ould have had to refund
the duty to Vantine. Did he refund it to you?"

"No," I said, "I didn't think there was any to refund. Vantine really
paid the duty only on the cabinet he purchased, since that was the
one shown on his manifest. The other fellow must have paid the duty
on the cabinet he brought in; so I didn't see that there was anything
coming to Vantine's estate. There is probably something due the
government, for the cabinet Vantine brought in was, of course, much
more valuable than his manifest showed."

"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. 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. The clerk who made the supposed sale to Vantine and
got a commission on it, resigned suddenly two days ago--just as soon
as he had intercepted your cable and answered it. The Paris police
are 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 been
exchanged just as you say they were--no doubt you are right--but all
that doesn't lead us anywhere. Why were they exchanged? What is there
about that Boule cabinet which makes this unknown willing to do
murder 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 knew
nothing about the letters. If he had known of them, he would have had
them out before the cabinet was shipped."

"What is it, then?" I demanded. "And, above all, Godfrey, why should
this fellow hide himself in Vantine's house and kill two men? Did
they surprise him while he was working over the cabinet?"

"I see no reason to believe that he was ever inside the Vantine
house," said Godfrey quietly; "that is, until you took him there
yourself this afternoon."

"But, look here, Godfrey," I protes