Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. JANUARY 22.
The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet
PROLOGUE. >
If a literary minrP were to ap
praise this story he would say
of it:
"It pans out a big percentage
of thrills."
There's "pay dirt" in this mys
tery story for every lover of an
exciting tale and an interesting
plot. It is one of the master
pieces of its author, who is a rec
ogntted leader in the field of the
detective story.
R(.und a beautifully inlaid cab
inet dating from the days of
Louis XIV which stands in a
Fifth avenue mansion weaves a
story of plot and counterplot,
mystery, suspense and surprise
Jim Godfrey, shrewdest of re
porters, and the detective bu
reaus of New York and Paris are
trying to unravel the intricately
entangled clews■ And the read
er. too, will go along with them,
breathless and absorbed, getting
now a hint, again coming up
against a blank wall, until, like
them, he comes to the amasing
explanation. And the one who
baffles reporters, detectives and
readers is Crochard, the invinci
ble, a creation in detective fic
tion.
(Continued from Yesterday)
Simtnnnds nssenl.-d. nml finally the
trio returned to the iinteroom.
"We'd like to look over tile rest of
the tiie-se." Grady sold to Rogers. who
was sitting ereet again. looking more
like himself, nnd the four men went
out Into file luill together. I remain
ed behind witli Hughes and Freyling
hulsen They had lifted tUe body to
tile eoueli and were milking a eareful
esaia.natioii of it. Heavy at heart. 1
sat down near by and watched them.
That Philip Vnntlne should have
been killed by enthusiasm for the hob
by which had given him so much
pleasure seemed the very irony of fate,
yet sucKjlhelieve to be the ease Frey
linghulsen'B voice brought me out of
my reverie.
“The two cases are precisely alike."
he was saying. "The symptoms are
Identical. And I'm certain we shall
lind paralysis of the heurt nnd spinal
cord in this case. Just as I did in the
other. Both men were killed by the
same poison—some variant of hydro
cyanic acid. 1 fancy. The odor indi
cates that, but it must be about fifty
times ns deadly as hydrocyanic acid is."
They wandered away into a discus
sion of possible variants so technical
and besprinkled with abstruse words
and formulas that 1 could not follow
them. The two detectives and the
coroner came back while the discus
sion was still in progress and listened
In silence to Freylinghulsen's state
ment of the case Grady’s mahogany
face told absolutely Dothlng of what
was passing in his brain, but Sim
monds was plainly bewildered. So, 1
suspect I'd. was Grady, but he was too
self composed to betray it.
The coroner drew the two physicians
aside and talked to them for a few
moments in a low tone. Then he turn
ed to Grady.
“Freyltnghulsen thinks there Is no
necessity for a postmortem,” he said.
“The symptoms are In every way Iden
tical with those of the other man who
was killed here this afternoon. There
can be no question that both of them
died from the some cause. He Is
ready to muke his return to that ef
feet."
•‘Very well.” assented Grady. “The
body can be turned over to the rela
tives. then."
"There aren't any relatives,” I said;
“at least, no near ones. Vantlne was
the last of this branch of the family.
1 happen to know that our firm has
been named ns his executors in his
will, so, if there 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?"
be asked.
"1 do.”
"In tbp light of those provisions, do
you kuow of any one who would have
an Interest In Vanttne's death?"
••1 think l may tell yon the provi
sions." 1 said after a moment "With
the exception of a few legacies to his
servants, his whole fortune is left to
the Metropolitan Museum of Art"
•'Have you ever learned that he bad
an enemy?"
“No." I answered Instantly.
••He was never married. I believe?"
“No"
"Whs he ever, to your knowledge. In
volved with a woman?"
-No.” 1 said again. “1 was astound
ed when 1 beard Rogers’ story.”
•Thank you. Mr. Lester." and Grady
turned to Simmonds “1 don't see that
there is anything more we can do
here "be added "There's one thing,
femugb. Mr Lester. I will have to ask
you to do That Is to keep all the serv
ants here until ufter the inquest If
yon think there Is any doubt of your
ability to do that we can. of course,
B> Burton E. Stevenson
Copyrighted 1913 by Burton E Stevenson.
put them under arrest"—
"Oh. that Isn't necessary.” I broke
in "I will be responsible for their ap
pearance at the Inquest."
"I'll have to postpone It a day.” aaid
Ooldlierger “1 want Freylinghulsen
to make some tests tomorrow. Be
sides. we've got to Identify D'Aurelle.
nnd these gentlemen seem to huve
their work cut out for them In finding
this woman"—
Grady looked at Goldberger In a way
which Indicated that he thought he
was talking too nmch. and the coroner
stopped abruptly. A moment later all
four men left the house.
Dr Hughes lingered for a last word.
"The undertaker had tietter be
called." he said "I can seud him
a round on my way home."
I thanked him for assuming this no
pleasant duty As the door closed be
hind him 1 heard a step on the stair
and turned to see Godfrey cnlmly de
scending.
“1 came in a few minutes ago.” he
explained. In answer to my look, "nnd
have been glancing around upstairs
Nothing there How did our friend
Grady get along?"
"Fairly well, but If he guesses any
thing his face didn’t show It."
“He's a stupid ignoramus."
"Oh. come. Godfrey," I protested,
•'you’re prejudiced. He went right to
the point. Do you know Rogers' sto
ry?”
"About the woman? Certainly
Rogers told It to me before Grady ar
rived. Grady has heard all the evi
dence. but does be know who that
woman was?"
"Of course not." 1 said, nnd then I
looked at him. "Do you mean that
you do? Then I'm au ignoramus
too!”
“My dear Lester." protested God
frey. “you are not a detective. That's
not your business, but It'ls Grady's
At least, it is supposed to lie. On the
strength of it he has been made deputy
police commissioner, In charge of the
detective bureau.”
"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's Bog
era?"
•‘l’ll ring for him,” I said and did so.
nnd presently be appeured. "Mr. God
frey wishes to speak to y0u.”,1 said.
“We’d better give him bis Instruc
tions about the reporters first thing,
hadn't we. Lester?" be inquired.
"Which reporters?" I queried.
“All tbe others, of course. They
will be storming this bouse. Rogers,
*• t •
Rogers. Clutching Wildly at His Col
lar, Bpun Half Around.
before long. You will meet them at
the door; you will refuse to admit one
of them; you will tell them that there
is nothing to be learned here and that
they must go to the police. Is that
right, Lester?"
"Yes. Ulysses." I agreed, smiling.
“And now." continued Godfrey,
watching Rogers keenly, “1 have a
photograph here that I want you to
look at Did you ever see that person
before?" and be banded a print to Rog
ers. •
The latter hesitated an Instant and
then took the print with a trembling
hand. Stark fear was In his eyes
again. Then slowly he raised the print
to the light and glanced at it
"Cuteb him. Lester!" Godfrey cried
and sprang forward.
For Rogers, clutching wildly at his
collar, spun half around and fell with
a crash
"Get some water, quick!” Godfrey
commanded sharply as Parks came
running up. "Rogers has been taken
111."
And then, as Parks sped down the
hall again. I saw Godfrey loosen the
collar of the unconscious man and be
gin to chafe his temples tlercely.
“1 ho|* It Isn't apoplexy." be mut
tered. "I oughtn't to have shocked
him like that.”
At the words 1 remembered and.
stooping, picked up the photograph
which had Muttered from Rogers'
nerveless fingers And then I. 100,
uttered a smothered exclamation ns 1
gazed nt tile dark eyes, the full lip*,
the oval face- the fnce which D'Aurelle
had carried In his watch I
CHAPTER V.
Precautions.
BPT It wasn't apoplexy. It was
Barks who reassured us when
be dime hurrying hack a min
ute later with a glass of water
in one hand amt u small phial In the
other
"He has these spells." ho said. "It’s
a kind of vertigo Give him a whiff
of this He'll be all right pretty soou,
though I never snw 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," I’nrks suggested, and the three
of ns bore the still unconscious man
to it.
Then Godfrey and I sat down and
waited wlille he gasped his way back
to life.
"Though he can't really toll ns
much." Godfrey observed. "In fact, I
doubl if lie II la* willing to tell any
thing Rut tils face, when he looked
at the picture, told us all we need to
know.”
Thus reminded. I took the photo
graph out of the pocket Into which I
had slipped It and looked at It again.
"Where did you got It?" I asked.
“The police photographer made some
copies This is one of them.”
"But what made yon suspect that the
two women were the same?"
"1 don't just know." answered God
frey reflectively. "They were both
French, and Rogers spoke of the red
lips; somehow It seemed probable.
Hello—our friend Is coming around.
How do you feel?"
“Pretty weak." Rogers answered, al
most In a whisper “What sent me
ofT?" Then his face turned purple,
and I thought lie was going off again.
But after a moment's henry breathing
he lay quiet "1 remember now." he
said. "Let me see that picture again.”
1 passed it to 111 in. His hand was
trembling so he could hardly take it
but I saw he was struggling desperate
ly to control himself.
"Do you know her?" Godfrey asked.
“Never saw her before." Rogers mut
tered. "When I first looked at her 1
thought I knew her, but it ain't tbe
same woman."
"Do yon mean to sny," Godfrey de
manded sternly, "that that is not the
woman who called on Mr. Vaiitiue to
night?”
Again Rogers shook his head.
"Oh. uo," he protested; “it's not the
same woman at ull. This one Is
younger."
Godfrey made no reply, but he sat
down and looked at Rogers, and Rog
ers lay and gazed nt the picture, and
gradually Ills face softened as though
at some tender memory.
"Come. Rogers," 1 urged at last;
“yci’d better tell us all you know If
tills Is tbe woman don't hesitate to
say so."
•‘l’ve told you all I know. Mr. Les
ter," said Rogers, but be did not meet
my eyes. "And I’m feeling pretty
bad. I think I’d better be getting to
bed."
"Yes. that’s best,” agreed Godfrey
promptly. "Parks will help you,” and
be held out bis band for tbe pboto
grapb.
Rogers relinquished It with evident
reluctance. “Good night gentlemen,"
he said weakly and shuffled away,
leaning heavily on Parks' shoulder.
•’Well!" said I. looking at Godfrey.
“He's lying, of course We’ve go to
"-1 out why he’s lying and bring it
home to him. Rut it’s getting lute. I
must get down to the office. One
word. Lester—be sure Rogers doesn't
give you the slip.”
“I’ll have him looked after.” I prom
ised. "But I fancy he'll be afraid to
run away. Besides, it is possible he's
telling the truth. I don’t believe any
woman bad anything to do with either
death."
“Who did. then 7" asked Godfrey.
“Nobody."
“You mean they both suicided In that
abnormal way?”
“No, it wasn’t suicide—they were
killed—but not by a human being—nt
least, not directly.” I felt that 1 was
floundering hopelessly and stopped. "I
can’t tell you now. Godfrey,” l plead
ed "I haven't had time to think it
out. You’ve got enough for one day.”
“Yes." he smiled; “I've got enough
for one day And now goodby. Per
haps I’ll look in on you about midnight,
on my way home. If 1 get through by
then”
1 was already longing for bed and
there remained so much to be done.
But be. after a day which I knew had
been a hard one. and with a many col
umn story still to write, was apparent
ly as fresh and eager as ever.
"All right.” I agreed. "If you see a
light, come up If there Isn’t any light
I’ll be in bed. and I’ll kill yon if you
wake me.”
“Conditions accepted." he laughed,
as I opened the door for him
N Parks Joined me as 1 turned bneg
into the house after Godfrey left.
(Tc be Continued Tomorrow.)
fHE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA. GA.
id; 388 j lit i[ ■ 81 fi
p!l|ii ! N Ni II
If t 1 fil l Tt %9* lit' \ « tjtf i U I'i T ' : :L , i !! 1 :::: \:: : : 5:1
v 4+l i I I'm iH? Jlf-IT v t 1 - kVt i ! * iff IT | 1 • j it 11 i r -lit+t 1 i fr j. 44 4 - - ■ • H I
%j IBf'f I f If' I ; I fj 51j! ]\ \ ggg«
j it 4il i MJ£ lit ill ! * t; § .| Jg j M dj EJg m\ £ || jH; jjL j| j W | tl’
.ft t ggg (• Sr f ■ ]*• TTf: HI rTVrSinfrll
:§ & : iSnE 1 H StoW ffiH 5 ft : ;ijj ijj :1 iv- f I ICh |l itlVl I § tgftt V? % \B i
1 ' iSti m 'ft'] TTlftt 4T 5 * H r i ill nil Jj \ ffl ]i!, n t j i i j li* jUU lift k j HFn ml] irtinrHii i 1
Just the right age FOR WHAT? The employers of child labor tell you one thing. Common decency and Justice tell
you another. Read the editorial below.
SHE IS "JUST THE BIGHT AGE”
And in the Picture on This Page You See What
Happens to Her When She Reaches That Age.
(jopyrlght, 1914, hy Star Company.
In various States laws are made and are called “laws
to protect children.”
As a rule, they are laws to enrich child labor em
ployers by turning over the children to them to be ground
up legally into dollars.
The girl in this picture is “just the right age.”
Just the right age to be sent to work in Winter before
daylight. Just the right age to keep a machine going at top
speed, all through the morning, as her vitality gets lower,
all through the afternoon, when she is almost too tired to
stand.
The law in some of the States says twelve years of
age is JUST THE RIGHT AGE TO PUT CHILDREN TO
WORK.
""* In other States, the law says that the child must be
fourteen or sixteen. And the child and the parent lie,
driven by poverty, and our beautiful civilized system, and
the factory inspectors take bribes, and the employer
looking at the child of ten says, "Just the right age,” and
the child goes to work.
■■ ■ —■ ■—• ■ ■
We publish here a sac-simile of an advertisement
published in the Choctaw Advocate of Choctaw County,
Alabama. Read it;
W A N T K r>— Famine* with children
twelve yearn of a«" »n«l up to work
In cotton Mill. fiood pny, regular
work, comfortable houaea, healthy lo
cation near t'lty. convenient to schools
and churches. Apply:
mobile c<rrroN mills.
43-4 w. Mobile. Ala.
When you read the name of the newspaper that prints
this advertisement, you think at first it is highly ap
propriate.
But then, you realize that it is really unfair to the
memory of the Choctaw Indians.
They were cruel in their way, but as a rule they only
scalped and tortured full grown men.
At least they did not advertise for families “with
children twelve years of age and up."
JUST THE RIGHT AGE
You can understand advertising for calves three
months old, or hogs weighing four hundred pounds, or
other creatures to bo slaughtered.
But to advertise far families with children of twelve to
be put to work in a mill, and to mention this infamous de
mand for young children in connection with “schools and
churches” is a little more than common decency should
bear.
The prominent publication here of this advertisement
may arouse anguißh or ire in the bosoms of local editors
more friendly to cotton mill owners than to children of
twelve. If so, may the anguish vent itself in trying to mako
better laws to protect the children.
Every man in the State of Alabama knows that a child
of twelve is younger in proportion than a horse two years
old. No man drives a horse two years old, HE DOESN’T
WANT TO RUIN HIS HOR3E. He knows that if he drives
the horse when it is two, it will be worth nothing when
it is full grown.
He ought to know that if he works the child when it is
twelve it also will be worth nothing when it is full grown.
So much for the Choctaw advertisement in the Choc
taw paper.
It would be well, if Choctaw County had a monopoly of
that kind of advertising.
But New England competes with the South in its ill
treament of children.
And New York State, with better laws, is as bad as
any, since bribery and lying defeat the law.
The people do not need laws so much as they need A
CONSCIENCE. It is a disgrace to the nation, to every
man in it, and especially to those that hold office, that
ten 3of thousands of girls, at ‘‘just the right age” for
education, for play, for happy homo life and for the first
beginning of womanhood, are looked upon and treated as
JUST THE RIGHT AGE TO BE FED INTO THE FRONT
DOOR OF THE MILLS, TAKEN OUT OF THE BACK DOOR
AND THROWN AS REFUSE ON THE RUBBISH HEAP—
AFTER HAVING THE LIFE, THE STRENGTH AND THE
PROFIT TAKEN OUT OF THEM.
Thi3 nation talks about its Christianity, its civilization.
It organizes snecial ‘‘go-to-church days,” it collects money
lor the heathen.
It might postpone some of these things, as long as it
permits money to be made by destroying the lives of child
ren JUST THE RIGHT AGE TO BE DEPRIVED OF
EVERY POSSIBLE CHANCE BY THE CHILD
SYSTEM.
FIVE