mistress, taking her hand. "You knewthis man?"

A hoarse sob was the only answer. 

"You must tell me, " went on madame, quietly but firmly. "Perhaps acrime has been committed. You must tell me everything. You may relyupon the discretion of these gentlemen. You knew this man?"

The girl nodded, and closed her eyes; but the hot tears brimmed fromthem and ran down over her cheeks. 

"In Paris?"

The girl nodded again. 

"He was your lover?"

A third nod, and a fresh flood of tears. 

"I remember, now, " said madame, suddenly. "I saw him with her once. What was he doing in this house?" she went on, more sternly. "Tellus!"

"Madame will never forgive me!" sobbed the girl, and I began to thinkthat she was more concerned for herself than for her lover. The samethought occurred to her mistress too, no doubt, for her voicehardened. 

"Try me, " she said. "Understand well, you must tell--if not here, then before an officer of the police. "

"Oh, no, no!" screamed Julie, sitting suddenly erect. "Never that! Icould not bear that! Madame would not be so cruel!"

"Then tell us now!" said the veiled lady, inexorably. 

"Very well, madame!" cried the girl, dabbing at her eyes with herhandkerchief, and speaking in a mixture of French and English which Ishall not attempt to transcribe. "I will tell; I will telleverything. After all, I was not to blame. It was that creature. Idid not love him--but I feared him. He possessed a power over me. Hecould make me do anything. He even beat me! And still I went back tohim!"

"What was his name?" asked the veiled lady. 

"Georges Drouet--he lived in the Rue de la Huchette, just off the RueSaint Jacques--on the top floor, under the gutters. He was bad--bad;--he lived off women. I met him six months ago. He knew how tofascinate one; I thought he loved me. Then he began to borrow moneyfrom me, until he had taken all that I had saved; then my rings--every one!" She held up her hands to show their bareness. "Then. . . . "

She stopped and glanced at her mistress. 

"Continue!" said the latter. "Tell what you have to tell. "

"I knew that madame also. . . . "

She stopped again. I walked over to the window and stood staring atthe wooden shutter, strangely moved. 

"Well, why not?" she demanded fiercely, and I felt that she wasaddressing my turned back. "Why not? Shall a woman not be loved?Shall a woman endure what madame endured. . . . "

"That will do, Julie, " broke in the veiled lady, her voice cold asice. "Tell your story. "

"I knew of the secret drawer; I had seen madame open it; I knew whatit contained. But I was faithful to madame; I loved her; I was gladthat she had found some one. . . . Madame will remember her despair, herhorror, when she entered her room to find the cabinet gone, takenaway, sold by that. . . . I, too, was in despair--I desired with mywhole soul to help madame. That night I had a rendezvous with him, "and she nodded toward the photograph which lay upon the floor. "Itold him. "

Her mistress stood as though turned to stone. I could guess heranguish and humiliation. 

"He questioned me--he learned everything--the drawer, how it wasopened--all. But I did not suspect what was in his mind--not for aninstant did I suspect. But on the boat I saw him, and then I knew. Well, he has got what he deserved!"

She shivered and pressed her hands against her eyes. 

"I think that is all, madame, " she added, hoarsely. 

"It is all of that story, " said Godfrey, in a crisp voice; "but thereis another. "

"Another?" echoed the veiled lady, looking at him. 

"Ask her, madame, for what purpose she called at this house, nightbefore last, and saw Philip Vantine in this room. "

"I did not!" shrieked the girl, her face ablaze. "It is a lie!"

"She does not need to tell!" went on Godfrey inexorably. "Any foolcould guess. She came for the letters! She had resolved herself toblackmail you, madame!"

"It is a lie!" shrieked the girl again. "I came hoping to save her--to. . . . "

A storm of angry sobbing choked her. 

I could see how the veiled lady was trembling. I placed a chair forher, and she sank into it with a murmur of thanks. 

"Besides, we have a witness to her visit, " added Godfrey. "Shall Icall the police, madame?"

"No, no!" and the girl sat upright again, her face ghastly. "I willtell. I will tell all. Give me but a moment!"

She sat there, struggling for self-control, her streaked andgrotesque countenance contorted with emotion. Then I saw her eyeswiden, and, glancing around, I saw that Rogers had dragged himself toa sitting posture, and was staring at her, his face livid. 

The sight of him seemed to madden her. 

"It was you!" she shrieked, and shook her clenched fist at him. "Itwas you who told! Coward! Coward!"

But Godfrey, his face very grim, laid a heavy hand upon her arm. 

"Be still!" he cried. "He told us nothing! He tried to shield you--though why he should wish to do so. . . . "

Rogers broke in with a hollow and ghastly laugh. 

"It was natural enough, sir, " he said hoarsely. "She's my wife!"

CHAPTER XVI

PHILIP VANTINE'S CALLER

It was a sordid story that Rogers gasped out to us; and, as itconcerns this tale only incidentally, I shall pass over it as brieflyas may be. 

Eight or ten years before, the fair Julie--at least, she was fairerthen than now!--had come to New York to enter the employ of a familywhose mistress had decided that life without a French maid wasunendurable. Rogers had met her, had been fascinated by her blackeyes and red lips, had, in the end, proposed honourable marriage--quite unnecessarily, no doubt!--had been accepted, and for somemonths had led an eventful existence as the husband of the siren. Then, one morning, he awakened to find her gone. 

He had, of course, entrusted his savings to her--that had been onecondition of the marriage!--and the savings were gone, also. Julie, it seems, had been overcome with longing for the Paris asphalt; nodoubt, too, she had found herself ennuied by the lack of romance inmarried life with Rogers; and she had flown back to France. Rogershad thought of following; but, appalled at the difficulty of findingher in Paris, not knowing what he should do if he did find her, hehad finally given it up, and had settled gloomily down to live uponhis memories. Some sort of affection for her had kept alive withinhim, and when he opened the door of Vantine's house and found herstanding on the steps, he was as wax in her hands. 

Julie had listened to all this indifferently, even disdainfully, without denying anything, nor seeking to excuse herself. Perhaps theidea that she needed excuse did not occur to her. And when the storywas finished, she was quite herself again; even a little proud, Ithink, of holding the centre of the stage in the rôle of siren. Itwas almost a rejuvenescence, and there was gratitude in the gaze sheturned on Rogers. 

"This is all true, I suppose?" asked the veiled lady. 

"All quite true, madame, " answered Julie, with a shrug. "I wasyounger then and the love of excitement was too strong for me. I amolder now, and have more sense--besides, I am no longer sought afteras I was. "

"And so, " said madame, with irony, "you are now, no doubt, willing toreturn to your husband. "

"I have been considering it, madame, " replied Julie, with astoundingsimplicity, "ever since I saw him here the other evening, and learnedthat he still cared for me. One must have a harbour in one's oldage. "

I glanced at Rogers and was astonished to see that he was regardingthe woman with affectionate admiration. Evidently the harbour waswaiting, should Julie choose to anchor there. 

"I have hesitated, " she added, "only because of madame. Where wouldmadame get another maid such as I? No one but I can arrange her hair--no one but I can prepare her bath. . . . "

"We will discuss it, " said the veiled lady, "when we are alone. Andnow, perhaps, you will be so good as to tell us of your previousvisit here. "

"Very well, madame, " and Julie settled into a more comfortableposture. "It was one day on the boat as I was looking down at thepassengers of the third class that I perceived Georges--M. Drouet--strolling about. I was _bouleversée_--what you call upset withamazement, and then he looked up and our eyes met, and he camebeneath me and commanded that I meet him that evening. It was thenthat I learned his plan. It was to secure those letters for himselfand to dispose of them. "

"To whom?" asked Godfrey. 

"To the person that would pay the greatest price for them, mostcertainly, " answered Julie, surprised that it should have beenthought necessary to ask such a question. "They were to be offeredfirst to madame at ten thousand francs each; should she refuse, theywere then to be offered to M. Le Duc--he would surely desire topossess them!"

The veiled lady shivered a little, and her hand instinctively soughther bosom to assure herself that the precious packet was safe. 

"That night, " continued Julie, "in my cabin, I tossed and tossed, trying to discover a way to prevent this; for I had seen long sincethat M. Drouet no longer cared for me--I knew that it was upon someother woman that money would be spent. I decided that, at the firstmoment, I would hasten to this house; I would explain the matter toM. Vantine, I would persuade him to restore to me the letters, withwhich I would fly to madame. I knew, also, that I could rely upon hergratitude, " added the girl. "After all, one must provide foroneself. "

She paused and glanced around the room, smiling at the interest inour faces. 

"You have at least one virtue--that of frankness, " said the veiledlady. "Continue. "

"It was not until evening that I found an opportunity to leavemadame, " Julie went on. "I hastened here; I rang the bell; but Iconfess I should have failed, I should not have secured an entrance, if it had not been that it was my husband who opened the door to me. Even after I was inside the door, he refused to permit me to see hismaster; but as we were debating together, M. Vantine himself cameinto the hall, and I ran to him and begged that he hear me. It wasthen that he invited me to enter this room. "

She paused again, and a little shiver of expectancy ran through me. At last we were to learn how Philip Vantine had met his death!

"I sat down, " continued Julie. "I told him the story from the verybeginning. He listened with much interest; but when I proposed thathe should restore to me the letters, he hesitated. He walked up anddown the room, trying to decide; then he took me through that doorinto the room beyond. The cabinet was standing in the centre of thefloor, and all the lights were blazing. 

"'Is that the cabinet?' he asked me, and when I said that mostassuredly it was, he seemed surprised. 

"'It is an easy thing to prove, ' I said, and I went to the cabinetand pressed on the three springs, as I had seen madame do. The littlehandle at the side fell out, but suddenly he stopped me. 

"'Yes, it is the cabinet, ' he said. 'I see that. And no doubt thedrawer contains the letters, as you say. But those letters do notbelong to you. They belong to your mistress. I cannot permit that youtake them away, for, after all, I do not know you. You may intend tomake some bad use of them. '

"I protested that such a suspicion was most unjust, that my characterwas of the best, that I was devoted to my mistress and desired toprotect her. He listened, but he was not convinced. In the end, hebrought me back into this room. I could have cried with rage!

"'Return to your mistress, ' he said, 'and inform her that I shall bemost happy to return the letters to her. But it must be in her ownhands that I place them. The letters are here, whenever it pleasesher to claim them. "

"I saw that it was of no use to argue further; he was of adamant. SoI left the house, he himself opening the door for me. And that is allthat I know, madame. "

There was a moment's silence; then I heard Godfrey draw a deepbreath. I could see that, like myself, he was convinced that the girlwas telling the truth. 

"Of course, " he suggested gently, "as soon as you reached home yourelated to your mistress what had occurred?"

Julie grew a little crimson. 

"No, monsieur, " she said, "I told her nothing. "

"I should have thought you would have wished to prove your devotion, "went on Godfrey, in his sweetest tone. 

"I feared that, without the letters, she would misunderstand mymotives, " said Julie, sullenly. 

"And then, of course, without the letters, there would be no reward, "Godfrey supplemented. 

Julie did not reply, but she looked very uncomfortable. 

The veiled lady rose. 

"Have you any further questions to ask her?" she said. 

"No, madame, " said Godfrey. "The story is complete. "

Julie resumed her veil, shooting at Godfrey a glance anything butfriendly. The veiled lady turned to me and held out her hand. 

"I thank you, Mr. Lester, for your kindness, " she said. "Come, Julie, " and she moved toward the door, which Rogers hastened to open. 

Mr. Hornblower nodded and passed out after them, and Godfrey and Iwere left alone together. 

We both sat down, and for a moment neither of us spoke. 

"Well!" said Godfrey, at last. "Well! what a story it would make! AndI can't use it! It's a bitter reflection, Lester!"

"It would certainly shake the pillars of society, " I agreed. "I'mrather shaken myself. "

"So am I! I was all at sea for a while--I was dumb with astonishmentwhen I heard you and the veiled lady talking about the secret drawer--I could see you laughing at me! I don't know the whole story yet. How did she happen to come to you?"

I told him of Hornblower's visit, of the story he told me, and of thearrangement we had made. Godfrey nodded thoughtfully when I hadfinished. 

"The story is straight, of course, " he said. "Hornblower would not beengaged in anything tricky. Besides, I recognised the lady. I supposeyou did, too. "

"Yes, I have seen pictures of her. And I admired her for putting backher veil. "

"So did I. She has changed since the day of her wedding, Lester--shewas a smooth-faced girl, then! Three years of life with her duke haveleft their mark on her!"

He fell silent, staring thoughtfully at the carpet. Then he shookhimself. 

"And the maid's story was most interesting, " he added. "Nevertheless, there are still a number of things which are not quite clear to me. "

"There is one thing I don't understand, myself, " I said. "I hadn'tany idea this was the right cabinet. I didn't see how it could be. "

"That's it, exactly. How did it happen, when the veiled lady went toArmand & Son in Paris, that she was directed to Philip Vantine?According to his own story, he did not purchase this cabinet; he hadnever seen it before; it was presumably shipped him by mistake;Armand & Son cable you that it was a mistake; and yet they citeVantine as the purchaser. There is something twisted somewhere, Lester; just where I'll try to find out. "

"Which reminds me that Armand's representative hasn't been aroundyet. No doubt he can straighten the matter out. "

"It won't do any harm to hear his story, anyway, " Godfrey agreed. "Now let's have a look at that drawer. "

It was standing open as we had left it, and Godfrey pushed it backinto place, called my attention to the cunning way in which itsoutline was concealed by the inlay about it. Then he worked thespring, the handle fell into place, and he drew the drawer out again, as far as it would come, and examined it carefully. 

"The fellow who devised that was a genius, " he said, admiringly, pushing it back into place. "I wonder what its contents have beenfrom the days of Madame de Montespan down to the present? Loveletters, mostly, I suppose, since they are the things which needconcealment most. Don't you wish this drawer could tell its secrets, Lester?"

"There is one I wish it would tell, if it knows it, " I said. "I wishit would tell who killed Philip Vantine. I suppose you will agreewith me that our pretty theory has got a knock-out blow, this time. "

"It looks that way, doesn't it?"

"There is no poisoned mechanism about that drawer--that's sure, " Iadded. 

"No, and never has been, " Godfrey agreed. 

"And that leaves us all at sea, doesn't it? It leaves the wholeaffair more mysterious than ever. I can't understand it, " and I satdown in my bewilderment and rubbed my head. I really felt for aninstant as though I had gone mentally blind. "There is one thingsure, " I added. "The killing, whatever its cause, was done out therein the ante-room, not in here. "

"What makes you think that?"

"We believe that Drouet came here to get Vantine's permission to openthis drawer and get the letters, no doubt representing himself as theagent of their owner. "

"I think it's a pretty good guess, " said Godfrey, pensively. 

"Our theory was that, after being shown into the ante-room, hediscovered the cabinet, tried to open the drawer, and was killed inthe attempt. But it is evident enough now that there is nothing aboutthat drawer to hurt any one. "

"Yes, that's evident, I think, " Godfrey agreed. 

"If he had opened the drawer, then, he would have taken the letters, since there was nothing to prevent him. Since they were not taken, itfollows, doesn't it, that he was killed before he had a chance at thedrawer? Perhaps he never saw the cabinet. He must have been killedout there in the ante-room, a few minutes after Parks left. "

"And how about Vantine?" Godfrey asked. 

"I don't know, " I said, helplessly. "He didn't want the letters--ifhe opened the drawer at all, it was merely out of curiosity to seehow it worked. Only, of course, the same agency that killed Drouet, killed him. Yes--and now that I think of it, it's certain he didn'topen the drawer, either. "

"How do you know it's certain?"

"If he had opened the drawer, " I pointed out, "and been killed in theact of opening it, it would have been found open. I had thought thatperhaps it closed of itself, but you see that it does not. You haveto push it shut, and then snap the handle up into place. "

"That's true, " Godfrey assented, "and it sounds pretty conclusive. Ifit is true of Vantine, it is also true of Drouet. The inference is, then, that neither of them opened the drawer. Well, what follows?"

"I don't know, " I said helplessly. "Nothing seems to follow. "

"There is an alternative, " Godfrey suggested. 

"What is it?" I demanded. 

"The hand that killed Drouet and Vantine may also have closed thedrawer, " said Godfrey, and looked at me. 

"And left the letters in it?" I questioned. "Surely not!"

He glanced at the shuttered window, and I understood to whom hethought that hand belonged. 

"Besides, " I protested, "how would he get in? How would he get away?What was he after, if he left the letters behind?" Then I rosewearily. "I must be getting back to the office, " I said. "This isSaturday, and we close at two. Are you coming?"

"No, " he answered; "if you don't mind, I'll sit here a while longerand think things over, Lester. Perhaps I'll blunder on to the truthyet!"

CHAPTER XVII

ENTER M. ARMAND

I got back to the office to find that M. Félix Armand, of Armand etFils, had called, and, finding me out, had left his card with thepencilled memorandum that he would call again Monday morning. Therewas another caller, who had awaited my return--a tall, angular man, with a long moustache, who introduced himself as Simon W. Morgan, ofOsage City, Iowa. 

"Poor Philip Vantine's nearest living relative, sir, " he added. "Icame as soon as possible. "

"It was very good of you, " I said. "The funeral will be at teno'clock to-morrow morning, from the house. "

"You had a telegram from me?"

"Yes, " I answered. 

He hitched about in his chair uneasily for a moment. I knew what hewanted to say, but saw no reason to help him. 

"He left a will, I suppose?" he asked, at last. 

"Oh, yes; we have arranged to probate it Monday. You can examine itthen, if you wish. "

"Have you examined it?"

"I am familiar with its provisions. It was drawn here in the office. "

He was pulling furiously at his moustache. 

"Cousin Philip was a very wealthy man, I understand, " he managed tosay. 

"Comparatively wealthy. He had securities worth about a million and aquarter, besides a number of pieces of real property--and, of course, the house he lived in. He owned a very valuable collection of artobjects--pictures, furniture, tapestries, and such things; but whatthey are worth will probably never be known. "

"Why not?" he asked. 

"Because he left them all to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Outsideof a few legacies to old servants, he left his whole fortune to thesame institution. "

I put it rather brutally, no doubt, but I was anxious to end theinterview. 

Mr. Morgan's face grew very red. 

"He did!" he ejaculated. "Ha--well, I have heard he was rathercrazy. "

"He was as sane as any man I ever knew, " I retorted drily. And then Iremembered the doubts which had assailed me that last day, whenVantine was fingering the Boule cabinet. But I kept those doubts tomyself. 

"Ha--we'll have to see about that!" said my visitor, threateningly. 

"By all means, Mr. Morgan, " I assented heartily. "If you have anydoubt about it, you should certainly look into it. And now, if youwill pardon me, I have many things to do, and we close early to-day. "

He got to his feet and went slowly out; and that was the last I eversaw of him. I suppose he consulted an attorney, learned the hopelessnature of his case, and took the first train back to Osage City. Hedid not even wait for the funeral. 

Few people, indeed, put themselves out for it. There was a sprinklingof old family friends, representatives of the museum and of variouscharities in which Vantine had been interested, a few friends of hisown, and that was all. He had dropped out of the world with scarcelya ripple; of all who had known him, I dare say Parks felt hisdeparture most. For Vantine had been, in a sense, a solitary man; notmany men nodded oftener during a walk up the Avenue, and yet not manydined oftener alone; for there was about him a certain self-detachmentwhich discouraged intimacy. He was a man, like many another, withacquaintances in every country on the globe, and friends in none. 

All this I thought over a little sadly, as I sat at home that night;and not without some self-questioning as to my own place in theworld. Most of us, I think, are a little saddened when we realise ourunimportance; most of us, no doubt, would be a little shocked couldwe return a day or two after our death and see how merrily the worldwags on! I would be missed, I knew, scarcely more than Vantine. Itwas not a pleasant thought, for it seemed to argue some deficiency inmyself. 

Then, too, the mystery of Vantine's death had a depressing effectupon me. So long as there seemed some theory to build on, so long asthere was a ray of light ahead, I had hoped that the tragedy would beexplained and expiated; but now my theory had crumbled to pieces; Iwas left in utter darkness, from which there seemed no way out. Neverbefore, in the face of any mystery, had I felt so blind and helpless, and the feeling took such a grip upon me that it kept me awake for along time after I got to bed. It seemed, in some mysterious way, thatI was contending with a power greater than myself, a powerthreatening and awful, which could crush me with a turn of the wrist. 

Vantine's will was probated next morning. He had directed that hiscollection of art objects be removed to the museum, and that thehouse and such portion of its contents as the museum did not care forbe sold for the museum's benefit. I had already notified Sir CasparPurdon Clarke of the terms of the will, and the museum's attorney waspresent when it was read. He stated that he had been requested to askme to remain in charge of things for a week or two, untilarrangements for the removal could be made. It would also benecessary to make an inventory of Vantine's collection, and theassistant director of the museum was to get this under way at once. 

I acquiesced in all these arrangements, but I was feeling decidedlyblue when I started back to the office. Vantine's collection hadalways seemed to me somehow a part of himself; more especially a partof the house in which it had been assembled. It would lose much ofits beauty and significance ticketed and arranged stiffly along thewalls of the museum, and the thought came to me that it would be asplendid thing for New York if this old house and its contents couldbe kept intact as an object lesson to the nervous and hurryingyounger generation of the easier and more finished manner of life ofthe older one; something after the fashion that the beautiful oldPlantin-Moretus mansion at Antwerp is a rebuke to those present-daypublishers who reckon literature a commodity, along with soap andcheese. 

That, of course, it would be impossible to do; the last barrier tothe commercial invasion of the Avenue would be removed; that heroicrear-guard of the old order of things would be destroyed; in a yearor two, a monster of steel and stone would rise on the spot wherethree generations of Vantines had lived their lives; and thecollection, so unified and coherent, to which the last Vantine haddevoted his life, would be merged and lost in the vast collections ofthe museum. It was a sad ending. 

"Gentleman to see you, sir, " said the office-boy, as I sat down at mydesk, and a moment later, M. Félix Armand was shown in to me. 

I have only to close my eyes to call again before me that strikingpersonality, for Felix Armand was one of the most extraordinary men Iever had the pleasure of meeting. Ruddy-faced, bright-eyed, with darkfull beard and waving hair almost jet black--hair that crinkled abouthis ears in a way that I can describe by no other word thanfascinating--he gave the impression of tremendous strength andvirility. There was about him, too, an air of culture not to bemistaken; the air of a man who had travelled much, seen much, andmixed with many people, high and low; the air of a man at homeanywhere, in any society. It is impossible for me, by mere words, toconvey any adequate idea of his vivid personality; but I confessthat, from the first moment, I was both impressed and charmed by him. And I am still impressed; more, perhaps, than at first, now that Iknow the whole story--but you shall hear. 

"I speak English very badly, sir, " he said, as he sat down. "If youspeak French. . . . "

"Not half so well as you speak English, " I laughed. "I can tell thatfrom your first sentence. "

"In that event, I will do the best that I can, " he said, smiling, "and you must pardon my blunders. First, Mr. Lester, on behalf ofArmand et Fils, I must ask your pardon for this mistake, soinexcusable. "

"It _was_ a mistake, then?" I asked. 

"One most embarrassing to us. We can not find for it an explanation. Believe me, Mr. Lester, it is not our habit to make mistakes; we havea reputation of which we are very proud; but the cabinet which waspurchased by Mr. Vantine remained in our warehouse, and this otherone was boxed and shipped to him. We are investigating most rigidly. "

"Then Mr. Vantine's cabinet is still in Paris?"

"No, Mr. Lester; the error was discovered some days ago and thecabinet belonging to Mr. Vantine was shipped to me here. It shouldarrive next Wednesday on _La Provence_. I shall myself receive it, and deliver it to Mr. Vantine. "

"Mr. Vantine is dead, " I said. "You did not know?"

He sat staring at me for a moment, as though unable to comprehend. 

"Did I understand that you said Mr. Vantine is dead?" he stammered. 

I told him briefly as much as I knew of the tragedy, while he satregarding me with an air of stupefaction. 

"It is curious you saw nothing of it in the papers, " I added. "Theywere full of it. "

"I have been visiting friends at Quebec, " he explained, "It was therethat the message from our house found me, commanding me to hastenhere. I started at once, and reached this city Saturday. I drove heredirectly from the station, but was so unfortunate as to miss you. "

"I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble, " I said. 

"But, my dear Mr. Lester, " he protested, "it is for us to taketrouble. A blunder of this sort we feel as a disgrace. My father, whois of the old school, is most upset concerning it. But this death ofMr. Vantine--it is a great blow to me. I have met him many times. Hewas a real connoisseur--we have lost one of our most valued patrons. You say that he was found dead in a room at his house?"

"Yes, and death resulted from a small wound on the hand, into whichsome very powerful poison had been injected. "

"That is most curious. In what manner was such a wound made?"

"That we don't know. I had a theory. . . . "

"Yes?" he questioned, his eyes gleaming with interest. 

"A few hours previously, another man had been found in the same room, killed in the same way. "

"Another man?"

"A stranger who had called to see Mr. Vantine. My theory was thatboth this stranger and Mr. Vantine had been killed while trying toopen a secret drawer in the Boule cabinet. Do you know anything ofthe history of that cabinet, Monsieur Armand?"

"We believe it to have been made for Madame de Montespan by MonsieurBoule himself, " he answered. "It is the original of one now in theLouvre which is known to have belonged to the Grand Louis. "

"That was Mr. Vantine's belief, " I said. "Why he should have arrivedat that conclusion, I don't know--"

"Mr. Vantine was a connoisseur, " said M. Armand, quietly. "There arecertain indications which no connoisseur could mistake. "

"It was his guess at the history of the cabinet, " I explained, "whichgave me the basis for my theory. A cabinet belonging to Madame deMontespan would, of course, have a secret drawer; and, since it wasmade in the days of de Brinvilliers and La Voisin, what more naturalthan that it should be guarded by a poisoned mechanism?"

"What more natural, indeed!" breathed my companion, and I fanciedthat he looked at me with a new interest in his eyes. "It is goodreasoning, Mr. Lester. "

"It seemed to explain a situation for which no other explanation hasbeen found, " I said. "And it had also the merit of picturesqueness. "

"It is unique, " he agreed eagerly, his eyes burning like two coals offire, so intense was his interest. "I have been from boyhood, " headded, noticing my glance, "a lover of tales of mystery. They havefor me a fascination I cannot explain; there is in my blood somethingthat responds to them. I feel sometimes that I would have made agreat detective--or a great criminal. Instead of which, I am merely adealer in curios. You can understand how I am fascinated by a storyso outré as this. "

"Perhaps you can assist us, " I suggested, "for that theory of minehas been completely disproved. "

"Disproved? In what way?" he demanded. 

"The secret drawer has been found. . . . "

"_Comment?_" he cried, his voice sharp with surprise. "Found? Thesecret drawer has been found?"

"Yes, and there was no poisoned mechanism guarding it. "

He breathed deeply for an instant; then he pulled himself togetherwith a little laugh. 

"Really, " he said, "I must not indulge myself in this way. It is akind of intoxication. But you say that the drawer was found and thatthere was no poison? Was the drawer empty?"

"No, there was a packet of letters in it. "

"Delicious! Love letters, of a certainty! _Billets-doux_ from thegreat Louis to the Montespan, perhaps?"

"No, unfortunately they were of a much more recent date. They havebeen restored to their owner. I hope that you agree with me that thatwas the right thing to do?"

He sat for a moment regarding me narrowly, and I had an uneasyfeeling that, since he undoubtedly knew of whom the cabinet had beenpurchased, he was reconstructing the story more completely than Iwould have wished him to do. 

"Since the letters have been returned, " he said, at last, a littledrily, "it is useless to discuss the matter. But no doubt I shouldapprove if all the circumstances were known to me. Especially if itwas to assist a lady. "

"It was, " I said, and I saw from his face that he understood. 

"Then you did well, " he said. "Has no other explanation been foundfor the death of Mr. Vantine and of this stranger?"

"I think not. The coroner will hold his inquest to-morrow. He hasdeferred it in the hope that some new evidence would be discovered. "

"And none has been discovered?"

"I have heard of none. "

"You do not even know who this stranger was?"

"Oh, yes, we have discovered that. He was a worthless fellow namedDrouet. "

"A Frenchman?"

"Yes, living in an attic in the Rue de la Huchette, at Paris. "

M. Armand had been gazing at me intently, but now his look relaxed, and I fancied that he drew a deep breath as a man might do whenrelieved of a burden. At the back of my brain a vague and shadowysuspicion began to form--a suspicion that perhaps M. Armand knew moreof this affair than he had as yet acknowledged. 

"You did not, by any chance, know him?" I asked carelessly. 

"No, I think not. But there is one thing I do not understand, Mr. Lester, and you will pardon me if I am indiscreet. But I do notunderstand what this Drouet, as you call him, was doing in the houseof Mr. Vantine. "

"He was trying to get possession of the letters, " I said. 

"Oh, so it was that!" and my companion nodded. "And in trying to getthose letters, he was killed?"

"Yes, but what none of us understands, M. Armand, is how he waskilled. Who or what killed him? How was that poison administered? Canyou suggest an explanation?"

He sat for a moment staring thoughtfully out of the window. 

"It is a nice problem, " he said, "a most interesting one. I willthink it over, Mr. Lester. Perhaps I may be able to make asuggestion. I do not know. But, in any event, I shall see you againWednesday. If it is agreeable to you, we can meet at the house of Mr. Vantine and exchange the cabinets. "

"At what time?"

"I do not know with exactness. There may be some delay in getting thecabinet from the ship. Perhaps it would be better if I called foryou?"

"Very well, " I assented. 

"Permit me to express again my apologies that such a mistake shouldhave been made by us. Really, we are most careful; but even wesometimes suffer from careless servants. It desolates me to thinkthat I cannot offer these apologies to Mr. Vantine in person. TillWednesday, then, Mr. Lester. "

"Till Wednesday, " I echoed, and watched his erect and perfectly-garbedfigure until it vanished through the doorway. A fascinatingman, I told myself as I turned back to my desk, and one whom Ishould like to know more intimately; a man with a hobby for themysteries of crime, with which I could fully sympathise; and I smiledas I thought of the burning interest with which he had listened tothe story of the double tragedy. How naïvely he had confessed histhought that he would have made a great detective--or a greatcriminal; and here he was only a dealer in curios. Well, I had hadthe same thought, more than once--and here was I, merely anot-too-successful lawyer. Decidedly, M. Armand and myself had muchin common!

CHAPTER XVIII

I PART WITH THE BOULE CABINET

The coroner's inquest was held next day, and my surmise proved to becorrect. The police had discovered practically no new evidence; none, certainly, which shed any light on the way in which Drouet and PhilipVantine had met death. Each of the witnesses told his story much as Ihave told it here, and it was evident that the jury was bewildered bythe seemingly inextricable tangle of circumstances. 

To my relief, Drouet's identity was established without any help fromme. The bag which he had left on the pier had been opened at therequest of the police and a card-case found with his address on it. Why he had sent in to Vantine a card not his own, and what hisbusiness with Vantine had been, were details concerning which thepolice could offer no theory, and which I did not feel called upon toexplain, since neither in any way made clearer the mystery of hisdeath. 

An amusing incident of the inquest was the attempt made byGoldberger to heckle Godfrey, evidently at Grady's suggestion. 

"On the morning after the tragedy, " Goldberger began sweetly, "youprinted in the _Record_ a photograph which you claimed to be that ofthe woman who had called upon Mr. Vantine the night before, and whowas, presumably, the last person to see him alive. Where did you getthat photograph?"

"It was a copy of one which Drouet carried in his watch-case, "answered Godfrey. 

"Since then, " pursued Goldberger, "you have made no further referenceto that feature of the case. I presume you found out that you weremistaken?"

"On the contrary, I proved that I was correct. "

Goldberger's face reddened, and his look was not pleasant. 

"'Prove' is rather a strong word, isn't it?" he asked. 

"It is the right word. "

"What was the woman's connection with the man Drouet?"

"She had been his mistress. "

"You say that very confidently, " said Goldberger, his lips curling. "After all, it is merely a guess, isn't it?"

"I have reason to say it confidently, " retorted Godfrey quietly, "since the woman confessed as much in my presence. "

Again Goldberger reddened. 

"I suppose she also confessed that it was really she who called uponMr. Vantine?" he sneered. 

"She not only confessed that, " said Godfrey, still more quietly, "butshe told in detail what occurred during that visit. "

"The confession was made to yourself alone, of course?" queriedGoldberger, in a tone deliberately insulting. 

Godfrey flushed a little at the words, but managed to retain hisself-control. 

"Not at all, " he said. "It was made in the presence of Mr. Lester andof another distinguished lawyer whose name I am not at liberty toreveal. "

Goldberger swallowed hard, as though he had received a slap in theface. I dare say, he felt as though he had!

"This woman is in New York?" he asked. 

"I believe so. "

"What is her name and address?"

"I am not at liberty to answer. "

Goldberger glared at him. 

"You _will_ answer, " he thundered, "or I'll commit you for contempt!"

Godfrey was quite himself again. 

"Very well, " he said, smiling. "I have not the slightest objection. But I would think it over, if I were you. Mr. Lester will assure youthat the woman was in no way connected with the death either ofDrouet or of Mr. Vantine. "

Goldberger did think it over; he realised the danger of trying topunish a paper so powerful as the _Record_, and he finally decided toaccept Godfrey's statement as a mitigation of his refusal to answer. 

"That is only one of the details which Commissioner Grady hasmissed, " Godfrey added, pleasantly. 

"That will do, " Goldberger broke in, and Godfrey left the stand. 

I was recalled to confirm his story. I, also, of course, refused togive the woman's name, explaining to Goldberger that I had learned itprofessionally, that I was certain she had been guilty of no crime, and that to reveal it would seriously embarrass an entirely innocentwoman. With that statement, the coroner was compelled to appearsatisfied. 

Grady did not go on the stand; he was not even at the inquest. Infact, since the first day, he had not appeared publicly in connectionwith the case at all; and I had surmised that he did not care to beidentified with a mystery which there seemed to be no prospect ofsolving, and from which no glory was to be won. The case had beenplaced in Simmonds's hands, and it was he who testified on behalf ofthe police, admitting candidly that they were all at sea. He had madea careful examination of the Vantine house, he said, particularly ofthe room in which the bodies had been found, and had discoveredabsolutely nothing in the shape of a clue to the solution of themystery. There was something diabolical about it; something almostsupernatural. He had not abandoned hope, and was still working on thecase; but he was inclined to think that, if the mystery was eversolved, it would be only by some lucky accident or through theconfession of the guilty man. 

Goldberger was annoyed; that was evident enough from the nervous wayin which he gnawed his moustache; but he had no theory any more thanthe police; there was not a scintilla of evidence to fasten the crimeupon any one; and the end of the hearing was that the jury brought ina verdict that Philip Vantine and Georges Drouet had died from theeffects of a poison administered by a person or persons unknown. 

Godfrey joined me at the door as I was leaving, and we went down thesteps together. 

"I was glad to hear Simmonds confess that the police are up a tree, "he said. "Of course, Grady is trying to sneak out of it, and blamesome one else for the failure--but I'll see that he doesn't succeed. I'll see, anyway, that Simmonds gets a square deal--he's an oldfriend of mine, you know. "

"Yes, " I said, "I know; but we're all up a tree, aren't we?"

"For the present, " laughed Godfrey, "we do occupy that undignifiedposition. But you don't expect to stay there forever, do you, Lester?"

"Since my theory about the Boule cabinet exploded, " I said, "I havegiven up hope. By the way, I'm going to turn the cabinet over to itsowner to-morrow. "

"To its owner?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing. "Yes, I thoughthe'd be around for it, though I hardly thought he'd come so soon. Whodoes it happen to be, Lester?"

"Why, " I said, a little impatiently, "you know as well as I do thatit belongs to Armand & Son. "

"You've seen their representative, then?" he queried, a little flushof excitement which I could not understand spreading over his face. 

"He came to see me yesterday. I'd like you to meet him, Godfrey. Heis Félix Armand, the 'son' of the firm, and one of the most finishedgentlemen I ever met. "

"I'd like to meet him, " said Godfrey, smiling queerly. "Perhaps Ishall, some day; I hope so, anyway. But how did he explain theblunder, Lester?"

"In some way, they shipped the wrong cabinet to Vantine. The rightone will get here on _La Provence_ to-morrow, " and I told him indetail the story which Felix Armand had told me. "He was quite upsetover it, " I added, "His apologies were almost abject. "

Godfrey listened intently to all this, and he nodded withsatisfaction when I had finished. 

"It is all most interesting, " he commented. 

"Did M. Armand happen to mention where he is staying?"

"No, but he won't be hard to find, if you want to see him. He's atone of the big hotels, of course--probably the Plaza or the St. Regis. He's too great a swell for any minor hostelry. "

"What time do you expect him to-morrow?"

"Sometime in the afternoon. He's to call for me as soon as he getsVantine's cabinet off the boat. Godfrey, " I added, "I felt yesterdaywhen I was talking with him that perhaps he knew more about thisaffair than he would admit. I could see that he guessed in an instantwho the owner of the letters was, and what they contained. Do youthink I ought to hold on to the cabinet a while longer? I couldinvent some pretext for delay, easily enough. "

"Why, no; let him have his cabinet, " said Godfrey, with an alacritythat surprised me. "If your theory about it has been exploded, what'sthe use of hanging on to it?"

"I don't see any use in doing so, " I admitted, "but I thought perhapsyou might want more time to examine it. "

"I've examined it all I'm going to, " Godfrey answered, and I toldmyself that this was the first time I had ever known him to admithimself defeated. 

"I have a sort of feeling, " I explained, "that when we let go of thecabinet, we give up the only clue we have to this whole affair. It islike a confession of defeat. "

"Oh, no, it isn't, " Godfrey objected. "If there is nothing more to belearned from the cabinet, there is no reason to retain it. I shouldcertainly let M. Armand have it. Perhaps I'll see you to-morrow, " headded, and we parted at the corner. 

But I did not see him on the morrow. I was rather expecting a callfrom him during the morning, and when none came, I was certain Ishould find him awaiting me when I arrived at the Vantine house, incompany with M. Armand. But he was not there, and when I asked forhim, Parks told me that he had not seen him since the day before. 

I confess that Godfrey's indifference to the fate of the cabinetsurprised me greatly; besides, I was hoping that he would wish tomeet the fascinating Frenchman. More fascinating, if possible, thanhe had been on Monday, and I soon found myself completely under hisspell. There had been less delay than he had anticipated in gettingthe cabinet off the boat and through the customs, and it was not yetthree o'clock when we reached the Vantine house. 

"I haven't seen Mr. Godfrey, " Parks repeated, "but there's othershere as it fair breaks my heart to see. "

He motioned toward the door of the music-room, and, stepping to it, Isaw that the inventory was already in progress. The man in charge ofit nodded to me, but I did not go in, for the sight was anything buta pleasant one. 

"The cabinet is in the room across the hall, " I said to M. Armand, and led the way through the ante-room into the room beyond. 

Parks switched on the lights for us, and my companion glanced withsurprise at the heavy shutters covering the windows. 

"We put those up for a protection, " I explained. "We had an idea thatsome one would try to enter. In fact, one evening we _did_ find awire connecting with the burglar-alarm cut, and, later on, saw someone peering in through the hole in that shutter yonder. "

"You did?" M. Armand queried quickly. 

"Would you recognise the man, if you were to meet him again?"

"Oh, no; you see the hole is quite small. There was nothing visibleexcept a pair of eyes. Yet I might know them again, for I neverbefore saw such eyes--so bright, so burning. It was the night thatGodfrey and I were trying to find the secret drawer, and those eyesgleamed like fire as they watched us. "

M. Armand was gazing at the cabinet, apparently only half listening. 

"Ah, yes, the secret drawer, " he said. "Will you show me how it isoperated, Mr. Lester? I am most curious about it. "

I placed my hand upon the table and pressed the three points whichthe veiled lady had shown us. The first time, I got the order wrong, but at the second trial, the little handle fell forward with a click, and I pulled the drawer open. 

"There it is, " I said. "You see how cleverly it is constructed. Andhow well it is concealed. No one would suspect its existence. "

He examined it with much interest; pushed it back into place, andthen opened it himself. 

"Very clever indeed, " he agreed. "I have never seen another so wellconcealed. And the idea of opening it only by a certain combinationis most happy and original. Most secret drawers are secret only inname; a slight search reveals them; but this one. . . . "

He pushed it shut again, and examined the inlay around it. 

"My friend and I went over the cabinet very carefully and could notfind it, " I said. 

"Your friend--I think you mentioned his name?"

"Yes--his name is Godfrey. "

"A man of the law, like yourself?"

"Oh, no, a newspaper man. But he had been a member of the detectiveforce before that. He is extraordinarily keen, and if anybody couldhave found that drawer, he could. But that combination was too muchfor him. "

M. Armand snapped the drawer back into place with a little crash. 

"I am glad, at any rate, that it _was_ discovered, " he said. "I willnot conceal from you, Mr. Lester, that it adds not a little to thevalue of the cabinet. "

"What is its value?" I asked. "Mr. Vantine wanted me to buy it forhim, and named a most extravagant figure as the limit he was willingto pay. "

"Really, " M. Armand answered, after an instant's hesitation, "I wouldnot care to name a figure, Mr. Lester, without further consultationwith my father. The cabinet is quite unique--the most beautiful, perhaps, that M. Boule ever produced. Did you discover Madame deMontespan's monogram?"

"No. Mr. Vantine said he was sure it existed; but Godfrey and I didnot look for it. "

M. Armand opened the doors which concealed the central drawers. 

"_Voilà!_" he said, and traced with his finger the arabesque justunder the pediment. "See how cunningly it has been blended with theother figures. And here is the emblem of the giver. " He pointed to atiny golden sun with radiating rays on the base of the pediment, justabove the monogram. "_Le roi soleil!_"

"_ Le roi soleil!_" I repeated. "Of course. We were stupid not tohave discerned it. That tells the whole story, doesn't it? What isit, Parks?" I added, as that worthy appeared at the door. 

"There's a van outside, sir, " he said, "and a couple of men areunloading a piece of furniture. Is it all right, sir?"

"Yes, " I answered. "Have them bring it in here. And ask the man incharge of the inventory to step over here a minute. Mr. Vantine lefthis collection of art objects to the Metropolitan Museum, " Iexplained to M. Armand, "and I should like the representative of themuseum to be present when the exchange is made. "

"Certainly, " he assented. "That is very just. "

Parks was back in a moment, piloting two men who carried between theman object swathed in burlap, and the Metropolitan man followed themin. 

"I am Mr. Lester, " I said to him, "Mr. Vantine's executor; and thisis M. Félix Armand, of Armand & Son, of Paris. We are correcting anerror which was made just before Mr. Vantine died. That cabinetyonder was shipped him by mistake in place of one which he hadbought. M. Armand has caused the right one to be sent over, and willtake away the one which belongs to him. I have already spoken to themuseum's attorney about the matter, but I wished you to be presentwhen the exchange was made. "

"I have no doubt it is all right, sir, " the museum man hastened toassure me. "You, of course, have personal knowledge of all this?"

"Certainly. Mr. Vantine himself told me the story. "

"Very well, sir, " but his eyes dwelt lovingly upon the Boule cabinet. "That is a very handsome piece, " he added. "I am sorry the museum isnot to get it. "

"Perhaps you can buy it from M. Armand, " I suggested, but the curatorlaughed and shook his head. 

"No, " he said, "we couldn't afford it. But Sir Caspar might persuadeMr. Morgan to buy it for us--I'll mention it to him. "

The two men, meanwhile, under M. Armand's direction, had beenstripping the wrappings from the other cabinet, and it finally stoodrevealed. It, too, was a beautiful piece of furniture, but even myuntrained eye could see how greatly it fell below the other. 

"We shall be very pleased to have Mr. Morgan see it, " said M. Armand, with a smile. "I will not conceal from you that we had alreadythought of him--as what dealer does not when he acquires somethingrare and beautiful? I shall endeavour to secure an appointment withhim. Meanwhile. . . . "

"Meanwhile the cabinet is yours, " I said. 

He made a little deprecating gesture, and then proceeded to have thecabinet very carefully wrapped in the burlap which had been aroundthe other one. I watched it disappear under the rough covering withsomething like regret, for already my eyes were being opened to itsbeauty. Besides, I told myself again, with it would disappear thelast hope of solving the mystery of Philip Vantine's death. Howevermy reason might protest, some instinct told me that, in some way, theBoule cabinet was connected with that tragedy. 

But at last the packing was done, and M. Armand turned to me and heldout his hand. 

"I shall hope to see you again, Mr. Lester, " he said, with acordiality which flattered me, "and to renew our very pleasantacquaintance. Whenever you are in Paris, I trust you will not fail tohonour me by letting me know. I shall count it a very great privilegeto display for you some of the beauties of our city not known toevery one. "

"Thank you, " I said. "I shall certainly remember that invitation. And meanwhile, since you are here in New York. . . . "

"You are most kind, " he broke in, "and I was myself hoping that wemight at least dine together. But I am compelled to proceed to Bostonthis evening, and from there I shall go on to Quebec. Whether I shallget back to New York I do not know--it will depend somewhat upon Mr. Morgan's attitude; we would scarcely entrust a business so delicateto our dealer. If I do get back, I shall let you know. "

"Please do, " I urged. "It will be a very great pleasure to me. Besides, I am still hoping that some solution of this mystery mayoccur to you. "

He shook his head with a little smile. 

"I fear it is too difficult for a novice like myself, " he said. "Itis impenetrable to me. If a solution is discovered, I trust you willinform me. It is certain to be most interesting. "

"I will, " I promised, and we shook hands again. 

Then he signed to the two men to take up the cabinet, and himselflaid a protecting hand upon it as it was carried through the door anddown the steps to the van which was backed up to the curb. It waslifted carefully inside, the two men clambered in beside it, thedriver spoke to the horses, and the van rolled slowly away up theAvenue. 

M. Armand watched it for a moment, then mounted into the cab whichwas waiting, waved a last farewell to me, and followed after the van. We watched it until it turned westward at the first cross-street. 

"Mr. Godfrey's occupation will be gone, " said Parks, with a littlelaugh. "He has fairly lived with that cabinet for the past three orfour days. He was here last night for quite a while. "

"Last night?" I echoed, surprised. "I was sure he would be hereto-day, " I added, reflecting that Godfrey might have decided to havea final look at the cabinet. "He half-promised to be here, but Isuppose something more important detained him. "

The next instant, I was jumping down the steps two at a time, for acab in which two men were sitting came down the Avenue, and rolledslowly around the corner in the direction taken by the van. 

And just as it disappeared, one of its occupants turned toward me andwaved his hand--and I recognised Jim Godfrey. 

CHAPTER XIX

"LA MORT!"

That my legs, without conscious effort of my own, should carry me upthe Avenue and around the corner after the cab in which I had seenGodfrey was a foregone conclusion, and yet it was with a certainvexation of spirit that I found myself racing along, for I realisedthat Godfrey had not been entirely frank with me. Certainly he haddropped no hint of his intention to follow Armand; but, I toldmyself, that might very well have been because he deemed such a hintunnecessary. I might have guessed, in spite of his seeming unconcern, that he would not allow the cabinet to pass from his sight; if he hadbeen willing for me to turn it over to Armand, it was only because heexpected developments of some sort to follow that transfer. 

And it suddenly dawned upon me that even I did not know the cabinet'sdestination! It had not occurred to me to inquire where M. Armandproposed to take it, and he had volunteered no information. 

So, after a moment, I took up the chase more contentedly, tellingmyself that Godfrey would not have waved to me if he had not wantedme along, and I reached the corner in time to see the van turnnorthward into Sixth Avenue. As soon as it and the cabs whichfollowed it were out of sight, I sprinted along the sidewalk at topspeed, and, on arriving at the corner, had the satisfaction of seeingthem only a little way ahead. Here the congestion of traffic was suchthat the van could proceed but slowly, and I had no difficulty inkeeping pace with it, without the necessity of making myselfconspicuous by running. Indeed, I rather hung back, burying myself inthe crowds on the sidewalk, for fear that Armand might chance toglance around and see me in pursuit. 

I saw that Godfrey and Simmonds had the same fear, for the cab inwhich they were drew up at the curb and waited there until the vanhad got some distance ahead. At Sixteenth Street, it turned westwardagain, and then northward into Seventh Avenue. 

What could Armand be doing in this part of the town, I asked myself?Did he propose to leave that priceless cabinet in this dingy quarter?And then I paused abruptly and slipped into an area-way, for the vanhad stopped some distance 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 cabrattled on at a good pace and disappeared up the Avenue. Then the twoporters lifted out the cabinet, and, with Armand showing them theway, carried it into the building before which the van had stopped. 

They were gone perhaps five minutes, from which I argued that theywere carrying it upstairs; then they reappeared, with Armandaccompanying them. He tipped them and went out also to tip the driverof the van. Then the porters climbed aboard and it rattled away outof sight. Armand stood for a moment on the step, looking up and downthe Avenue, then disappeared indoors. 

An instant later, I saw Godfrey and another man whom I recognised asSimmonds, come out of a shop across the street and dash over to thehouse into which the cabinet had been taken. They were standing onthe door-step when I joined them. 

It was a dingy building, entirely typical of the dingy neighbourhood. The ground floor was occupied by a laundry which the sign on thefront window declared to be French; and the room which the windowlighted extended the whole width of the building except for a doorwhich opened presumably on the stairway leading to the upper stories. 

Godfrey's face was flaming with excitement as he turned the knob ofthis door gently--gently. The door was locked. He stooped and appliedan eye to the key-hole. 

"The key is in the lock, " he whispered. 

Simmonds took from his pocket a pair of slender pliers and passedthem over. 

Godfrey looked up and down the street, saw that for the moment therewas no one near, inserted the pliers in the key-hole, grasped the endof the key, and turned it slowly. 

"Now!" he said, softly opened the door and slipped inside. Ifollowed, and Simmonds came after me like a shadow, closing the doorcarefully behind him. 

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 talkingexcitedly. 

Even in the semi-darkness, I could see the look of astonishment andalarm on Godfrey's face, as he stood for a moment motionless, listening to that voice. I also stood with ears a-strain, but I couldmake nothing of what it was saying; then suddenly I realised that itwas speaking in French. And yet it was not Armand's voice--of that Iwas certain. 

Fronting us was a narrow stair mounting steeply to the storyoverhead, and, after that moment's amazed hesitation, Godfrey satdown on the bottom step and removed his shoes, motioning us to do thesame. Simmonds obeyed phlegmatically, but my hands were trembling sowith excitement that I was in mortal terror lest I drop one of myshoes; but I managed to get them both off without mishap, and to setthem softly on the floor at the stair-foot. 

When at last I looked up with a sigh of relief, Godfrey and Simmondswere stealing slowly up the stair, revolver in hand. I followed them, but I confess my knees were knocking together, for there wassomething weird and chilling in that voice going on and on. Itsounded like the voice of a madman; there was something about it atonce ferocious and triumphant. . . . 

Godfrey paused an instant at the stairhead, listening intently; thenhe moved cautiously forward toward an open door from which the voiceseemed to come, motioning us at the same time to stay where we were. And as I knelt, bathed in perspiration, I caught one word, repeatedover and over:

"_Revanche!--Revanche!--Revanche!_"

Then the voice fell to a sort of low growling, as of a dog whichworries its prey, and I caught a sound as of ripping cloth. 

Godfrey, on hands and knees, was peering into the room. Then he drewback and motioned us forward. 

I shall never forget the sight which met my eyes as I peepedcautiously around the corner of the door. 

The room into which I was looking was lighted only by the rays whichfiltered between the slats of a closed shutter. In the middle of thefloor stood the Boule cabinet, and before it, with his back to thedoor, stood a man ripping savagely away the strips of burlap in whichit had been wrapped, talking to himself the while in a sort of savagesing-song, and pausing from moment to moment to glance at a huddledbundle lying on the floor against the opposite wall. For a time, Icould not make out what this bundle was, then, straining my eyes, Isaw that it was the body of a man, wrapped round and round in someweb-like fabric. 

And as I stared at him, I caught the glitter of his eyes as hewatched the man working at the cabinet--a glitter not to be mistaken--the same glitter which had so frightened me once before. . . . 

Godfrey drew me back with a firm hand and took my place. As for me, Iretreated to the stair, and sat there feverishly mopping my face andtrying to understand. Who was this man? What was he doing thereagainst 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-là!_" sprang to his feet and dashed into the room, Simmondsat his heels. 

I suppose two seconds elapsed before I reached the threshold, and Istopped there, staring, clutching at the wall to steady myself. 

That scene is so photographed upon my brain that I have only to closemy eyes to see it again in every detail. 

There was the cabinet with its wrappings torn away; but the figure onthe floor had disappeared, and before an open doorway into anotherroom stood a man, a giant of a man, his hands above his head, hisface working with fear and rage, while Godfrey, his lips curling intoa mocking smile, pressed a pistol against his breast. 

Then, as I stood there staring, it seemed to me that there was a sortof flicker in the air above the man's head, and he screamed shrilly. 

"_La mort!_" he shrieked. "_La mort!_"

For one dreadful instant longer he stood there motionless, his handsstill held aloft, his eyes staring horribly; then, with a strangledcry, he pitched forward heavily at Godfrey's feet. 

CHAPTER XX

THE ESCAPE

I have a confused remembrance of Godfrey stooping for an instantabove the body, staring at it, and then, with a sharp cry, hurlinghimself through that open doorway. A door slammed somewhere, therewas a sound of running feet, and before either Simmonds or myselfunderstood what was happening, Godfrey was back in the room, crossedit at a bound, and dashed to the door opening into the hall, just asit was slammed in his face. 

I saw him tear desperately at the knob, then retreat two steps andhurl himself against it. But it held firm, and from the hall outsidecame a burst of mocking laughter that fairly froze my blood. 

"Come here, you fools!" cried Godfrey between clenched teeth. "Don'tyou see he's getting away!"

Simmonds was quicker than I, and together they threw themselves atthe door. It cracked ominously, but still held; again they tried, andthis time it split from top to bottom. Godfrey kicked the pieces toeither side and slipped between them, Simmonds after him. 

Then, in a sort of trance, I staggered to it, and after a moment'saimless fumbling, was out in the hall again. I reached the stairheadin time to see Godfrey try the front door, and then turn along thelower hall leading to the back of the house. An instant later, achorus of frenzied women's shrieks made my hair stand on end. 

How I got down the stair I do not know; but I, too, turned back alongthe lower hall, expecting any instant to come upon I knew not whathorror; I reached an open door, passed through it, and found myselfin the laundry, in the midst of a group of excited and indignantwomen, who greeted my appearance with a fresh series of screams. 

Unable to go farther, I sat limply down upon a box and looked atthem. 

I dare say the figure I made was ridiculous enough, for the screamsgave place to subdued giggles; but I was far from thinking of myappearance, or of caring what impression I produced. And I was stillsitting there when Godfrey came back, breathing heavily, chagrin andanger in his eyes. The employes of the laundry, conscious thatsomething extraordinary was occurring, crowded about him, but heelbowed his way through them to the desk where the manager sat. 

"A crime has been committed upstairs, " he said. "This gentleman withme is Mr. Simmonds, of the detective bureau, " and at the wordsSimmonds showed his shield. "We shall have to notify headquarters, "Godfrey went on, "and I would advise that you keep your girls attheir work. I don't suppose you want to be mixed up in it. "

"Sure not, " agreed the manager promptly, and while Simmonds went tothe 'phone and called up police headquarters, the manager dismountedfrom his throne, went down among the girls, and had them back attheir 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 were at your lastgasp. "

"I am, " I said. "I'm going to have nervous prostration if this thingkeeps up. You're not looking particularly happy yourself. "

"I'm not happy. I've let that fellow kill a man right under my nose--literally, under my nose!--and then get away!"

"Kill a man?" I repeated. "Do you mean. . . . "

"Go upstairs and look at the right hand of the man lying there, " saidGodfrey, curtly, "and you'll see what I mean!"

I sat staring at him, unable to believe that I had heard aright;unable to believe that Godfrey had really uttered those words . . . Theright hand of the man lying there . . . That could mean only onething. . . . 

Simmonds joined us with a twisted smile on his lips, and I saw thateven he was considerably shaken. 

"I got Grady, " he said, "and told him what had happened. He says he'stoo busy to come up, and that I'm to take charge of things. "

Godfrey laughed a little mocking laugh. 

"Grady foresees his Waterloo!" he said. "Well, it's not far distant. But I'm glad for your sake, Simmonds--you're going to get some gloryout of this thing, yet!"

"I hope so, " and Simmonds's eyes gleamed an instant. "The ambulancewill be around at once, " he added. "We'd better get our shoes on, andgo back upstairs, and see if anything can be done for that fellow. "

"There can't anything be done for him, " said Godfrey wearily; "butwe'd better have a look at him, I guess, " and he led the way out intothe hall. 

Not until Simmonds spoke did I remember that I was shoeless. Now Isat down beside Godfrey, got fumblingly into my shoes again, and thenfollowed him and Simmonds slowly up the stair. 

I thought I knew what was passing in Godfrey's mind: he was blaminghimself for this latest tragedy; he was telling himself that heshould have foreseen and prevented it; he always blamed himself inthat way when things went wrong--and then, to have the murderer slipthrough his very fingers! I could guess what a mighty shock that hadbeen to his self-confidence!

The latest victim was lying where he had fallen, just inside thedoorway leading into the inner room. Simmonds stepped to the window, threw open the shutters, and let a flood of afternoon sunshine intothe room. Then he knelt beside the body, and held up the limp righthand for us to see. 

Just above the knuckles were two tiny incisions, with a drop or twoof blood oozing away from them, and the flesh about them swollen anddiscoloured. 

"I knew what it was the instant he yelled '_La mort!_'" said Godfreyquietly. "And _he_ knew what it was the instant he felt the stroke. It is evident enough that he had seen it used before, or heard of it, and knew that it meant instant death. "

I sat down, staring at the dead man, and tried to collect my senses. So this fiendish criminal, who slew with poison, had been lurking inVantine's house, and had struck down first Drouet and then the masterof the house himself! But why--why! It was incredible, astounding, mybrain reeled at the thought. And yet it must be true!

I looked again at the third victim, and saw a man roughly dressed, with bushy black hair and tangled beard; a very giant of a man, whosephysical strength must have been enormous--and yet it had availed himnothing against that tiny pin-prick on the hand!

And then a sudden thought brought me bolt upright. 

"But Armand!" I cried. "Where is Armand?"

Godfrey looked at me with a half-pitying smile. 

"What, Lester!" he said, "don't you understand, even yet? It was yourfascinating M. Armand who did that, " and he pointed to the dead man. 

I felt as though I had been struck a heavy blow upon the head; blackcircles whirled before my eyes. . . . 

"Go over to the window, " said Godfrey, peremptorily, "and get somefresh air. "

Mechanically I obeyed, and stood clinging to the window-sill, gazingdown at the busy street, where the tide of humanity was flowing upand down, all unconscious of the tragedy which had been enacted soclose at hand. And, at last, the calmness of all these people, thesight of the world going quietly on as usual, restored me a portionof my self-control. But even yet I did not understand. 

"Was it Armand, " I asked, turning back into the room, "who lay therein the corner?"

"Certainly it was, " Godfrey answered. "Who else could it be?"

"Godfrey!" I cried, remembering suddenly. "Did you see his eyes as helay there watching the man at the cabinet?"

"Yes; I saw them. "

"They were the same eyes. . . . "

"The same eyes. "

"And the laugh--did you hear that laugh?"

"Certainly I heard it. "

"I heard it once before, " I said, "and you thought it was a case ofnerves!"

I fell silent a moment, shivering a little at the remembrance. 

"But why did Armand lie there so quietly?" I asked, at last. "Was heinjured?"

Godfrey made a little gesture toward the corner. 

"Go see for yourself, " he said. 

Something lay along the wall, on the spot where I had seen thatfigure, and as I bent over it, I saw that it was a large net, finelymeshed but very strong. 

"That was dropped over Armand's head as he came up the stairs, " saidGodfrey, "or flung over him as he came into the room. Then the deadman yonder jumped upon him and trussed him up with those ropes. "

Pushing the net aside, I saw upon the floor a little pile of severedcords. 

"Yes, " I agreed; "he would be able to do that. Have you noticed hissize, Godfrey? He was almost a giant!"

"He couldn't have done it if Armand hadn't been willing that heshould, " retorted Godfrey, curtly. "You see he had no difficulty ingetting away, " and he held up the net and pointed to the great rentsin it. "He cut his way out while he was lying there--I ought to haveknown--I ought to have known he wasn't bound--that he was onlywaiting--but it was all so sudden. . . . "

He threw the net down upon the floor with a gesture of disgust anddespair. Then he stopped in front of the Boule cabinet and lookeddown at it musingly; and, after a moment, his face brightened. 

The burlap wrappings had been almost wholly torn away, and thecabinet stood, more insolently beautiful than ever, it seemed to me, under the rays of the sun, which sparkled and glittered and shimmeredas they fell upon it. 

"But we'll get him, Simmonds, " said Godfrey, and his lips broke intoa smile. "In fact, we've got him now. We have only to wait, and he'llwalk into our arms. Simmonds, I want you to lock this cabinet up inthe strongest cell around at your station; and carry the keyyourself. "

"Lock it up?" stammered Simmonds, staring at him. 

"Yes, " said Godfrey, "lock it up. That's our one salvation!" His facewas glowing; he was quite himself again, alert, confident of victory. "You're in charge of this case, aren't you? Well, lock it up, andgive your reasons to nobody. "

"That'll be easy, " laughed Simmonds. "I haven't got any reasons. "

"Oh, yes, you have, " and Godfrey bent upon him a gaze that waspositively hypnotic. "You will do it because I want you to, andbecause I tell you that, sooner or later, if you keep this cabinetsafe where no one can get at it, the man we want will walk into ourhands. And I'll tell you more than that, Simmonds; if we do get him, I'll have the biggest story I ever had, and you will be world-famous. France will make you a chevalier of the Legion of Honour, Simmonds, mark my words. Don't you think the ribbon would look well in yourbutton-hole?"

Simmonds was staring at the speaker as though he thought he hadsuddenly gone mad. Indeed, the thought flashed through my own brainthat the disappointment, the chagrin of failure, had been too muchfor Godfrey. 

He burst into laughter as he saw our faces. 

"No, I'm not mad, " he said, more soberly; "and I'm not joking. I'mspeaking in deadly earnest, Simmonds, when I say that this fellow isthe biggest catch we could make. He's the greatest criminal of moderntimes--I repeat it, Lester, this time without qualification. And now, perhaps, you'll agree with me. "

And with Armand, so finished, so self-poised, so distinguished, in mymind, and the body of his latest victim before my eyes, I noddedgloomily. 

"But who is he?" I asked. "Do you know who he is, Godfrey?"

"There's the ambulance, " broke in Simmonds, as a knock came at thestreet door, and he hurried down to open it. 

"Come on, Lester, " and Godfrey hooked his arm through mine. "There'snothing more we can do here. We'll go down the back way. I've hadenough excitement for the time being--haven't you?"

"I certainly have, " I agreed, and he led the way back along the hallto another stair, down it and so out through the laundry. 

"But, Godfrey, who is this man?" I repeated. "Why did he kill thatpoor fellow up there? Why did he kill Drouet and Vantine? How did heget into the Vantine house? What is it all about?"

"Ah!" he said, looking at me with a smile. "That is the importantquestion--what is it all about! But we can't discuss it here in thestreet. Besides, I want to think it over, Lester; and I want you tothink it over. If I can, I'll drop in to-night to see you, and we canthresh it out! Will that suit you?"

"Yes, " I said; "and for heaven's sake, don't fail to come!"

CHAPTER XXI

GODFREY WEAVES A ROMANCE

I had begun to fear that Godfrey was going to disappoint me, so lateit was before his welcome knock came at my door that night. Ihastened to let him in, and I could tell by the sigh of relief withwhich he sank into a chair that he was thoroughly weary. 

"It does me good to come in here occasionally and have a talk withyou, Lester, " he said, accepting the cigar I offered him. "I find itrestful after a hard day, " and he smiled across at me good-humouredly. 

"How you keep it up I don't see, " I said. "This one case has nearlygiven me nervous prostration. "

"Well, I don't often strike one as strenuous as this, " and he settledback comfortably. "As a matter of fact, I haven't had one for a longtime that even touches it. There is nothing really mysterious aboutmost crimes. "

"This one is certainly mysterious enough, " I remarked. 

"What makes it mysterious, " Godfrey explained, "is the apparent lackof motive. As soon as one learns the motive for a crime, one learnsalso who committed it. But where the motive can't be discovered, itis mighty hard to make any progress. "

"It isn't only lack of motive which makes it mysterious, " Icommented; "it's everything about it. I can't understand either whyit was done or how it was done. When I get to thinking about it, Ifeel as though I were wandering around and around in a maze, fromwhich I can never escape. "

"Oh, yes, you'll escape, Lester, " said Godfrey, quietly, "and thatbefore very long. "

"If you have an explanation, Godfrey, " I protested, "for heaven'ssake tell me! Don't keep me in the maze an instant longer than isnecessary. I've been thinking about it till my brain feels like asnarl of tangled thread. Do you mean to say you know what it is allabout?"

"'Know' is perhaps a little strong. There isn't much in this worldthat we really know. Suppose we say that I strongly suspect. " Hepaused a moment, his eyes on the ceiling. "You know you've accused meof romancing sometimes, Lester--the other evening, for instance; yetthat romance has come true. "

"I take it all back, " I said, meekly. 

"There's another thing these talks do, " continued Godfrey, going offrather at a tangent, "and that is to clarify my ideas. You don't knowhow it helps me to state my case to you and to try to answer yourobjections. Your being a lawyer makes you unusually quick to seeobjections, and a lawyer is always harder to convince of a thing thanthe ordinary man. You are accustomed to weighing evidence; and so Inever allow myself to be convinced of a theory until I have convincedyou. Not always, even then, " he added, with a smile. 

"Well, I'm glad I'm of some use, " I said, "if it is only as a sort offile for you to sharpen your wits on. So please go ahead and romancesome more. Tell me first how you and Simmonds came to be followingArmand. "

"Simply because I had found out he wasn't Armand. Felix Armand is inParis at this moment. You were too credulous, Lester. "

"Why, I never had any doubt of his being Armand, " I stammered. "Heknew about my cablegram--he knew about the firm's answer. . . . "

"Of course he did, because your cable was never received by theArmands, but by a confederate in this fellow's employ; and it wasthat confederate who answered it. Our friend, the unknown, foresaw, of course, that a cable would be sent the Armands as soon as themistake was discovered, and he took his precautions accordingly. "

"Then you still believe that the cabinet was sent to Vantine bydesign and not by accident?"

"Absolutely. It was sent by the Armands in good faith, because theybelieved that it had been purchased by Vantine--all of which had beenarranged very carefully by the Great Unknown. "

"Tell me how you know all this, Godfrey, " I said. 

"Why, it was easy enough. When you told me yesterday of Armand, Iknew, or thought I knew, that it was a plant of some kind. But, inorder to be sure, I cabled our man at Paris to investigate. Our manwent at once to Armand, _père_, and he learned a number of veryinteresting things. One was, that the son, Félix Armand, was inParis; another was that no member of the firm knew anything aboutyour cable or the answer to it; a third was, that, had the cablebeen received, it would not have been understood, because theArmands' books show that this cabinet was bought by Philip Vantinefor the sum of fifteen thousand francs. "

"Not this one!" I protested. 

"Yes; this one. And it was cheap at the price. Of course, the Armandsknew nothing about the Montespan story--they were simply selling at aprofit. "

"But I don't understand!" I stammered. "Vantine told me himself thathe did not buy that cabinet. "

"Nor did he. But somebody bought it in his name and directed that itbe sent forward to him. "

"And paid fifteen thousand francs for it?"

"Certainly--and paid fifteen thousand francs to the Armands. "

"Rather an expensive present, " I said, feebly, for my brain wasbeginning to whirl again. 

"Oh, it wasn't intended as a present. The purchaser planned toreclaim it--but Vantine's death threw him out. If it hadn't been forthat--for an accident which no one could foresee--everything wouldhave gone along smoothly and no one would ever have been the wiser. "

"But what was his object? Was he trying to evade the duty?"

"Oh, nothing so small as that! Besides, he would have had to refundthe duty to Vantine. Did he refund it to you?"

"No, " I said, "I didn't think there was any to refund. Vantine reallypaid the duty only on the cabinet he purchased, since that was theone shown on his manifest. The other fellow must have paid the dutyon the cabinet he brought in; so I didn't see that there was anythingcoming to Vantine's estate. There is probably something due thegovernment, for the cabinet Vantine brought in was, of course, muchmore valuable than his manifest showed. "

"No doubt of that; and the other cabinet is the one which Vantinereally purchased. It was, of course, sent forward to this otherfellow's address, here in New York. His plan is evident enough--tocall upon Vantine, as the representative of the Armands, or perhapsas the owner of the Montespan cabinet, and make the exchange. Vantine's death spoiled that, and he had to make the exchange throughyou. Even then, he would have been able to pull it off but for thefact that Vantine's death and that of Drouet had called our attentionto the cabinet; we followed him, and the incidents of this afternoonensued. "

"And he accomplished all this by means of a confederate in the employof the Armands?"

"No doubt of it. The clerk who made the supposed sale to Vantine andgot a commission on it, resigned suddenly two days ago--just as soonas he had intercepted your cable and answered it. The Paris policeare looking for him, but I doubt if they'll find him. "

I paused to think this over; and then a sudden impatience seized me. 

"That's all clear enough, " I said. "The cabinets might have beenexchanged just as you say they were--no doubt you are right--but allthat doesn't lead us anywhere. Why were they exchanged? What is thereabout that Boule cabinet which makes this unknown willing to domurder for it? Does he think those letters are still in it?"

"He knows they are not in it now--you told him. Before that, he knewnothing about the letters. If he had known of them, he would have hadthem out before the cabinet was shipped. "

"What is it, then?" I demanded. "And, above all, Godfrey, why shouldthis fellow hide himself in Vantine's house and kill two men? Didthey surprise him while he was working over the cabinet?"

"I see no reason to believe that he was ever inside the Vantinehouse, " said Godfrey quietly; "that is, until you took him thereyourself this afternoon. "

"But, look here, Godfrey, " I protested, "that's nonsense. He musthave been in the house, or he couldn't have killed Vantine andDrouet. "

"Who said he killed them?"

"If he didn't kill them, who did?"

Godfrey took two or three contemplative puffs, while I sat therestaring at him. 

"Well, " Godfrey answered, at last, "now I'm going to romance alittle. We will return to your fascinating friend, Armand, as we mayas well call him for the present. He is an extraordinary man. "

"No doubt of it, " I agreed. 

"I can only repeat what I have said before--in my opinion, he is thegreatest criminal of modern times. "

"If he is a criminal at all, he is undoubtedly a great one, " Iconceded. "But it is hard for me to believe that he is a criminal. He's the most cultured man I ever met. "

"Of course he is. That's why he's so dangerous. An ignorant criminalis never dangerous--it's the ignorant criminals who fill the prisons. But look out for the educated, accomplished ones. It takes brains tobe a great criminal, Lester, and brains of a high order. "

"But why should a man with brains be a criminal?" I queried. "If hecan earn an honest living, why should he be dishonest?"

"In the first place, most criminals are criminals from choice, notfrom necessity; and with a cultured man the incentive is usually theexcitement of it. Have you ever thought what an exciting game it is, Lester, to defy society, to break the law, to know that the oddsagainst you are a thousand to one, and yet to come out triumphant?And then, I suppose, every great criminal is a little insane. "

"No doubt of it, " I agreed. 

"Just as every absolutely honest man is a little insane, " went onGodfrey quickly. "Just as every great reformer and enthusiast is alittle insane. The sane men are the average ones, who are fairlyhonest and yet tell white lies on occasion, who succumb to temptationnow and then; who temporise and compromise, and try to lead acomfortable and quiet life. I repeat, Lester, that this fellow is agreat criminal, and that he finds life infinitely more engrossingthan either you or I. I hope I shall meet him some time--not in alittle skirmish like this, but in an out-and-out battle. Of courseI'd be routed, horse, foot and dragoons--but it certainly would beinteresting!" and he looked at me, his eyes glowing. 

"It certainly would!" I agreed. "Go ahead with your romance. "

"Here it is. This M. Armand is a great criminal, and has, of course, various followers, upon whom he must rely for the performance ofcertain details, since he can be in but one place at a time. Abjectand absolute obedience is necessary to his success, and he compelsobedience in the only way in which it can be compelled amongcriminals--by fear. For disobedience, there is but one punishment--death. And the manner of the death is so certain and so mysteriousas to be almost supernatural. For deserters and traitors are found tohave died, inevitably and invariably, from the effects of aninsignificant wound on the right hand, just above the knuckles. "

I was listening intently now, as you may well believe, for I began tosee whither the romance was tending. 

"It is by this secret, " Godfrey continued, "that Armand preserves hisabsolute supremacy. But occasionally the temptation is too great, andone of his men deserts. Armand sends this cabinet to America. Heknows that in this case the temptation is very great indeed; he fearstreachery, and he arranges in the cabinet a mechanism which willinflict death upon the traitor in precisely the same way in which hehimself inflicts it--by means of a poisoned stab in the right hand. Imagine the effect upon his gang. He is nowhere near when the act oftreachery is performed, and yet the traitor dies instantly andsurely! Why, it was a tremendous idea! And it was carried out withabsolute genius. "

"But, " I questioned, "what act of treachery was it that Armandfeared?"

"The opening of the secret drawer. "

"Then you still believe in the poisoned mechanism?"

"I certainly do. The tragedy of this afternoon proves the truth ofthe theory. "

"I don't see it, " I said, helplessly. 

"Why, Lester, " protested Godfrey, "it's as plain as day. Who was thatbearded giant who was killed? The traitor, of course. We will findthat he was a member of Armand's gang. He followed Armand to America, lay in wait for him, caught him in the net and bound him hand andfoot. Do you suppose for an instant that Armand was ignorant of hispresence in that house? Do you suppose he would have been able totake Armand prisoner if Armand had not been willing that he should?"

"I don't see how Armand could help himself after that fellow got hishands on him. "

"You don't? And yet you saw yourself that he was not really bound--that he had cut himself loose!"

"That is true, " I said, thoughtfully. 

"Let us reconstruct the story, " Godfrey went on rapidly. "The traitordiscovers the secret of the cabinet; he follows Armand to New York, shadows him to the house on Seventh Avenue, waits for him there, andseizes and binds him. He is half mad with triumph--he chants a crazysing-song about revenge, revenge, revenge! And, in order that thetriumph may be complete, he does not kill his prisoner at once. Herolls him into a corner and proceeds to rip away the burlap. Histriumph will be to open the secret drawer before Armand's eyes. AndArmand lies there in the corner, his eyes gleaming, because it isreally the moment of _his_ triumph which is at hand!"

"The moment of his triumph?" I repeated. "What do you mean by that, Godfrey?"

"I mean that, the instant the traitor opened the drawer, he would bestabbed by the poisoned mechanism! It was for that that Armandwaited!"

I lay back in my chair with a gasp of amazement and admiration. I hadbeen blind not to see it! Armand had merely to lie still and permitthe traitor to walk into the trap prepared for him. No wonder hiseyes had glowed as he lay there watching that frenzied figure at thecabinet!

"It was not until the last moment, " Godfrey went on, "when thetraitor was bending above the cabinet feeling for the spring, that Irealised what was about to happen. There was no time for hesitation--I sprang into the room. Armand vanished in an instant, and thegiant also tried to escape; but I caught him at the door. I had noidea of his danger; I had no thought that Armand would dare linger. And yet he did. Now that it is too late, I understand. He _had_ tokill that man; there were no two ways about it. Whatever the risk, hehad to kill him. "

"But why?" I asked. "Why?"

"To seal his lips. If we had captured him, do you suppose Armand'ssecret would have been safe for an instant? So he had to kill him--hehad to kill him with the poisoned barb--and he _did_ kill him, andgot away into the bargain! Never in my life have I felt so like afool as when that door was slammed in my face!"

"Perhaps he had that prepared, too, " I suggested timidly, ready tobelieve anything of this extraordinary man. "Perhaps he knew that wewere there, all the time. "

"Of course he did, " assented Godfrey grimly. "Why else would there bea snap-lock on the outside of the door? And to think I didn't see it!To think that I was fool enough to suppose that I could follow himabout the streets of New York without his knowing it! He knew fromthe first that he might be followed, and prepared for it!"

"But it's incredible!" I protested feebly. "It's incredible!"

"Nothing is incredible in connection with that man!"

"But the risk--think of the risk he ran!"

"What does he care for risks? He despises them--and rightly. He gotaway, didn't he?"

"Yes, " I said, "he got away; there's no question of that, I guess. "

"Well, that is the story of this afternoon's tragedy, as I understandit, " proceeded 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 mewhere it doesn't. But it _will_ hold together--it _has_ to--becauseit's true!"

"But how about Armand?" I protested. "Aren't you going to try tocapture him? Are you going to let him get away?"

"He won't get away!" and Godfrey's eyes were gleaming again. "Wedon't have to search for him; for we've got our trap, Lester, andit's baited with a bait he can't resist--the Boule cabinet!"

"But he knows it's a trap. "

"Of course he knows it!"

"And you really think he will walk into it?" I asked incredulously. 

"I know he will! One of these days, he will try to get that cabinetout of the steel cell at the Twenty-third Street station, in which wehave it locked!"

I shook my head. 

"He's no such fool, " I said. "No man is such a fool as that. He'llgive it up and go quietly back to Paris. "

"Not if he's the man I think he is, " said Godfrey, his hand on thedoor. "He will never give up! Just wait, Lester; we shall know in aday or two which of us is a true prophet. The only thing I am afraidof, " he added, his face clouding, "is that he'll get away with thecabinet, in spite of us!"

And he went away down the hall, leaving me staring after him. 

CHAPTER XXII

"CROCHARD, L'INVINCIBLE!"

It seemed for once that Godfrey was destined to be wrong, for thedays passed and nothing happened--nothing, that is, in so far as thecabinet was concerned. There was an inquest, of course, over thevictim of the latest tragedy, and once again I was forced to give myevidence before a coroner's jury. I must confess that, this time, itmade me appear considerable of a fool, and the papers poked sly funat the attorney who had walked blindly into a trap which, now that itwas sprung, seemed so apparent. 

The Bertillon measurements of the victim had been cabled to Paris, and he had been instantly identified as a fellow named Morel, well-known to the police as a daring and desperate criminal; in fact, M. Lepine considered the matter so important that he cabled next daythat he was sending Inspector Pigot to New York to investigate theaffair further, and to confer with our bureau as to the best methodsto be taken to apprehend the murderer. Inspector Pigot, it was added, would sail at once for Havre on _La Savoie. _

Meanwhile, Grady's men, with Simmonds at their head, strained everynerve to discover the whereabouts of the fugitive; a net was thrownover the entire city, but, while a number of fish were captured, theone which the police particularly wished for was not among them. Nota single trace of the fugitive was discovered; he had vanishedabsolutely, and, after a day or two, Grady asserted confidently thathe had left New York. 

For Grady had come back into the case again, goaded by the papers, particularly by the _Record_, to efforts which he must haveconsidered superhuman. The remarkable nature of the mystery, itspicturesque and unique features, the fact that three men had beenkilled within a few days in precisely the same manner, and theabsence of any reasonable hypothesis to explain these deaths--allthis served to rivet public attention. Every amateur detective in thecountry had a theory to exploit--and far-fetched enough most of themwere!

Grady did a lot of talking in those days, explaining in detail theremarkable measures he was taking to capture the criminal; but thefact remained that three men had been killed, and that no one hadbeen punished; that a series of crimes had been committed, and thatthe criminal was still at large, and seemed likely to remain so; and, naturally enough, the papers, having exhausted every other phase ofthe case, were soon echoing public sentiment that something was wrongsomewhere, and that the detective bureau needed an overhauling, beginning at the top. 

The Boule cabinet remained locked up in a cell at the Twenty-thirdStreet station; and Simmonds kept the key in his pocket. I know nowthat he was as much in the dark concerning the cabinet as the generalpublic was; and the general public was very much in the dark indeed, for the cabinet had not figured in the accounts of the first twotragedies at all, and only incidentally in the reports of the latestone. As far as it was concerned, the affair seemed clear enough tomost of the reporters, as an attempt to smuggle into the country anart object of great value. Such cases were too common to attractespecial attention. 

But Simmonds had come to see that Grady was tottering on his throne;he realised, perhaps, that his own head was not safe; and he had madeup his mind to pin his faith to Godfrey as the only one at all likelyto lead him out of the maze. And Godfrey laid the greatest stressupon the necessity of keeping the cabinet under lock and key; sounder lock and key it was kept. As for Grady, I do not believe that, even at the last, he realised the important part the cabinet hadplayed in the drama. 

But while the Boule cabinet failed to focus the attention of thepublic, and while most of the reporters promptly forgot all about it, I was amused at the pains which Godfrey took to inform the fugitiveas to its whereabouts and as to how it was guarded. Over and overagain, while the other papers wondered at his imbecility, he told howit had been placed in the strongest cell at the Twenty-third Streetstation; a cell whose bars were made of chrome-nickle steel which nosaw could bite into; a cell whose lock was worked not only by a keybut by a combination, known to one man only; a cell isolated from theothers, standing alone in the middle of the third corridor, in fullview of the officer on guard, so that no one could approach it, dayor night, without being instantly discovered; a cell whose door wasconnected with an automatic alarm over the sergeant's desk in thefront room; a cell, in short, from which no man could possiblyescape, and which no man could possibly enter unobserved. 

Of the Boule cabinet itself Godfrey said little, saving his story forthe dénouement which he seemed so sure would come; but the detailswhich I have given above were dwelt upon in the _Record_, until, happening to meet Godfrey on the street one day, I protested that hewould only succeed in frightening the fugitive away altogether, evenif he still had any designs on the cabinet, which I very muchdoubted. But Godfrey only laughed. 

"There's not the slightest danger of frightening him away, " he said. "This fellow isn't that kind. If I am right in sizing him up, he'sthe sort of dare-devil whom an insuperable difficulty only attracts. The harder the job, the more he is drawn to it. That's the reason Iam making this one just as hard as I can. "

"But a man would be a fool to attempt to get to that cabinet, " Iprotested. "It's simply impossible. "

"It looks impossible, I'm free to admit, " he agreed. "But, just thesame, I wake every morning cold with fear, and run to the 'phone tomake sure the cabinet's safe. If I could think of any furthersafeguards, I would certainly employ them. "

I looked at Godfrey searchingly, for it seemed to me that he must bejesting. He smiled as he caught my glance. 

"I was never more in earnest in my life, Lester, " he said. "You don'tappreciate this fellow as I do. He's a genius; nothing is impossibleto him. He disdains easy jobs; when he thinks a job is too easy, hemakes it harder, just as a sporting chance. He has been known to warnpeople that they kept their jewels too carelessly, and then, afterthey had put them in a safer place, he would go and take them. "

"That seems rather foolish, doesn't it?" I queried. 

"Not from his point of view. He doesn't steal because he needs money, but because he needs excitement. "

"You know who he is, then?" I demanded. 

"I think I do--I hope I do; but I am not going to tell even you tillI'm sure. I'll say this--if he is who I think he is, it would be adelight to match one's brains with his. We haven't got any one likehim over here--which is a pity!"

I was inclined to doubt this, for I have no romantic admiration forgentlemen burglars, even in fiction. However picturesque andchivalric, a thief is, after all, a thief. Perhaps it is my trainingas a lawyer, or perhaps I am simply narrow, but crime, howeverbrilliantly carried out, seems to me a sordid and unlovely thing. Iknow quite well that there are many people who look at these thingsfrom a different angle, Godfrey is one of them. 

I pointed out to him now that, if his intuitions were correct, hewould soon have a chance to match his wits with those of the GreatUnknown. 

"Yes, " he agreed, "and I'm scared to death--I have been ever since Ibegan to suspect his identity. I feel like a tyro going up against amaster in a game of chess--mate in six moves!"

"I shouldn't consider you exactly a tyro, " I said, drily. 

"It's long odds that the Great Unknown will, " Godfrey retorted, andbade me good-bye. 

Except for that chance meeting, I saw nothing of him, and in this Iwas disappointed, for there were many things about the whole affairwhich I did not understand. In fact, when I sat down of an eveningand lit my pipe and began to think it over, I found that I understoodnothing at all. Godfrey's theory held together perfectly, so far as Icould see, but it led nowhere. How had Drouet and Vantine beenkilled? Why had they been killed? What was the secret of the cabinet?In a word, what was all this mystery about? Not one of thesequestions could I answer; and the solutions I guessed at seemed soabsurd that I dismissed them in disgust. In the end, I found that theaffair was interfering with my work, and I banished it from my mind, turning my face resolutely away from it whenever it tried to breakinto my thoughts. 

But though I could shut it out of my waking hours successfullyenough, I could not control my sleeping ones, and my dreams becamemore and more horrible. Always there was the serpent with drippingfangs, sometimes with Armand's head, sometimes with a face unknown tome, but hideous beyond description; its slimy body glittered withinlay and arabesque; its scaly legs were curved like those of theBoule cabinet; sometimes the golden sun glittered on its foreheadlike a great eye. Over and over again I saw this monster slay itsthree victims; and always, when that was done, it raised its head andglared at me, as though selecting me for the fourth. . . . But I shallnot try to describe those dreams; even yet I cannot recall themwithout a shudder. 

It was while I was sitting moodily in my room one night, debatingwhether or not to go to bed; weary to exhaustion and yet reluctant toresign myself to a sleep from which I knew I should wake shrieking, that a knock came at the door--a knock I recognised; and I arosejoyfully to admit Godfrey. 

I could see by the way his eyes were shining that he had somethingunusual to tell me; and then, as he looked at me, his face changed. 

"What's the matter, Lester?" he demanded. "You're looking fagged out. Working too hard?"

"It's not that, " I said. "I can't sleep. This thing has upset mynerves, Godfrey. I dream about it--have regular nightmares. "

He sat down opposite me, concern and anxiety in his face. 

"That won't do, " he protested. "You must go away somewhere--take arest, and a good long one. "

"A rest wouldn't do me any good, as long as this mystery isunsolved, " I said. "It's only by working that I can keep my mind offof it. "

"Well, " he smiled, "just to oblige you, we will solve it first, then. "

"Do you mean you know. . . . "

"I know who the Great Unknown is, and I'm going to tell youpresently. Day after to-morrow--Wednesday--I'll know all the rest. The whole story will be in Thursday morning's paper. Suppose youarrange to start Thursday afternoon. "

I could only stare at him. He smiled as he met my gaze. 

"You're looking better already, " he said, "as though you were takinga little more interest in life, " and he helped himself to a cigar. 

"Godfrey, " I protested, "I wish you would pick out somebody else topractise on. You come up here and explode a bomb just to see how highI'll jump. It's amusing to you, no doubt, and perhaps a littleinstructive; but my nerves won't stand it. "

"My dear Lester, " he broke in, "that wasn't a bomb; that was a simplestatement of fact. "

"Are you serious?"

"Perfectly so. "

"But how do you know. . . . "

"Before I answer any questions, I want to ask you one. Did you, byany chance, mention me to the gentleman known to you as M. FélixArmand?"

"Yes, " I answered, after a moment's thought; "I believe I did. I wastelling him about our trying to find the secret drawer--I mentionedyour name--and he asked who you were. I told him you were a genius atsolving mysteries. "

Godfrey nodded. 

"That, " he said, "explains the one thing I didn't understand. Now goahead with your questions. "

"You said a while ago that you would know all about this affair dayafter to-morrow. "

"Yes. "

"How do you know you will?"

"Because I have received a letter which sets the date, " and he tookfrom his pocket a sheet of paper and handed it over to me. "Read it!"

The letter was written in pencil, in a delicate and somewhat femininehand, on a sheet of plain, unruled paper. With an astonishment whichincreased with every word, I read this extraordinary epistle:--

 "_My Dear Mr. Godfrey:_

 "I have been highly flattered by your interest in the affaire of the cabinet Boule, and admire most deeply your penetration in arriving at a conclusion so nearly correct regarding it. I must thank you, also, for your kindness in keeping me informed of the measures which have been taken to guard the cabinet, and which seem to me very complete and well thought out. I have myself visited the station and inspected the cell, and I find that in every detail you were correct. 

 "It is because I so esteem you as an adversary that I tell you, in confidence, that it is my intention to regain possession of my property on Wednesday next, and that, having done so, I shall beg you to accept a small souvenir of the occasion. 

 "I am, my dear sir, "Most cordially yours, "JACQUES CROCHARD, "L'Invincible!"

I looked up to find Godfrey regarding me with a quizzical smile. 

"Of course it's a joke, " I said. Then I looked at him again. "Surely, Godfrey, you don't believe this is genuine!"

"Perhaps we can prove it, " he said, quietly. "That is one reason Icame up. Didn't Armand leave a note for you the day he failed to seeyou?"

"Yes; on his card; I have it here!" and with trembling fingers, I gotout my pocket-book and drew the card from the compartment in which Ihad carefully preserved it. 

One glance at it was enough. The pencilled line on the back wasunquestionably written by the same hand which wrote the letter. 

"And now you know his name, " Godfrey added, tapping the signaturewith his finger. "I have been certain from the first that it was he!"

I gazed at the signature without answering. I had, of course, read inthe papers many times of the Gargantuan exploits of Crochard--"TheInvincible, " as he loved to call himself, and with good reason. Buthis achievements, at least as the papers described them, seemed toofantastic to be true. I had suspected more than once that he wasmerely a figment of the Parisian space-writers, a sort of reserve forthe dull season; or else that he was a kind of scape-goat saddled bythe French police with every crime which proved too much for them. Now, however, it seemed that Crochard really existed; I held hisletter in my hand; I had even talked with him--and as I rememberedthe fascination, the finish, the distinguished culture of M. FélixArmand, I understood something of the reason of his extraordinaryreputation. 

"There can be no two opinions about him, " said Godfrey, reaching outhis hand for the letter and sinking back in his chair to contemplateit. "Crochard is one of the greatest criminals who ever lived, fullof imagination and resource, and with a sense of humour most acute. Ihave followed his career for years--it was this fact that gave me myfirst clue. He killed a man once before, just as he killed this lastone. The man had betrayed him to the police. He was never betrayedagain. "

"What a fiend he must be!" I said, with a shudder. 

But Godfrey shook his head quickly. 

"Don't get that idea of him, " he protested earnestly. "Up to the timeof his arrival in New York, he had never killed any man except thattraitor. Him he had a certain right to kill--according to thieves'ethics, anyway. His own life has been in peril scores of times, buthe has never killed a man to save himself. Put that down to hiscredit. "

"But Drouet and Vantine, " I objected. 

"An accident for which he was in no way responsible, " said Godfreypromptly. 

"You mean he didn't kill them?"

"Most certainly not. This last man he did kill was a traitor like thefirst. Crochard, I think, reasons like this; to kill an adversary istoo easy; it is too brutal; it lacks finesse. Besides, it removes theadversary. And without adversaries, Crochard's life would be of nointerest to him. After he had killed his last adversary, he wouldhave to kill himself. "

"I can't understand a man like that, " I said. 

"Well, look at this, " said Godfrey, and tapped the letter again. "Hehonours me by considering me an adversary. Does he seek to remove me?On the contrary, he gives me a handicap. He takes off his queen inorder that it may be a little more difficult to mate me!"

"But, surely, Godfrey, " I protested, "you don't take that letterseriously! If he wrote it at all, he wrote it merely to throw you offthe track. If he says Wednesday, he really intends to try for thecabinet to-morrow. "

"I don't think so. I told you he would think me only a tyro. And, beside him, that is all I am. Do you know where he wrote that letter, Lester? Right in the _Record_ office. That is a sheet of our copypaper. He sat down there, right under my nose, wrote that letter, dropped it into my box, and walked out. And all that sometime thisevening, when the office was crowded. "

"But it's absurd for him to write a letter like that, if he reallymeans it. You have only to warn the police. . . . "

"You'll notice he says it is in confidence. "

"And you're going to keep it so?"

"Certainly I am; I consider that he has paid me a high compliment. Ihave shown it to no one but you--also in confidence. "

"It is not the sort of confidence the law recognises, " I pointed out. "To keep a confidence like that is practically to abet a felony. "

"And yet you will keep it, " said Godfrey cheerfully. "You see, I amgoing to do everything I can to prevent that felony. And we will seeif Crochard is really invincible!"

"I'll keep it, " I agreed, "because I think the letter is just ablind. And, by the way, " I added, "I have a letter from Armand & Sonconfirming the fact that their books show that the Boule cabinet wasbought by Philip Vantine. Under the circumstances, I shall have toclaim it and hand it over to the Metropolitan. "

"I hope you won't disturb it until after Wednesday, " said Godfrey, quickly. "I won't have any interest in it after that. "

"You really think Crochard will try for it Wednesday?"

"I really do. "

I shrugged my shoulders. What was the use of arguing with a man likethat?

"Till after Wednesday, then, " I agreed; and Godfrey, having verifiedhis letter and secured from me the two promises he was after, bade megood-night. 

CHAPTER XXIII

WE MEET M. PIGOT

I was just getting ready to leave the office the next afternoon whenGodfrey called me up. 

"How are you feeling to-day, Lester?" he asked. 

"Not as fit as I might, " I said. 

"Have you arranged to start on that vacation Thursday?"

"I don't think that's a good joke, Godfrey. "

"It isn't a joke at all. I want you to arrange it. But meanwhile, howwould you like a whiff of salt air this evening?"

"First rate. How will I get it?"

"The _Savoie_ will get to quarantine about six o'clock. I'm goingdown on our boat to meet her. I want to have a talk with InspectorPigot--the French detective. Will you come along?"

"Will I!" I said. "Where shall I meet you?"

"At the foot of Liberty Street, at five o'clock. "

"I'll be there, " I promised. And I was. 

The boat was cast loose as soon as we got aboard, backed out into thebusy river, her whistle shrieking shrilly, then swung about andheaded down stream. It was a fast boat--the _Record_, which prideditself on outdistancing its contemporaries in other directions, wouldof course try to do so in this--and when she got fairly into herstride, with her engines throbbing rhythmically, the shore on eitherhand slipped past us rapidly. 

The New York sky-line, as seen from the river, is one of the wondersof the world, and I stood looking at it until we swung out into thebay. There were two other men on board--the regular ship reporters, Isuppose--and Godfrey had gone into the cabin with them to talk oversome detail of the evening's work; so I went forward to the bow, where I would get the full benefit of the salt breeze, with the tasteof it on my lips. The Statue of Liberty was just ahead, and alreadythe great search-light in her torch was winking across the water. Craft innumerable crossed and re-crossed, their lights reflected inthe waves, and far ahead, a little to the left, I could see the whiteglow against the sky which marked the position of Coney Island. 

Godfrey joined me presently, and we stood for some time looking atthis scene in silence. 

"It's a great sight, isn't it?" he said, at last. "Hello! look atthat boat!" he added, as a yacht, coming down the bay, drew abreastof us and then slowly forged ahead. "She can go some, can't she? Thisboat of ours is no slouch, you know; but just look how that one walksaway from us. I wonder who she is? What boat is that, captain?" hecalled to the man on the bridge. 

"Don't know, sir, " answered the captain, after a look through hisglasses. "Private yacht--can't make out her name--there's a flag orsomething hanging over the stern. She's flying the French flag. Therecome the other press boats behind us, sir, " he added. "And there'sthe _Savoie_ just slowing down at quarantine. "

Far ahead we could see the great hull of the liner, dark against thehorizon, and crowned with row upon row of glowing lights. 

"One doesn't appreciate how big those boats are until one sees themfrom the water, " I remarked. "Isn't she immense?"

"And yet she's not an especially big boat, either, " said Godfrey. "Toswing in under the really big ones--like the _Olympic_--is anexperience to remember. "

The _Savoie_ had by this time slowed down until she was just holdingher own against the tide, and one of her lower ports swung open. Amoment later, a boat puffed up beside her, made fast, and three orfour men clambered aboard and disappeared through the port. 

"There go the doctors, " said Godfrey. "And there is that French boatgoing alongside. "

The tug from quarantine dropped astern and the French yacht took herplace. After a short colloquy, one man from her was helped aboard the_Savoie_. Then it was our turn, and after what seemed to me atremendous swishing and swirling at imminent risk of collision, weswung up to the open port, a line was flung out and made fast, and amoment later Godfrey and I and the other two men were aboard theliner. 

My companions exchanged greetings with the officer in charge of theopen port, and then we hurried forward along a narrow corridor, smelling of rubber and heated metal, then up stair after stair, untilat last we came to the main companionway. Here the two men left us, to seek certain distinguished passengers, I suppose, whose views uponthe questions of the day were (presumably) anxiously awaited by anexpectant public. Godfrey stopped in front of the purser's office, and passed his card through the little window to the man inside thecage. 

"I should like to see M. Pigot, of the Paris _Service du Sûreté_" hesaid. "Perhaps you will be so kind as to have a steward take my cardto him?"

"That is unnecessary, sir, " replied the purser, courteously. "That isM. Pigot yonder--the gentleman with the white hair, with his back tous. You will have to wait for a moment, however; the gentlemanspeaking with him is from the French consulate, and has but thismoment come aboard. "

I could not see Inspector Pigot's face, but I could see that he heldhimself very erect, in a manner bespeaking military training. Themessenger from the legation was a youngish man, with waxed moustacheand wearing an eyeglass. He was greeting M. Pigot at the moment, and, after a word or two, produced from an inside pocket anofficial-looking envelope, tied with red tape and secured with animmense red seal. 

M. Pigot looked at it an instant, while his companion added asentence in his ear; then, with a nod of assent, the detective turneddown one of the passage-ways, the other man at his heels. 

"Official business, no doubt, " commented the purser, who had alsobeen watching this little scene. "M. Pigot is one of the best of ourofficers, and you will find it a pleasure to talk with him. He willno doubt soon be disengaged. "

"Yes, but meanwhile my esteemed contemporaries will arrive, " saidGodfrey, with a grimace. "They are on my heels--here they are now!"

In fact, for the next twenty minutes, reporters from the other paperskept arriving, till there was quite a crowd before the purser'soffice. And from nearly every paper a special man had been detailedto interview M. Pigot. Evidently all the papers were alive to theimportance of the subject. There was some good-natured chaffing, andthen one of the stewards was bribed to carry the cards of theassembled multitude to M. Pigot's stateroom, with the request for anaudience. 

The steward went away laughing, and came back presently to say thatM. Pigot would be pleased to see us in a few minutes. But when fiveminutes more passed and he did not appear, impatience broke out anew. The lords of the press were not accustomed to being kept waiting. 

"I move we storm his castle, " suggested the _World_ man. 

And just then, M. Pigot himself stepped out into the companionway. Inan instant he was surrounded. 

"My good friends of the press, " he said, speaking slowly, but withonly the faintest accent, and he smiled around at the faces bent uponhim. "You will pardon me for keeping you in waiting, but I had somematters of the first importance to attend to; and also my bag topack. Steward, " he added, "you will find my bag outside my door. Please bring it here, so that I may be ready to go ashore at once. "The steward hurried away, and M. Pigot turned back to us. "Now, gentlemen, " he went on, "what is it that I can do for you?"

It was to Godfrey that the position of spokesman naturally fell. 

"We wish first to welcome you to America, M. Pigot, " he said, "and tohope that you will have a pleasant and interesting stay in ourcountry. "

"You are most kind, " responded the Frenchman, with a charming smile. "I am sure that I shall find it most interesting--especially yourwonderful city, of which I have heard many marvellous things. "

"And in the next place, " continued Godfrey, "we hope that, with yourassistance, our police may be able to solve the mystery surroundingthe death of the three men recently killed here, and to arrest themurderer. Of themselves, they seem to be able to do nothing. "

M. Pigot spread out his hands with a little deprecating gesture. 

"I also hope we may be successful, " he said; "but if your police havenot been, my poor help will be of little account. I have a profoundadmiration for your police; the results which they accomplish arewonderful, when one considers the difficulties under which theylabour. "

He spoke with an accent so sincere that I was almost convinced hemeant every word of it; but Godfrey only smiled. 

"It is a proverb, " he said, "that the French police are the best inthe world. You, no doubt, have a theory in regard to the death ofthese men?"

"I fear it is impossible, sir, " said M. Pigot, regretfully, "toanswer that question at present, or to discuss this case with you. Ihave my report first to make to the chief of your detective bureau. To-morrow I shall be most happy to tell you all that I can. But forto-night my lips are closed, sad as it makes me to seemdiscourteous. "

I could hear behind me the little indrawn breath of disappointment atthe failure of the direct attack. M. Pigot's position was, of course, absolutely correct; but nevertheless Godfrey prepared to attack it onthe flank. 

"You are going ashore to-night?" he inquired. 

"I was expecting a representative of your bureau to meet me here, " M. Pigot explained. "I was hoping to return with him to the city. I haveno time to lose. In addition, the more quickly we get to work, themore likely we shall be to succeed. Ah! perhaps that is he, " headded, as a voice was heard inquiring loudly for Moosseer Piggott. 

I recognised that voice, and so did Godfrey, and I saw the cloud ofdisappointment which fell upon his face. 

An instant later, Grady, with Simmonds in his wake, elbowed his waythrough the group. 

"Moosseer Piggott!" he cried, and enveloped the Frenchman's slenderhand in his great paw, and gave it a squeeze which was no doubtpainful. 

"Glad to see you, sir. Welcome to our city, as we say over here inAmerica. I certainly hope you can speak English, for I don't know aword of your lingo. I'm Commissioner Grady, in charge of thedetective bureau; and this is Simmonds, one of my men. "

M. Pigot's perfect suavity was not even ruffled. 

"I am most pleased to meet you, sir; and you Monsieur Simmòn, " hesaid. "Yes--I speak English--though, as you see, with somedifficulty. "

"These reporters bothering your life out, I see, " and Grady glancedabout the group, scowling as his eyes met Godfrey's. "Now you boysmight as well fade away. You won't get anything out of either of usto-night--eh, Moosseer Piggott?"

"I have but just told them that my first report must be made to you, sir, " assented Pigot. 

"Then let's go somewhere and have a drink, " suggested Grady. 

"I was hoping, " said M. Pigot, gently, "that we might go ashore atonce. I have my papers ready for you. . . . "

"All right, " agreed Grady. "And after I've looked over your papers, I'll show you Broadway, and I'll bet you agree with me that it beatsanything in gay Paree. Our boat's waiting, and we can start rightaway. This your bag? Yes? Bring it along, Simmonds, " and Gradystarted for the stair. 

But the attentive steward got ahead of Simmonds. 

M. Pigot turned to us with a little smile. 

"Till to-morrow, gentlemen, " he said. "I shall be at the Hotel Astor, and shall be glad to see you--shall we say at eleven o'clock? I amtruly sorry that I can tell you nothing to-night. "

He shook hands with the purser, waved his hand to us, and joinedGrady, who was watching these amenities with evident impatience. Together they disappeared down the stair. 

"A contrast in manners, was it not, gentlemen?" asked Godfrey, looking about him. "Didn't you blush for America?"

The men laughed, for they knew he was after Grady, and yet it wasevident enough that they agreed with him. 

"Come on, Lester, " he added; "we might as well be getting back. I cansend the boat down again after the other boys, " and he turned downthe stair. 

CHAPTER XXIV

THE SECRET OF THE CABINET

Godfrey bade me good-bye at the dock and hastened away to the officeto write his story, which, I could guess, would be concerned with themanners of Americans, especially with Grady's. As for me, that whiffof salt air had put an unaccustomed edge to my appetite, and I took acab to Murray's, deciding to spend the remainder of the eveningthere, over a good dinner. Except in a certain mood, Murray's doesnot appeal to me; the pseudo-Grecian temple in the corner, with watercascading down its steps, the make-believe clouds which float acrossthe ceiling, the tables of glass lighted from beneath--all this, ordinarily, seems trivial and banal; but occasionally, in an esotericmood, I like Murray's, and can even find something picturesque andromantic in bright gowns, and gleaming shoulders, and handsome facesseen amid these bizarre surroundings. And then, of course, there isalways the cooking, which leaves nothing to be desired. 

I was in the right mood to-night for the enjoyment of the place, andI ambled through the dinner in a fashion so leisurely and trifled solong over coffee and cigarette that it was far past ten o'clock whenI came out again into Forty-second Street. After an instant'shesitation, I decided to walk home, and turned back toward Broadway, already filling with the after-theatre crowd. 

Often as I have seen it, Broadway at night is still a fascinatingplace to me, with its blazing signs, its changing crowds, itsclanging street traffic, its bright shop-windows. Grady was right insaying that "gay Paree" had nothing like it; nor has any other citythat I know. It is, indeed, unique and thoroughly American; and Iwalked along it that night in the most leisurely fashion, savouringit to the full; pausing, now and then, for a glance at a shop-window, and stopping at the Hoffman House--now denuded, alas! of itsBouguereau--to replenish my supply of cigarettes. 

Reaching Madison Square, at last, I walked out under the trees, as Ialmost always do, to have a look at the Flatiron Building, whiteagainst the sky. Then I glanced up at the Metropolitan tower, higherbut far less romantic in appearance, and saw by the big illuminatedclock that it was nearly half-past eleven. 

I crossed back over Broadway, at last, and turned down Twenty-thirdStreet in the direction of the Marathon, when, just at the corner, Icame face to face with three men as they swung around the corner inthe same direction, and, with a little start, I recognised Grady andSimmonds, with M. Pigot between them. Evidently Grady had felt itincumbent upon himself to make good his promise in the most liberalmanner, and to display the wonders of the Great White Way from end toend--the ceremony no doubt involving the introduction of the strangerto a number of typical American drinks--and the result of all thiswas that Grady's legs wobbled perceptibly. As a matter of racialcomparison, I glanced at M. Pigot's, but they seemed in every waynormal. 

"Hello, Lester, " said Simmonds, in a voice which showed that he hadnot wholly escaped the influences of the evening's celebration; andeven Grady condescended to nod, from which I inferred that he wasfeeling very unusually happy. 

"Hello, Simmonds, " I answered, and, as I turned westward with them, he dropped back and; fell into step beside me. 

"Piggott is certainly a wonder, " he said. "A regular sport--wanted tosee everything and taste everything. He says Paris ain't in the sameclass with this town. "

"Where are you going now?" I asked. 

"We're going round to the station. Piggott says he's got a sensationup his sleeve for us--it's got something to do with that cabinet. "

"With the cabinet?"

"Yes--that shiny thing Godfrey got me to lock up in a cell. "

"Simmonds, " I said, seriously, "does Godfrey know about this?"

"No, " said Simmonds, looking a little uncomfortable. "I told Grady weought to 'phone him to come up, but the chief got mad and told me tomind my own business. Godfrey's been after him, you know, for a longtime. "

"Suppose I 'phone him, " I suggested. "There'd be no objection tothat, would there?"

"_I_ won't object, " said Simmonds, "and I don't know who else will, since nobody else will know about it. "

"All right. And drag out the preliminaries as long as you can, togive him a chance to get up here. "

Simmonds nodded. 

"I'll do what I can, " he agreed, "but I don't see what good it willdo. The chief won't let him in, even if he does come up. "

"We'll have to leave that to Godfrey. But he ought to be told. He'sresponsible for the cabinet being where it is. "

"I know he is, and Piggott says it was a mighty wise thing to put itthere, though I'm blessed if I know why. Hurry Godfrey along as muchas you can. Good-night, " and he followed his companions into thestation. 

There was a drugstore at the corner with a public telephone station, and two minutes later, I was asking to be connected with the city-roomat the _Record_ office. 

No, said a supercilious voice, Mr. Godfrey was not there; he had leftsome time before; no, the speaker did not know where he was going, nor when he would be back. 

"Look here, " I said, "this is important. I want to talk to the cityeditor--and be quick about it. "

There was an instant's astonished silence. 

"What name?" asked the voice. 

"Lester, of Royce and Lester--and you might tell your city editorthat Godfrey is a close friend of mine. "

The city editor seemed to understand, for I was switched on to him amoment later. But he was scarcely more satisfactory. 

"We sent Godfrey up into Westchester to see a man, " he said, "on atip that looked pretty good. He started just as soon as he got hisPigot story written, and he ought to be back almost any time. Isthere a message I can give him?"

"Yes--tell him Pigot is at the Twenty-third Street station, and thathe'd better come up as soon as he can. "

"Very good. I'll give him the message the moment he comes in. "

"Thank you, " I said, but the disappointment was a bitter one. 

In the street again, I paused hesitatingly at the curb, my eyes onthe red light of the police station. What was about to happen there?What was the sensation M. Pigot had up his sleeve? Had I any excusefor being present?

And then, remembering Grady's nod and his wobbly legs--remembering, too, that, at the worst, he could only put me out!--I turned towardthe light, pushed open the door and entered. 

There was no one in sight except the sergeant at the desk. 

"My name is Lester, " I said. "You have a cabinet here belonging tothe estate of the late Philip Vantine. "

"We've got a cabinet, all right; but I don't know who it belongs to. "

"It belongs to Mr. Vantine's estate. "

"Well, what about it?" he asked, looking at me to see if I was drunk. "You haven't come in here at midnight to tell me that, I hope?"

"No; but I'd like to see the cabinet a minute. "

"You can't see it to-night. Come around to-morrow. Besides, I don'tknow you. "

"Here's my card. Either Mr. Simmonds or Mr. Grady would know me. Andto-morrow won't do. "

The sergeant took the card, looked at it, and looked at me. 

"Wait a minute, " he said, at last, and disappeared through a door atthe farther side of the room. He was gone three or four minutes, andthe station-clock struck twelve as I stood there. I counted thesonorous, deliberate strokes, and then, in the silence that followed, my hands began to tremble with the suspense. Suppose Grady shouldrefuse to see me? But at last the sergeant came back. 

"Come along, " he said, opening the gate in the railing and motioningme through. "Straight on through that door, " he added, and sat downagain at his desk. 

With a desperate effort at careless unconcern, I opened the door andpassed through. Then, involuntarily, I stopped. For there, in themiddle of the floor, was the Boule cabinet, with M. Pigot standingbeside it, and Grady and Simmonds sitting opposite, flung carelesslyback in their chairs, and puffing at black cigars. 

They all looked at me as I entered, Pigot with an evident contractionof the brows which showed how strongly his urbanity was strained;Simmonds with an affectation of surprise, and Grady with a bland andsomewhat vacant smile. My heart rose when I saw that smile. 

"Well, Mr. Lester, " he said, "so you want to see this cabinet?"

"Yes, " I answered; "it really belongs to the Vantine estate, youknow; I'm going to put in a claim for it--that is, if you are notwilling to surrender it without contest. "

"Did you just happen to think of this in the middle of the night?" heinquired quizzically. 

"No, " I said, boldly; "but I saw you and Mr. Simmonds and thisgentleman"--with a bow to M. Pigot--"turn in here a moment ago, andit occurred to me that the cabinet might have something to do withyour visit. Of course, we don't want the cabinet injured. It is veryvaluable. "

"Don't worry, " said Grady, easily, "we're not going to injure it. AndI think we'll be ready to surrender it to you at any time afterto-night. Moosseer Piggott here wants to do a few tricks with itfirst. I suppose you have a certain right to be present--so, if youlike sleight-of-hand, sit down. "

I hastily sought a chair, my heart singing within me. Then Iattempted to assume a mask of indifference, for M. Pigot wasobviously annoyed at my presence, and I feared for a moment that hisGallic suavity would be strained to breaking. But Grady, if henoticed his guest's annoyance, paid no heed to it; and I began tosuspect that the Frenchman's courtesy and good-breeding had ended byrubbing Grady the wrong way, they were in such painful contrast tohis own hob-nailed manners. Whatever the cause, there was a certainmalice in the smile he turned upon the Frenchman. 

"And now, Moosseer Piggott, " he said, settling back in his chair alittle farther, "we're ready for the show. "

"What I have to tell you, sir, " began M. Pigot, in a voice as hard assteel and cold as ice, "has, understand well, to be told inconfidence. It must remain between ourselves until the criminal issecured. "

Grady's smile hardened a little. Perhaps he did not like theimperatives. At any rate, he ignored the hint. 

"Understand, Mr. Lester?" he asked, looking at me, and I nodded. 

I saw Pigot's eyes flame and his face flush with anger, for Grady'stone was almost insulting. For an instant I thought that he wouldrefuse to proceed; but he controlled himself. 

Standing there facing me, in the full light, it was possible for meto examine him much more closely than had been possible on board theboat, and I looked at him with interest. He was typically French, --smooth-shaven, with a face seamed with little wrinkles and verywhite, eyes shadowed by enormously bushy lashes, and close-croppedhair as white as his face. But what attracted me most was the mouth--a mouth at once delicate and humourous, a little large and with thelips full enough to betoken vigour, yet not too full for fineness. Hewas about sixty years of age, I guessed; and there was about him theair of a man who had passed through a hundred remarkable experiences, without once losing his aplomb. Certainly he was not going to lose itnow. 

"The story which I have to relate, " he began in his careful English, clipping his words a little now and then, "has to do with the theftof the famous Michaelovitch diamonds. You may, perhaps, remember thecase. "

I remembered it, certainly, for the robbery had been conceived andcarried out with such brilliancy and daring that its details had atonce arrested my attention--to say nothing of the fact that thediamonds, which formed the celebrated collection belonging to theGrand Duke Michael, of Russia, --sojourning in Paris becauseunappreciated in his native land and also because of the supremeattraction of the French capital to one of his temperament--werevalued at something like eight million francs. 

"That theft, " continued M. Pigot, "was accomplished in a manner atonce so bold and so unique that we were certain it could be the workof but a single man--a rascal named Crochard, who calls himself also'The Invincible'--a rascal who has given us very great trouble, butwhom we have never been able to convict. In this case, we had againsthim no direct evidence; we subjected him to an interrogation andfound that he had taken care to provide a perfect alibi; so we werecompelled to release him. We knew that it would be quite useless toarrest him unless we should find some of the stolen jewels in hispossession. He appeared as usual upon the boulevards, at the cafés, everywhere. He laughed in our faces. For us, it was not pleasant; butour law is strict. For us to accuse a man, to arrest him, and then tobe compelled to own ourselves mistaken, is a very serious matter. Butwe did what we could. We kept Crochard under constant surveillance;we searched his rooms and those of his mistress not once but manytimes. On one occasion, when he passed the barrier at Vincennes, ouragents fell upon him and searched him, under pretence of robbing him. 

"He was, understand well, not for an instant deceived. He knewthoroughly what we were doing, for what we were searching. He knewalso that nowhere in Europe would he dare to attempt to sell a singleone of those jewels. We suspected that he would attempt to bring themto this country, and we warned your department of customs. For weknew that here he could sell all but the very largest not only almostwithout danger, but at a price far greater than he could obtain forthem in Europe. We closed every avenue to him, as we thought--andthen, all at once, he disappeared. 

"For two weeks we heard nothing--then came the story of this manDrouet, killed by a stab on the hand. At once we recognised the workof Crochard, for he alone of living men possesses the secret of thepoison of the Medici. It is a fearful secret, which, in his wholelife, he had used but once--and that upon a man who had betrayedhim. "

M. Pigot paused and passed his hand across his forehead. 

"We were at a loss to understand Crochard's connection with Drouet, "M. Pigot continued. "Drouet, while a mere hanger-on of the cafés ofthe boulevards, was not a criminal. Then came the death of thatcreature Morel, in an effort to gain possession of this cabinet, andwe began to understand. We made inquiries concerning the cabinet; welearned its history, and the secret of its construction, and wearrived at a certain conclusion. It was to ascertain if thatconclusion is correct that I came to America. "

"What is the conclusion?" queried Grady, who had listened to all thiswith a manifest impatience in strong contrast to my own absorbedinterest. 

For I had already guessed what the conclusion was, and my pulses werebounding with excitement. "Our theory, " replied M. Pigot, withoutthe slightest acceleration of speech, "is that the Michaelovitchdiamonds are concealed in this cabinet. Everything points to it--andwe shall soon see. " As he spoke, he drew from his pocket a steelgauntlet, marvellously like the one Godfrey had used, and slipped itover his right hand. "When one attempts to fathom the secrets of_L'Invincible_" he said with a smile, "one must go armoured. Alreadythree men have paid with their lives the penalty of their rashness. ""Three men!" repeated Grady, wonderingly. "Three, " and Pigot checkedthem off upon his fingers. "First the man who gave his name asd'Aurelle, but who was really a blackmailer named Drouet; second, M. Vantine, the connoisseur; and third, the creature Morel. Of these, the only one that really matters is M. Vantine; his death was mostunfortunate, and I am sure that Crochard regrets it exceedingly. Hemight also regret my death, but, at any rate, I have no wish to bethe fourth. Not I, " and he adjusted the gauntlet carefully. "Onemoment, monsieur, " I said, bursting in, unable to remain longersilent. "This is all so wonderful--so thrilling--will you not tell usmore? For what were these three men searching? For the jewels?""Monsieur is as familiar with the facts as I, " he answered, in asarcastic tone. "He knows that Drouet was killed while searching fora packet of letters, which would have compromised most seriously agreat lady; he knows that M. Vantine was killed while endeavouring toopen the drawer after its secret had been revealed to him by the maidof that same great lady, who was hoping to get a reward for them;Morel met death directly at the hands of Crochard because he was atraitor and deserved it. " More and more fascinated, I stared at him. What secret was safe, I asked myself, from this astonishing man? Orwas he merely piecing together the whole story from such fragments ashe knew? "But even yet, " I stammered, "I do not understand. We haveopened the secret drawer of the cabinet--there was no poison. Howcould it have killed Drouet and Mr. Vantine?"

"Very simply, " said M. Pigot, coldly. "Death came to Drouetand M. Vantine because the maid of Madame la Duchesse mistookher left hand for her right. The drawer which contained theletters is at the left of the cabinet--see, " and hepressed the series of springs, caught the little handle, andpulled the drawer open. "You will notice that the letters are gone, for the drawer was opened by Madame la Duchesse herself, in thepresence of M. Lestaire, who very gallantly permitted her to resumepossession of them. The drawer which Drouet and M. Vantine opened, "and here his voice became a little strident under the stress of greatemotion, "is on the right side of the cabinet, exactly opposite theother, and opened by a similar combination. But there is one greatdifference. About the first drawer, there is nothing to harm any one;the other is guarded by the deadliest poison the world has everknown. Observe me, gentlemen!" Impelled by an excitement so intenseas to be almost painful, I had risen from my chair and drawn near tohim. As he spoke, he bent above the desk and pressed three fingersalong the right edge. There was a sharp click, and a section of theinlay fell outward, forming a handle, just as I had seen it do on theother side of the desk. M. Pigot hesitated an instant--any man wouldhave hesitated before that awful risk!--then, catching the handlefirmly with his armoured hand, he drew it quickly out. There was asharp clash, as of steel on steel, and the drawer stood open. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE MICHAELOVITCH DIAMONDS

M. Pigot, cool and imperturbable, held out to us, with a littlesmile, a hand which showed not a quiver of emotion--his gauntletedhand; and I saw that, on the back of it, were two tiny depressions. At the bottom of each depression lay a drop of bright red liquid--blood-red, I told myself, as I stared at it, fascinated. And whatnerves of steel this man possessed! A sudden warmth of admiration forhim glowed within me. "That liquid, gentlemen, " he said in hissmooth voice, "is the most powerful poison ever distilled by man. Those two tiny drops would kill a score of people, and kill theminstantly. Its odour betrays its origin"--and, indeed, the air washeavy with the scent of bitter almonds--"but the poison ordinarilyderived from that source is as nothing compared with this. Thispoison is said to have been discovered by Rémy, the remarkable manwho brought about the death of the Duc d'Anjou. Its distillation wassupposed to be one of the lost arts, but the secret was rediscoveredby this man Crochard. No secret, indeed, is safe from him; criminalhistory, criminal memoirs--the mysteries and achievements of the greatconfederacy of crime which has existed for many centuries, and whoseexistence few persons even suspect--all this is to him an open book. It is this which renders him so formidable. No man can stand againsthim. Even the secret of this drawer was known to him, and he availedhimself of it when need arose. " M. Pigot paused, his head bent inthought; and I seemed to be gazing with him down long avenues of crime, extending far into the past--dismal avenues like those of Père Lachaise, where tombs elbowed each other; where, at every step, one came face toface with a mystery, a secret, or a tragedy. Only, here, the mysterieswere all solved, the secrets all uncovered, the tragedies allunderstood. But only to the elect, to criminals really great, werethese avenues open; to all others they were forbidden. Alone ofliving men, perhaps, Crochard was free to wander there unchallenged. 

Some such vision as this, I say, passed before my eyes, and I had afeeling that M. Pigot shared in it; but, after an instant, he turnedback to the cabinet. 

"Now, M. Simmón, " he said, briskly, in an altered voice, "if you willhave the kindness to hold the drawer for a moment in this position, Iwill draw the serpent's fangs. There is not the slightest danger, " headded, seeing that Simmonds very naturally hesitated. 

Thus assured, Simmonds grasped the handle of the drawer, and held itopen, while the Frenchman took from his pocket a tiny flask ofcrystal. 

"A little farther, " he said; and as Simmonds, with evident effort, drew the drawer out to its full length, a tiny, two-tined prongpushed itself forward from underneath the cabinet. "There are thefangs, " said M. Pigot. He held the mouth of the flask under first oneand then the other, passing his other hand carefully behind and abovethem. "The poison is held in place by what we in French call_attraction capillaire_--I do not know the English; but I drive itout by introducing the air behind it--ah, you see!"

He stood erect and held the flask up to the light. It was half fullof the red liquid. 

"Enough to decimate France, " he said, screwed the stopper carefullyinto place, and put the flask in his pocket. "Release the drawer, ifyou please, monsieur, " he added to Simmonds. 

It sprang back into place on the instant, the arabesqued handlesnapping up with a little click. 

"You will observe its ingenuity, " said M. Pigot. "It is really mostclever. For whenever the hand, struck by the poisoned fangs, loosenedits hold on the drawer, the drawer sprang shut as you see, andeverything was as before--except that one man more had tasted death. Now I open it. The fangs fall again; they strike the gauntlet; butfor that, they would pierce the hand, but death no longer follows. Byturning this button, I lock the spring, and the drawer remains open. The man who devised this mechanism was so proud of it that hedescribed it in a secret memoir for the entertainment of the GrandLouis. There is a copy of that memoir among the archives of theBibliothèque Nationale; the original is owned by Crochard. It was hewho connected that memoir with this cabinet, who rediscovered themechanism, rewound the spring, and renewed the poison. No doubt thestroke with the poisoned fangs, which he used to punish traitors, wasthe result of reading that memoir. "

"This Croshar--or whatever his name is, --seems to be a 'strordinaryfeller, " observed Grady, relighting his cigar. 

"He is, " agreed M. Pigot, quietly; "a most extraordinary man. Buteven he is not infallible; for, since the memoir made no mention ofthe other secret drawer--the one in which Madame la Duchesseconcealed her love letters--Crochard knew nothing of it. It was thatfact which defeated his combinations--a pure accident which he couldnot foresee. And now, gentlemen, it shall be my pleasure to displaybefore you some very beautiful brilliants. "

Not until that instant had I thought of what the drawer contained; Ihad been too fascinated by the poisoned fangs and by the story toldso quietly but so effectively by the French detective; but now Iperceived that the drawer was filled with little rolls of cotton, which had been pressed into it quite tightly. 

M. Pigot removed the first of these, unrolled it and spread it outupon the desk, and instantly we caught the glitter of diamonds--diamonds so large, so brilliant, so faultlessly white that I drew adeep breath of admiration. Even M. Pigot, evidently as he pridedhimself upon his imperturbability, could not look upon those gemswholly unmoved; a slow colour crept into his cheeks as he gazed downat them, and he picked up one or two of the larger ones to admirethem more closely. Then he unfolded roll after roll, stopping fromtime to time for a look at the larger brilliants. 

"These are from the famous necklace which the Grand Duke inheritedfrom his grandmother, " he said, calling our attention to a littlepile of marvellous gems in one of the last packets. "Crochard, ofcourse, removed them from their settings--that was inevitable. Hecould melt down the settings and sell the gold; but not one of thesebrilliants would be marketable in Europe for many years. Each of themis a marked gem. Here in America, your police regulations are not socomplete; but I fancy that, even here, he would have had difficultyin marketing this one, " and he unfolded the last packet, and held upto the light a rose-diamond which seemed to me as large as a walnut, and a-glow with lovely colour. 

"Perhaps you have stopped to admire the Mazarin diamond in the_galérie d'Apollon_ at the Louvre, " said M. Pigot. "There is always acrowd about that case, and a special attendant is installed there toguard it, for it contains some articles of great value. But theMazarin is not one of them; for it is not a diamond at all; it ispaste--a paste facsimile of which this is the original. Oh, it is allquite honest, " he added, as Grady snorted derisively. "Some yearsago, the directors of the Louvre needed a fund for the purchase ofnew paintings; needed also to clean and restore the old ones. Theydecided that it was folly to keep three millions of francs imprisonedin a single gem, when their Michael Angelos and da Vincis andMurillos were encrusted with dirt and fading daily. So they sought apurchaser for the Mazarin; they found one in the empress of Russia, who had a craze for precious stones, and who, at her death, left thisremarkable collection to her favourite son, who had inherited herpassion. A paste replica of the Mazarin was placed in the Louvre forthe crowds to admire, and every one soon forgot that it was notreally the diamond. For myself, I think the directors acted mostwisely. And now, " he added, with a gesture toward the glitteringheaps, "what shall we do with all this?"

"There's only one thing to do, " said Grady, awaking suddenly as froma trance, "and that's to get them in a safe-deposit box as quick aspossible. There's no police-safe I'd trust with 'em! Why, they'd temptthe angel Gabriel!" and he drew a deep breath. 

"Can we find a box of safe-deposit at this hour of the night?" askedM. Pigot, glancing at his watch. "It is almost one o'clock and ahalf. "

"That's easy in New York, " said Grady. "We'll take 'em over to theDay and Night Bank on Fifth Avenue. It never closes. Wait till I getsomething to put 'em in. "

He went out and came back presently with a small valise. 

"This will do, " he said. "Stow 'em away, and I'll call up the bankand arrange for the box. "

Simmonds and Pigot rolled up the packets carefully and placed them inthe valise, while I sat watching them in a kind of daze. And Iunderstood the temptation which would assail a man in the presence ofso much beauty. It was not the value of the jewels which shook anddazzled me--I scarcely thought of that; it was their seductivebrilliance, it was the thought that, if I possessed them, I mighttake them out at any hour of the day or night and run my fingersthrough them and watch them shimmer and quiver in the light. 

"The Grand Duke Michael must have been considerably upset, " remarkedSimmonds, who, throughout all this scene, had lost no whit of hisserenity of demeanour. 

"He has been like a madman, " said M. Pigot, smiling a little atSimmonds's unemotional tone. "These jewels are a passion with him; heworships them; he never has parted with them, even for a day; wherehe goes, they have gone. In his most desperate need of money--and hehas had such need many times--he has never sold one of hisbrilliants. On the contrary, whenever he has money or credit, and theopportunity comes to purchase a stone of unusual beauty, he cannotresist, even though his debts go unpaid. Since the loss of thesestones, he has raved, he has cursed, he has beat his servants--one ofthem has died, in consequence. We are all a little mad on some onesubject, I have heard it said; well, the Grand Duke Michael is verymad on the subject of diamonds. "

"Why didn't he offer a reward for their return?" queried Simmonds. 

"Oh, he did, " said M. Pigot. "He offered immediately his wholefortune for their return. But his fortune was not large enough totempt Crochard, for the Grand Duke really has nothing but the incomefrom his family estates, and you may well believe that he spends allof it. It will be a great joy to him that we have found them. "

The thought flashed through my mind that doubtless M. Pigot was inthe way of receiving a handsome present. 

"There they are, " said Simmonds, and closed the bag with a snap, asGrady came in again. 

"I've arranged for the box, " said Grady, "and one of our wagons is atthe door. I thought we'd better not trust a taxi--might turn over orrun into something, and we can't afford to take any chances--not thistrip. Simmonds, you go along with Moosseer Piggott, and put an extraman on the seat with the driver. Maybe that Croshar might try to holdyou up. "

The same thought was in my own mind, for Crochard must have learnedof M. Pigot's arrival; and I could scarcely imagine that he would sitquietly by and permit the jewels to be taken away from him--to saynothing of his chagrin over his unfulfilled boast to Godfrey. So Iwas relieved that Grady was wise enough to take no risk. 

"You'd better get a receipt, " Grady went on, "and arrange that thevalise is to be delivered only when you and Moosseer Piggott appeartogether. That will be satisfactory, moosseer?" he added, turning tothe Frenchman. 

"Entirely so, sir. "

"Very well, then; I'll see you in the morning. I congratulate you onthe find. It was certainly great work. "

"I thank you, sir, " replied M. Pigot, gravely. "Au revoir, monsieur, "and with a bow to me, he followed Simmonds into the outer room. 

Grady sat down and got out a fresh cigar. 

"Well, Mr. Lester, " he said, as he struck a match, "what do you thinkof these Frenchmen, anyway?"

"They're marvellous, " I said. "Even yet I can't understand how heknew so much. "

"Maybe he was just guessing at some of it, " Grady suggested. 

"I thought of that; but I don't believe anybody could guess soaccurately. For instance, how did he know about those letters?"

"Fact is, " broke in Grady, "that's the first I'd heard of 'em. What_is_ that story?"

I told him the story briefly, carefully suppressing everything whichwould give him a clue to the identity of the veiled lady. 

"There were certain details, " I added, "which I supposed were knownto no one except myself and two other persons--and yet M. Pigot knewthem. Then again, how did he know so certainly just how the mechanismworked? How did he know which roll of cotton contained that Mazarindiamond? You will remember he told us what was in that roll before heopened it. "

Grady smiled good-naturedly and a little patronisingly. 

"That was the last roll, wasn't it?" he demanded. "Since that bigdiamond hadn't shown up in any of the others, he knew it had to be inthat roll. It was just one of the little plays for effect themFrenchies are so fond of. "

"Perhaps you are right, " I agreed. "But it seemed to me that hehandled that mechanism as though he was familiar with it. Of course, he may have prepared himself by studying the drawings which no doubtaccompany the secret memoir. He may even have had a working modelmade. "

Grady nodded tolerantly. 

"Them fellers go to a lot of trouble over little things like that, "he said. "They like to slam their cards down on the table with a bighurrah, even when the cards ain't worth a damn. "

"He certainly held trumps this time, anyway, " I commented. "And heplayed his hand superbly. He is an extraordinary man. "

"And a great actor, " Grady supplemented. "Them fellers always behavelike they was on the stage, right in the spot-light. It makes me alittle tired, sometimes. Hello! Who's that?"

The front door had been flung open; there was an instant's colloquywith the desk-sergeant, then a rapid step crossed the outer room, andGodfrey burst in upon us. 

He cast a rapid glance at the Boule cabinet, at the secret drawerstanding open, empty; and then his eyes rested upon Grady. 

"So he got away with it, did he?" he inquired. 

"Who in hell do you think you are?" shouted Grady, his face purple, "coming in here like this? Get out, or I'll have you thrown out!"

"Oh, I'll go, " retorted Godfrey coolly. "I've seen all I care to see. Only I'll tell you one thing, Grady--you've signed your owndeath-warrant to-night!"

"What do you mean by that?" Grady demanded, in a lower tone. 

"I mean that you won't last an hour after the story of this night'swork gets out. "

Grady's colour slowly faded as he met the burning and contemptuousgaze Godfrey turned upon him. As for me, an awful fear had gripped myheart. 

"Do you mean to say it wasn't Piggott?" stammered Grady, at last. 

Godfrey laughed scornfully. 

"No, you blithering idiot!" he said. "It wasn't Pigot. It wasCrochard himself!"

And he stalked out, slamming the door behind him. 

CHAPTER XXVI

THE FATE OF M. PIGOT

Whatever may have been Grady's defects of insight and imagination, hewas energetic enough when thoroughly aroused. Almost before the echoof that slamming door had died away, he was beside the sergeant'sdesk. 

"Get out the reserves, " he ordered, "and have the other wagon around. 'Phone headquarters to rush every man available up to the Day andNight Bank, and say it's from me!"

He stood chewing his cigar savagely as the sergeant hastened to obey. In a moment, the reserves came tumbling out, struggling into theircoats; there was a clatter of hoofs in the street as the wagon dashedup; the reserves piled into it, permitting me to crowd in besidethem, Grady jumped to the seat beside the driver, and we were off ata gallop, our gong waking the echoes of the silent street. 

I clung to the hand-rail as the wagon swayed back and forth orbounded into the air as it struck the car-tracks, and stared out intothe night, struggling to understand. Could Godfrey be right? But ofcourse he was right! Some intuition told me that; and yet, how hadCrochard managed to substitute himself for the French detective?Where was Pigot? Was he lying somewhere in a crumpled heap, with atiny wound upon his hand? But that could not be--Grady and Simmondshad been with him all the evening! And could that aged Frenchman withthe white, fine, wrinkled skin be also the bronzed and virilepersonage whom I had known as Félix Armand? My reason reeled beforethe seeming impossibility of it--and yet, somehow, I knew thatGodfrey was right!

The wagon came to a stop so suddenly that I was thrown violentlyagainst the man next to me, and the reserves, leaping out, swept mebefore them. We were in front of the Day and Night Bank, and at aword from Grady, the men spread into a close cordon before thebuilding. 

Another police wagon stood at the curb, with the driver still on theseat, but as Grady started toward it, a figure appeared at the doorof the bank and shouted to us--shouted in inarticulate words which Icould not understand. But Grady seemed to understand them, and wentup the steps two at a time, with an agility surprising in so large aman, and which I was hard put to it to match. A little group stood atone side of the vestibule looking down at some one extended on acushioned seat. And, an instant later, I saw that it was Simmonds, lying on his back, his eyes open and staring apparently at theceiling. 

But, at the second glance, I saw that the eyes were sightless. 

Grady elbowed his way savagely through the group. 

"Where's Kelly?" he demanded. 

At the words, a white-faced man in uniform arose from a chair intowhich he had plainly dropped exhausted. 

"Oh, there you are!" and Grady glowered at him ferociously. "Now tellme what happened--and tell it quick!"

"Why, sir, " stammered Kelly, "there wasn't anything happened. Onlywhen we stopped out there at the curb and I got down and opened thedoor, there wasn't nobody in the wagon but Mr. Simmonds. I spoke tohim and he didn't answer--and then I touched him and he kind of fellover--and then I rushed in here and 'phoned the station; but theysaid you'd already started for the bank; and then we went out andbrought him in here--and that's all I know, sir. "

"You didn't hear anything--no sound of a struggle?"

"Not a sound, sir; not a single sound. "

"And you haven't any idea where the other man got out?"

"No, sir. "

"Mr. Simmonds had a little valise with him--did you notice it?"

"Yes, sir; and I looked for it in the wagon, but it ain't there. "

Grady turned away with a curse as four or five men ran in from thestreet--the men from headquarters, I told myself. I could hear himtalking to them in sharp, low tones, and then they departed assuddenly as they had come. The reserves also hurried away, and Iconcluded that Grady was trying to throw a net about the territory inwhich the fugitive was probably concealed; but my interest in thatmanoeuvre was overshadowed, for the time being, by my anxiety forSimmonds. I picked up his right hand and looked at it; then I drew adeep breath of relief, for it was uninjured. 

"Has anyone sent for a doctor?" I asked. 

"Yes, sir, " one of the bank attaches answered. "We telephoned for oneat once--here he is, now!" he added, as a little black-bearded manentered, carry the inevitably-identifying medicine case. 

The newcomer glanced at the body, waved us back, fell on one knee, stripped away the clothing from the breast and applied his ear to theheart. Then he looked into the staring eyes, drew down the lids, watched them snap up again, and then hastily opened his case. 

"Let's have some water, " he said. 

"Then he's not dead?" I questioned, as one of the clerks sprang toobey. 

"Dead? No; but he's had a taste or whiff of something that hasstopped the heart action. "

With a queer, creepy feeling over my scalp, I remembered the littleflask half-full of blood-red liquid which Crochard carried in hispocket. 

But he had not meant murder this time; I remembered that Godfrey hadsaid he never killed an adversary. The doctor worked briskly away, and, at the end of a few minutes, Simmonds's eyes suddenly closed, hedrew a long breath, and sat erect. Then his eyes opened, and he satswaying unsteadily and staring amazedly about him. 

"Best lie down again, " said the doctor soothingly. "You're a littlewobbly yet, you know. "

"Where am I?" gasped Simmonds. Then his eyes encountered mine. "Lester!" he said. "Where is he--Piggott? Not. . . . "

He stopped short, looked once around at the gleaming marble of thebank, fumbled for something at his side, and fell senseless on theseat. 

I have no recollection of how I got back to the Marathon. I suppose Imust have walked; but my first distinct remembrance is of findingmyself sitting in my favourite chair, pipe in hand. The pipe was lit, so I suppose I must have lighted it mechanically, and I found that Ihad also mechanically changed into my lounging-coat. I glanced at mywatch and saw that it was nearly four o'clock. 

The top of my head was burning as though with fever, and I went intothe bathroom and turned the cold water on it. The shock did me aworld of good, and by the time I had finished a vigorous toweling Ifelt immensely better. So I returned to my chair and sat down toreview the events of the evening; but I found that somehow my brainrefused to work, and black circles began to whirl before my eyesagain. 

"I told Godfrey I couldn't stand any more of this, " I muttered, andstumbled into my bedroom, undressed with difficulty, and turned outthe light. 

Then, as I lay there, staring up into the darkness, a stingingthought brought me upright. 

Godfrey--where was Godfrey? Was he on the track of Crochard? Was hedaring a contest with him? Perhaps, even at this moment. . . . 

Scarcely knowing what I did, I groped my way to the telephone andasked for Godfrey's number--hoping against hope absurdly--and atlast, to my intense surprise and relief, I heard his voice--not avery amiable voice. . . . 

"Hello!" he said. 

"Godfrey, " I began, "it's Lester. He got away. "

"Of course he got away. You didn't call me out of bed to tell methat, I hope?"

"Then you knew about it?"

"I knew he'd get away. "

"When the wagon got to the bank there was nobody inside but Simmonds. Simmonds went along, you know. "

"Was he hurt?"

"He was unconscious, but he came around all right. "

"That's good--but Crochard wouldn't hurt him. He got away with thejewels, of course?"

"Of course, " I assented, surprised that Godfrey should take it socoolly. "When you rushed out that way, " I added, "I thought maybe youwere going after him. "

"With him twenty minutes in the lead? I'm no such fool! He got awayfrom me the other day with a start of about half a second. "

"I tried to get you, " I explained, "as soon as Simmonds told me theywere going to look at the cabinet. I 'phoned the office. The cityeditor said he had sent you out into Westchester. "

Godfrey laughed shortly. 

"It was a wild-goose chase, " he said, "cooked up by our friendCrochard. But even then, I'd have got back, if we hadn't punctured atire when we were five miles from anywhere. I knew what was up--butthere I was. Oh, he's made fools of us all, Lester. I told you hewould!"

"Then you didn't get my message?"

"Yes--they gave it to me when I 'phoned in that the Westchesterbusiness was a fake. I rushed for the station, though I knew I'd betoo late. "

"But, Godfrey, " I said, "I can't understand, even yet, how he did it. Grady and Simmonds left the boat with Pigot and were with him allevening, showing him the sights. How did Crochard get into it? Whatdid he do with Pigot? Where _is_ Pigot?"

"He's on the _Savoie. _ I rushed a wireless down to her as soon as Ileft the station. They made a search and found Pigot bound and gaggedunder the berth in his stateroom. "

I could only gasp. 

"And to think I didn't suspect!" added Godfrey, bitterly. "We stoodthere and saw that yacht with the French flag walk away from us; wesaw her put a man aboard the _Savoie_; we saw that man talking toPigot. . . . "

"Yes, " I said, breathlessly; "yes. "

"Well, that man was Crochard. He got Pigot into his stateroom--gavehim a whiff of the same stuff he used on Simmonds, no doubt; put himout of the way under the berth; got into his clothes, made up hisface, _put_ on a wig--and all that while we were kicking our heelsoutside waiting for him. "

"But it was a tremendous risk, " I said. "There were so many people onboard who knew Pigot--it would have to be a perfect disguise. "

"Crochard wouldn't stop for that. But it wasn't much of a risk. Noneof us had seen Pigot closely; all we had seen of him was the back ofhis head; and the passengers were all on deck watching the quarantinemen. And yet, of course, the disguise was a perfect one. Crochard isan artist in that line, and he was, no doubt, thoroughly familiarwith Pigot's appearance. He deceived the purser--but the purserwouldn't suspect anything!"

"So it was really Crochard. . . . "

"But _we_ ought to have suspected. We ought to have suspectedeverything, questioned everything; I ought to have looked up thatvisitor and found out what became of him. Instead of which, Crochardput Pigot's papers in his pocket, set his bag outside the stateroomdoor, and then came out calmly to meet his dear friends of the press;and I stood there talking to him like a little schoolboy--no wonderhe thinks I'm a fool!"

"But nobody would have suspected!" I gasped. "Why, that man is-is. . . . "

"A genius, " said Godfrey. "An absolute and unquestioned genius. But Iknew that all the time, and I ought to have been on guard. Youremember he said he would come to-day?"

"Yes. "

"And you didn't believe it. "

"I can't believe it yet. "

"There's one consolation--it will break Grady. "

"But, Godfrey, " I said, "if you could have seen those diamonds--thosebeautiful diamonds--and to think he should be able to get away withthem from right under our noses!"

"It's pretty bad, isn't it? But there's no use crying over spiltmilk. Lester, " he added, in another tone, "I want you to be in youroffice at noon to-morrow--or rather, to-day. "

"All right, " I promised; "I'll be there. "

"Don't fail me. There is one act of the comedy still to be played. "

"I'll be there, " I said again. "But I'm afraid the last act will bean anti-climax. Look here, Godfrey. . . . "

"Now go to bed, " he broke in; "you're talking like a somnambulist. Get some sleep. Have you arranged for that vacation?"

"Godfrey, " I said, "tell me. . . . "

"I won't tell you anything. Only I've got one more bomb to explode, Lester, and it's a big one. It will make you jump!"

I could hear him chuckling to himself. 

"Good-night, " he said, and hung up. 

CHAPTER XXVII

THE LAST ACT OF THE DRAMA

I overslept, next morning, so outrageously that it was not until Ihad got a seat in a subway express that I had time to open my paper. My first glance was for the big head that would tell of the diamondrobbery; and then I realised that no morning paper would have a wordof it. For the robbery was only a few hours old--and yet, it seemedto me an age had passed since that moment when Godfrey had rushed inupon Grady and me. So the city moved on, as yet blissfullyunconscious of the sensation which would be sprung with the firstafternoon editions, and over which reporters and artists andphotographers were even now, no doubt, labouring. I promised myself ahappy half hour in reading Godfrey's story!

It was then that I remembered the appointment for twelve o'clock. Thelast act of the drama was yet to be staged, Godfrey had said, and hehad also spoken of a bomb--a big one! I wondered what it could be, One thing was certain: if Godfrey had prepared it, its explosionwould be startling enough!

There were a number of things at the office demanding my attention, and I was so late in getting there and the morning passed so rapidlythat when the office-boy came in and announced that Mr. Grady and Mr. Simmonds were outside and wished to see me, I did not, for a moment, connect their visit with Godfrey. Then I looked at my watch, saw thatit was five minutes to twelve, and realised that the actors wereassembling. 

"Show them in, " I said, and they entered together a minute later. 

Grady was evidently much perturbed. His usually florid face was drawnand haggard, his cheeks hung in ugly lines, there were dark pouchesunder his eyes, and the eyes themselves were blood-shot. I guessedthat he had not been to bed; that he had spent the night searchingfor Crochard--and it was easy enough to see that the search had beenunsuccessful. Simmonds, too, was looking rather shaky, and no doubtstill felt the after-effects of that whiff of poison. 

"I'm glad to see you are better, Simmonds, " I said, shaking handswith him. "That was a close call. "

"It certainly was, " Simmonds agreed, sinking into a chair. "If I hadgot a little more of it, I'd never have waked up. "

"Do you remember anything about it?"

"Not a thing. One minute we were sitting there talking together asnice as you please--and the next thing I knew was when I woke up inthe bank. "

"Where's that man Godfrey?" broke in Grady. 

"He said he'd be here at noon, " I said, and glanced at my watch. "It's noon now. Were you to meet him here?"

Grady glanced at me suspiciously. 

"Don't you know nothing about it?" he asked. 

"I only know that Godfrey asked me to be here at noon to-day. What'sup?"

"Blamed if I know, " said Grady sulkily. "I got word from him that I'dbetter be here, and I thought maybe he might know something. I'm sodizzy over last night's business that I'm running around in circlesthis morning. But I won't wait for him. He can't make me do that!Come along, Simmonds. "

"Wait a minute, " I broke in, as the outer door opened. "Perhapsthat's Godfrey, now. "

And so it proved. He came in accompanied by a man whom I knew to beArthur Shearrow, chief counsel for the _Record_. 

Godfrey nodded all around. 

"I think you know Mr. Shearrow, " he said, placing on my desk a smallleather bag he was carrying. "This is Mr. Lester, Mr. Shearrow, " headded, and we shook hands. "The object of this conference, Lester, "he concluded, "is to straighten out certain matters connected withthe Michaelovitch diamonds--and incidentally to give the _Record_ thebiggest scoop it has had for months. "

"I ain't here to fix up no scoop for the _Record_", broke in Grady. "That paper never did treat me right. "

"It has treated you as well as you deserved, " retorted Godfrey. "I'mgoing to talk plainly to you, Grady. Your goose is cooked. You can'thold on for an hour after last night's get-away becomes public. "

"We'll see about that!" growled Grady, but the fight had evidentlybeen taken out of him. 

"I understand you wouldn't let Simmonds telephone for me last night?"queried Godfrey. 

"That's right--it wasn't none of your business. "

"Perhaps not. And yet, if I had been there, the cleverest thief inParis, if not in the world, would be safe behind those chrome-nicklesteel bars at the Twenty-third Street station, instead of at libertyto go ahead and rob somebody else. "

"You're mighty cocksure, " retorted Grady. "It's easy to be wise afterit's all over. "

"Well, I'm not going to argue with you, " said Godfrey. "I admit itwas a good disguise, and a clever idea--but, just the same, you oughtto have seen through it. That's your business. "

Grady mopped his face. 

"Oh, of course!" he sneered. "I ought to have seen through it! Iought to have suspected, even when I found you tryin' to interviewhim; even when I got him off the boat myself; even when I wentthrough his papers and found them all right--yes, even to thephotograph on his passport! That's plain enough now, ain't it! Ifpeople only had as good foresight as they have hindsight, how easy itwould be!"

"Look here, Grady, " said Godfrey, more kindly, "I haven't anythingagainst you personally, and I admit that it was foolish of me tostand there talking to Crochard and never suspect who he was. Butthat's all beside the mark. You're at the head of the detectivebureau, and you're the man who is responsible for all this. You'reenergetic enough and all that; but you're not fit for your job--it'stoo big for you, and you know it. Take my advice, and go to the'phone there and send in your resignation. "

Grady stared at him as though unable to believe his ears. 

"'Phone in my resignation!" he echoed. "What kind of a fool do youthink I am?"

"I see you're a bigger one than I thought you were! Your pull can'thelp you any longer, Grady. "

"Was it to tell me that you got me over here?"

"No, " said Godfrey, "all this is just incidental--you began thediscussion yourself, didn't you? I got you here to meet. . . . "

The outer door opened again, and Godfrey looked toward it, smiling. 

"Moosseer Piggott!" announced the office-boy. 

And then I almost bounced from my seat, for I would have sworn thatthe man who stood on the threshold was the man who had opened thesecret drawer. 

He came forward, looking from face to face; then his eyes metGodfrey's and he smiled. 

"Behold that I am here, monsieur, " he said and I started anew at thevoice, for it was the voice of Crochard. "I hope that I have not keptyou waiting. "

"Not at all, M. Pigot, " Godfrey assured him, and placed a chair forhim. 

I could see Grady and Simmonds gripping the arms of their chairs andstaring at the newcomer, their mouths open; and I knew the thoughtthat was flashing through their brains. Was this Pigot? Or was theman who had opened the cabinet Pigot? Or was neither Pigot? Was itpossible that this could be a different man than the one who hadopened the cabinet?

I confess that some such thought flashed through my own mind--asuspicion that Godfrey, in some way, was playing with us. 

Godfrey looked about at us, smiling as he saw our expressions. 

"I went down the bay this morning and met the _Savoie_, " he said. "Irelated to M. Pigot last night's occurrences, and begged him to bepresent at this meeting. He was good enough to agree. I assure you, "he added, seeing Grady's look, "that this _is_ M. Pigot, of the Paris_Service du Sûreté, _ and not Crochard. "

"Oh, yes, " said M. Pigot, with a deprecating shrug. "I am myself--andgreatly humiliated that I should have fallen so readily into the trapwhich Crochard set for me. But he is a very clever man. "

"It was certainly a marvellous disguise, " I said. "It was more thanthat--it was an impersonation. "

"Crochard has had occasion to study me, " explained M. Pigot, drily. "And he is an artist in whatever he does. But some day I shall gethim--every pitcher to the well goes once too often. There is no hopeof finding him here in New York?"

"I am afraid not, " said Godfrey. 

"Don't be too sure of that!" broke in Grady ponderously. "I ain'tdone yet--not by no manner of means!"

"Pardon me for not introducing you, M. Pigot, " said Godfrey. "Thisgentleman is Mr. Grady, who has been the head of our detectivebureau; this is Mr. Simmonds, a member of his staff; this is Mr. Lester, an attorney and friend of mine; and this is Mr. Shearrow, mypersonal counsel. Mr. Grady, Mr. Simmonds and Mr. Lester werepresent, last night, " he added blandly, "when Crochard opened thesecret drawer. "

Grady reddened visibly, and even I felt my face grow hot. M. Pigotlooked at us with a smile of amusement. 

"It must have been a most interesting experience, " he said, "to haveseen Crochard at work. I have never had that privilege. But I regretthat he should have made good his escape. "

"More especially since he took the Michaelovitch diamonds with him, "I added. 

"Before we go into that, " said Godfrey, with a little smile, "thereare one or two questions I should like to ask you, M. Pigot, in orderto clear up some minor details which are as yet a little obscure. Isit true that the theft of the Michaelovitch diamonds was planned byCrochard?"

"Undoubtedly. No other thief in France would be capable of it. "

"Is it also true that no direct evidence could be found against him?"

"That also is true, monsieur. He had arranged the affair so cleverlythat we were wholly unable to convict him, unless we should find himwith the stolen brilliants in his possession. "

"And you were not able to do that?"

"No; we could discover no trace of the brilliants, though we searchedfor them everywhere. "

"But you did not know of the Boule cabinet and of the secret drawer?"

"No; of that we knew nothing. I must examine that famous cabinet. "

"It is worth examining. And it has an interesting history. But youdid know, of course, that Crochard would seek a market for thediamonds here in America?"

"We knew that he would try to do so, and we did everything in ourpower to prevent it. We especially relied upon your customsdepartment to search most thoroughly the belongings of every personwith whom they were not personally acquainted. "

"The customs people did their part, " said Godfrey with a chuckle. "They have quite upset the country! But the diamonds got in, in spiteof them. For, of course, a cabinet imported by a man so well knownand so above suspicion as Mr. Vantine was passed without question!"

"Yes, " agreed M. Pigot, a little bitterly. "It was a most cleverplan; and now, no doubt, Crochard can sell the brilliants at hisleisure. "

"Not if you've got a good description of them, " protested Grady. "I'll make it a point to warn every dealer in the country; I'll keepmy whole force on the job; I'll get Chief Wilkie to lend me some ofhis men. . . . "

"Oh, there is no use taking all that trouble, " broke in Godfrey, negligently. "Crochard won't try to sell them. "

"Won't try to sell them?" echoed Grady. "What's the reason he won't?"

"Because he hasn't got them, " answered Godfrey, smiling with anevidently deep enjoyment of Grady's dazed countenance. 

"Oh, come off!" said that worthy disgustedly. "If he hasn't got 'emI'd like to know who has!"

"I have, " said Godfrey, and cleared my desk with a sweep of his arm. "Spread out your handkerchief, Lester, " and as I dazedly obeyed, hepicked up the little leather bag, opened it, and poured out itscontents in a sparkling flood. "There, " he added, turning to Grady, "are the Michaelovitch diamonds. "

CHAPTER XXVIII

CROCHARD WRITES AN EPILOGUE

For an instant, we gazed at the glittering heap with dazzled eyes;then Grady, with an inarticulate cry, sprang to his feet and pickedup a handful of the diamonds, as though to convince himself of theirreality. 

"But I don't understand!" he gasped. "Have you got Croshar too?"

"No such luck, " said Godfrey. 

"Do you mean to say he'd give these up without a fight!"

The same thought was in my own mind; if Godfrey had run down Crochardand got the diamonds, without a life-and-death struggle, thatengaging rascal must be much less formidable than I had supposed. 

"My dear Grady, " said Godfrey, "I haven't seen Crochard since theminute you took him off the boat. I'd have had him, if you had letSimmonds call me. That's what I had planned. But he was too cleverfor us. I knew that he would come to-day. . . . "

"You knew that he would come to-day?" repeated Grady blankly. "Howdid you know that--or is it merely hot air?"

"I knew that he would come, " said Godfrey, curtly, "because he wroteand told me so. "

M. Pigot laughed a dry little laugh. 

"That is a favourite device of his, " he said; "and he always keepshis word. "

"The trouble was, " continued Godfrey, "that I didn't look for him soearly in the day, and so he was able to send me on a wild-goose chaseafter a sensation that didn't exist. There's where I was a fool. ButI discovered the secret drawer ten days ago--while the cabinet wasstill at Vantine's--the evening after the veiled lady got herletters. It was easy enough. I am surprised you didn't think of it, Lester. "

"Think of what?" I asked. 

"Of the key to the mystery. The drawer containing the letters was onthe left side of the desk; I saw at once that there must be anotherdrawer, opened in the same way, on the right side. "

"I didn't see it, " I said. "I don't see it yet. "

"Think a minute. Why was Drouet killed? Because he opened the wrongdrawer. He pressed the combination at the right side of the desk, instead of that at the left side. The fair Julie must have thoughtthe drawer was on the right side, instead of the left. It was amistake very easy to make, since her mistress doubtless had her backturned when Julie saw her open the drawer. The suspicion that it wasJulie's mistake becomes certainty when she shows the combination toVantine, and he is killed, too. Besides, the veiled lady herself madea remark which revealed the whole story. "

"I didn't notice it, " I said, resignedly. "What was it?"

"That she was accustomed to opening the drawer with her left hand, instead of with her right. After that, there could be no furtherdoubt. So I discovered the drawer very simply. It had to be there. "

"Yes, " I said; "and then?"

"Then I removed the jewels, took them down to a dealer in paste gemsand duplicated them as closely as I could. I had a hard time gettinga good copy of this big rose-diamond. "

He picked it from the heap and held it up between his fingers. 

"It's a beauty, isn't it?" he asked. 

M. Pigot smiled a dry smile. 

"It is the Mazarin, " he said, "and is worth three million francs. There is a copy of it at the Louvre. "

"So that's true, is it?" I asked. "Crochard told us the story. "

"It is unquestionably true, " said M. Pigot. "It is not a secret--itis merely something which every one has forgotten. "

"Well, " continued Godfrey, "after I got the duplicates, I rolled themup in the cotton packets, and placed them back in the drawer, beingcareful to put the Mazarin at the bottom, where I had found it. "

"It was lucky you thought of that, " I said, "or Crochard would havesuspected something. "

Godfrey looked at me with a smile. 

"My dear Lester, " he said, "he knew that the game was up the instanthe opened the first packet. Do you suppose he would be deceived? Notby the best reproduction ever made!"

And then I remembered the slow flush which had crept into Crochard'scheeks as he opened that first packet!

"I didn't expect to deceive him, " Godfrey explained. "I just wantedto give him a little surprise. And to think I wasn't there to seeit!"

"But if he knew they were imitations, " I protested, "why should he goto all that trouble to steal them?"

"That is what puzzled me last night, " said Godfrey; "and, for thatmatter, it puzzles me yet. "

"Maybe he's got the real stones, after all, " suggested Grady, who hadbeen listening to all this with incredulous countenance. "The storysounds fishy to me. Maybe these are the imitations. "

M. Pigot came forward and picked up the Mazarin and looked at it. 

"This one, at least, is real, " he said, after a moment. "And I haveno doubt the others are, " he added, turning them over with hisfinger. 

Grady, still incredulous, picked up one of the brilliants, went tothe window, and drew it down the pane. It left a deep scratch behindit. 

"Yes, " he admitted reluctantly, "I guess they're diamonds, allright, " and he sat down again. 

"And now, gentlemen, " continued Godfrey, who had watched Grady'sbyplay with a tolerant smile, "I am ready to turn these diamonds overto you. I should like you to count them, and give me a receipt forthem. "

"And then, of course, you will write the story, " sneered Grady, "andgive yourself all the credit. "

"Well, " asked Godfrey, looking at him, "do you think you deserveany?" And Grady could only crimson and keep silent. "As for thestory, it is already written. It will be on the streets in tenminutes--and it will create a sensation. Please count the diamonds. You will find two hundred and ten of them. "

"That is the exact number stolen from the Grand Duke, " remarked M. Pigot, and fell to counting. The number was two hundred and ten. 

"Mr. Shearrow has the receipt, " Godfrey added, and Shearrow took apaper from his pocket, unfolded it, and read the contents. 

It proved to be not only a receipt, but a full statement of the factsof the case, without omitting the details of the robbery and thecredit due the _Record_ for the recovery of the diamonds. Grady'sface grew redder and redder as the reading proceeded. 

"I won't sign no such testimonial as that, " he blustered. "Not onyour life I won't!"

"You will sign it, will you not, M. Pigot?" asked Godfrey. 

"Certainly, " said the Frenchman; "it is a recognition of yourservices very well deserved, " and he stepped forward and signed itwith a flourish. 

"Now, Simmonds, " said Godfrey. 

"No you don't!" broke in Grady. "Stay where you are, Simmonds. Iforbid you to sign that. Remember, I'm your superior officer. "

"No, he's not, Simmonds, " said Godfrey, quietly. "He hasn't been anofficer at all for an hour and more. "

Grady sprang to his feet, his eyes blazing, and strode towardGodfrey. 

"What do you mean by that?" he shouted. 

"I mean, " said Godfrey, looking him squarely in the eye, "that Mr. Shearrow and myself had a talk with the mayor this morning, and laidbefore him certain evidence in our possession--this latest case amongothers--and that your resignation was accepted at noon to-day. "

"My resignation!" snorted Grady. "I never wrote one!"

"Tell the public that, if you want to, " retorted Godfrey coldly. "That's your affair. You ought to have 'phoned it in when I told youto. Now, Simmonds. "

Grady stood glaring about him an instant, like an enraged bull, and Ihalf expected him to hurl himself on Godfrey; instead, he crushed hishat upon his head, strode to the door, jerked it open, and banged itbehind him. 

"Now, Simmonds, " Godfrey repeated, as the echo died away, andSimmonds came forward and signed. I witnessed the signatures, andGodfrey, with more eagerness than he had shown in the whole affair, caught up the paper and sprang with it to the door. 

"Get that down to the office, as quick as you can, " he said, to a manoutside. "I'll 'phone instructions. That, " he added, closing the doorand turning back to us, "is my reward for all this--or, rather, the_Record's_ reward. And now, gentlemen, Mr. Shearrow has his carbelow, and I think we would better drive around to some safe-depositbox with this plunder. "

It was perhaps ten days afterwards that Godfrey dropped in to see meone evening. I was just back from a week on Cape Cod, which had doneme a world of good; and, I need hardly say, was glad to see him. 

"You're looking normal again, " he said, surveying me, as he satdown. "I was worried about you for a while. "

"I never felt better. I told you that all I needed was to have thatmystery solved. "

"And it was solved on schedule time, wasn't it, " he smiled; "thoughnot quite in the way I had anticipated. Do you know, Lester, " headded, "I am going to claim that cabinet. "

"On what grounds?" I demanded. 

"Because the man who owned it gave it to me, " and he got a paper outof his pocket-book and handed it across to me. 

I opened it and recognised the delicate and feminine writing which Ihad seen once before. 

 "_My dear sir_ [the letter ran]:

 "I find that I made the mistake of underestimating you, and I present you my sincere apologies. I trust that, at some future time, it may be my privilege to be again engaged with you--the result is certain to be most interesting. But at present I find that I must return to Europe by _La Bretagne_; since, after the trouble I have taken, it is impossible that I should consent to part with the brilliants of His Highness the Grand Duke. As a slight souvenir of my high regard, I trust you will be willing to accept the cabinet Boule, which I am certain that good M. Lester will surrender to you if you will show to him this letter. The cabinet is not only interesting in itself, but will be doubly so to you because of the part it has played in our little comedy. And I should like to know that it adorns a corner of your home. 

 "Till we meet again, dear sir, believe me

 "Your sincere admirer, "CROCHARD, L'Invincible!"

"He's a good sport, isn't he?" asked Godfrey, as I silently handedthe letter back to him. "What do you say about the cabinet?"

"I suppose there is no doubt that Crochard bought it, " I said. 

"So that it is mine now?"

"Yes; but I'm going to solicit a bribe. "

"Go ahead and solicit it. "

"I want a souvenir, too, " I said. "I'd like awfully well to have thatletter--besides, " I added, "it will be a kind of receipt, you know, if anybody ever questions my giving you the cabinet. "

Godfrey laughed and threw the letter across the table to me. 

"It's yours, " he said. "And I'll send for the cabinet to-morrow. Isuppose it is still at the station?"

"Yes; I haven't had time to put in a claim for it. But, Godfrey, " Iadded, "when did _La Bretagne_ sail?"

"A week ago to-day. She is due at Havre in the morning. "

"Did you warn them?"

"Warn them of what?"

"That Crochard is after the diamonds. They went back on _LaBretagne_, I suppose?"

"Yes--and Pigot went with them. So why should I warn any one? Surelythey know that Crochard will get those diamonds if he can. It hasbecome a sort of point of honour with him, I imagine. It is up tothem to take care of them. "

"That oughtn't to be difficult, " I said. "The strong-room of a lineris about the safest place on earth. "

"Yes, " Godfrey agreed, and blew a meditative ring toward the ceiling. 

And presently he went away without saying anything more. 

But the more I thought of it, the more the inflection he had giventhat word seemed an interrogation rather than an affirmation. 

And when I opened my paper next morning, I more than half expected tobe greeted with a black headline announcing the looting of thestrong-room of _La Bretagne_. But there was no such headline, andwith a sigh, half of relief and half of disappointment, I turned tothe other news. 

But two weeks later, a black headline _did_ catch my eye:

 MICHAELOVITCH JEWELS FALSE!

 FRENCH DETECTIVE TAKES BACK PASTE IMITATIONS FROM AMERICA. 

 Fraud Discovered When the Grand Duke Michael Sends them to a Jeweller to be Reset. 

I had no need to read the article which followed, for I saw in aflash what had occurred. I saw, too, why Crochard had retained thepaste jewels--he had a use for them! How or where the substitutionhad been made, I could only guess; but one thing was certain: the twoweeks which had elapsed before the theft was discovered had given himample opportunity to dispose of his plunder. I felt sorry for theGrand Duke; sorrier still for that admirable M. Pigot; but, afterall, one could not but admire the cleverness of the man who haddespoiled them. 

Who, I wondered, had bought the Mazarin? Surely there was a diamondmost difficult to sell. 

It could, of course, be cut up--- but that would be sacrilege!

That question was answered, before long, in an unexpected way--a waywhich filled many columns in the papers, which delighted thecomedy-loving French, and which gave Crochard a unique advertisement. One morning, in the personal column of _Le Matin_, appeared a notice, of which this is the English:

 "To M. The Director of the Museum of the Louvre:

 "It has been my good fortune to come into possession of the rose-diamond known as the Mazarin. It is my wish to restore it to your collection, in order that it may no longer be necessary to delude the public with an imitation of coloured glass. It will give me great pleasure to present this brilliant to you, with my compliments, provided His Highness, the Grand Duke Michael, who preceded me in possession of the diamond, will join me in the gift. Should he refuse, it will be my melancholy duty to cleave the diamond into a number of smaller stones, as it is too large for my use. But I hope that he will not refuse. 

 "CROCHARD, L'Invincible!"

What could the Grand Duke do? To have refused, would have made himthe butt of the boulevards. Besides, he was, after all, losingnothing which he had not already lost. So, with a better grace thanone might have expected, he consented to join in the restoration. Twodays later, the director of the Louvre discovered a packet upon hisdesk. He opened it and found within the Mazarin. When you visit theLouvre, you will see it in the place of honour in the glass case inthe centre of the Gallery of Apollo, with an attendant on guardbeside it. But already the circumstances of its restoration arefading from the public memory. 

And Crochard? I do not know. Each morning, I read first the news fromParis, searching for L'Invincible in some new incarnation. I have hisletter framed and hanging above my desk, and every day I read itover. One sentence, especially, is forever running in my head:

 "I trust that, at some future time, it may be my privilege to be again engaged with you--the result is certain to be most interesting. "

And I trust that it may be my privilege, also, to be present at thatengagement!