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Updated: May 27, 2025
"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 a representative of the Armands to call very soon to straighten things out." Again my companion fell silent, and sat rubbing his chin absently. "It is very strange," he said, finally.
Our friend, the unknown, foresaw, of course, that a cable would be sent the Armands as soon as the mistake was discovered, and he took his precautions accordingly." "Then you still believe that the cabinet was sent to Vantine by design and not by accident?" "Absolutely.
"Certainly and paid fifteen thousand francs to the Armands." "Rather an expensive present," I said, feebly, for my brain was beginning to whirl again. "Oh, it wasn't intended as a present. The purchaser planned to reclaim it but Vantine's death threw him out.
Her 'dears' and her 'Armands' were getting on my nerves. Her face took on an injured look. "Judging from your action, the other night and now, it would be well for me if it were a farce," she said sadly. I walked over to the table, on the far side of which she sat. "Is it possible, madame, that, here, alone with me, you still have the effrontery to maintain you are my wife?"
Even then, he would have been able to pull it off but for the fact that Vantine's death and that of Drouet had called our attention to the cabinet; we followed him, and the incidents of this afternoon ensued." "And he accomplished all this by means of a confederate in the employ of the Armands?" "No doubt of it.
One was, that the son, Félix Armand, was in Paris; another was that no member of the firm knew anything about your cable or the answer to it; a third was, that, had the cable been received, it would not have been understood, because the Armands' books show that this cabinet was bought by Philip Vantine for the sum of fifteen thousand francs." "Not this one!" I protested. "Yes; this one.
And it was cheap at the price. Of course, the Armands knew nothing about the Montespan story they were simply selling at a profit." "But I don't understand!" I stammered. "Vantine told me himself that he did not buy that cabinet." "Nor did he. But somebody bought it in his name and directed that it be sent forward to him." "And paid fifteen thousand francs for it?"
"No doubt of that; and the other cabinet is the one which Vantine really purchased. It was, of course, sent forward to this other fellow's address, here in New York. His plan is evident enough to call upon Vantine, as the representative of the Armands, or perhaps as the owner of the Montespan cabinet, and make the exchange. Vantine's death spoiled that, and he had to make the exchange through you.
"Why, I never had any doubt of his being Armand," I stammered. "He knew about my cablegram he knew about the firm's answer...." "Of course he did, because your cable was never received by the Armands, but by a confederate in this fellow's employ; and it was that confederate who answered it.
The Augusta was built at Armands' ship yards at Bordeaux, and was bought in 1864 by Prussia. She was a screw steamer with ship's rigging, 237½ feet long, 35½ feet beam, 16 feet draught, and 1,543 tons burden. Her engines had 400 horse-power, and her armament consisted of 14 pieces.
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