lix Armand is in
Paris at this moment. You were too credulous, Lester."

"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. 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. It was sent by the Armands in good faith, because they
believed that it had been purchased by Vantine--all of which had been
arranged 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, I
knew, or thought I knew, that it was a plant of some kind. But, in
order to be sure, I cabled our man at Paris to investigate. Our man
went at once to Armand, _pere_, and he learned a number of very
interesting things. One was, that the son, Felix 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?"

"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. If it hadn't been for
that--for an accident which no one could foresee--everything would
have 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 w