The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-06-14 00:00:00

CHAPTER XXIV.

Preneuso was silent, but seeing this little empty
room, his mind was disturbed; he felt his heart beat,
and found himself looking about for a letter or note
addressed to him. A presentiment seized him that
Pia had been abducted. He thought it impossible
she could have left without writing to him—if only
to say adieu!
He asked himself who this woman could be who
had called to take her out, and whom Lorenzo had
previously seen inquiring after Bianca Astrodi.
Vague suspicions began to shape themselves in
his mind, but a sudden knock at the door disturbed
us thoughts.
" It is only Lorenzo," said Binos; "he is so laden
he cannot open it; do not move I will go."
So ho whilst Freneuse move,
out of the win-
dow to see if he could catch sight of Pia in the
street.

Throwing the door open suddenly, Binos nearly
upset the person who had. knocked. It was not the
lodging-house keeper, but a well-dressed gentleman
—a rare sort of visitor in Father Lorenzo's house.
lie stepped back quickly to avoid a knock, and
appeared much surprised and somewhat di,-
appointed at the sight of the young fellow'a bearded
face

" Pardon ! " lin ejaculated, "I have doubtless
made a mistake."

"Whom do you want?' demandod Binos, in a
Inelo-dramatic voice.

"I seek a young girl who follows the profession
vf a model."

"You don't expect me to think you arc an artist,
do you, with a face like yours ? "
" Sir !" said the noir comer.
"Oh, don't put yourself out, I am paying you a
compliment. You are too proper-looking for a
painter. You look more like a learned counsel.
What is the name of the girl you are seeking
"Pia Astrodi. The man who keeps the house
informed me that she lives on the top floor,
and I-"

"You are not deceived," interrupted Binos ; "this
is her room; but what is your 'business with Pia
AstrAi `r"

"I have to speak with her on a matter of great
importance," was the answer.
"That means you don't want my services. I
Ainderstand; but all the same, the girl is out.'
"Then I will come again."
"Wait a minute! wait a minute!" cried Bino3,
looking narrowly at the visitor. "I have an in-
distinct notion that we have met before."

" Possibly, sir; I also seem to remember having
seen you, though for the moment I cannot recall the
occasion."

" I have it! It was you who came to the Place
rigalle to enquire for M. Paulet ?"
"108, sir; Isecollect that you opened the door
for me."
"Precisely so. Come in, sir."
"Excuse me, but—"
"Pia has gone out, but she will return; in the
tufanwhile you may as well chat with two of her
friends. Here, Freneuse, am I tot right ?" cried
Binos.

Freneuse had heard this dialogue and turned
_round. On seeing him, the visitor took off his hat
and changed his manner. There was evidently
nothing in common between Preneuse and his ill-
mannered companion.
"Sir," he began politely, "I have already had the
honour of seeing you, and am fortunate in finding
:you here, for I have just come from your house."
"If I am not mistaken, sir, you are M. Paulet's
•notary f" enquired Freneuse, who well remembered
his first visit.

-
"Not his notary; I was the notary of his brother,
W. Francis Bezel', who died recently at Amelie-les-
:Bains."
"M. raulet spoke to me of his loss, but I have
'not seen him since the day you came to seek him at
Thy studio."

"And you would like to know what my object
fl seeing you can be," said the old gentleman. 'lt
is this. My name is Drugeon. Perhaps you know
that I came to Paris to inform M. Paulet of the
Purport of his brother's will, but I presume you are
not aware that by this will he is disinherited ?"
" I was indeed quite unaware of that fact," re-
plied Freneuse, surprised at such a communication
from the lawyer.
"M. Bozer has left his entire fortune to two
iiatural daughters he had in Italy," continued the
notary, "and who—never having been acknow-
ledged by him—bear their mother's name, Astrodi.
They are called Bianca and Pia Astrodi."
"What ! " cried Freneuse, "Pia the daughter of
the M. Bozer—tho niece of M. Paulot ?"

"Not so legally," replied M. Drugeon ; " her
father did not recognise her. Had he done so he
could not have left her all his wealth, since the
French law prohibits to a natural child what may
be left to a stranger."
"It is better to inherit a fortune from trades-
:people than to have them as living relatives," said
13inos, sententiously, "especially if the fortune be
large."
"More than five hundred thousand francs," said
the lawyer.
"A half a million to fall into Pia's lap! That is
coming it strong—ipre strong than natural. And
the little partridge gee; riding out in a cab just as
'her fortune is to be announced to her. What an air
she will put on when she comes back! My dear
Paul,' it strikes me very forcibly yoU will never
finish your picture. It is quite on the cards that
she will refuse to sit for yon."
And to demonstrate the joy this news gave him,
33in08 executed a kind of hornpipe ip the middle of
the room, to the great astonishment Of Monsieur
Drugeon, who took him for an irobOoile.
"I am most happy to hear, sir," said Freneuse,
"that this child is to become so wealthy, for she is
worthy of good fortune; and it comes very oppor-
tunely to rouse her from dwelling on the sad death
of her sister."

"'Yes," said M. Drugeon, "M. Bozer's will ap-
portioned his pioperty equally between the two
daughters of Bartolopaea Astrodi, domiciled at
Subiaco in the koman States; by the death of the
elder the entire fortune reverts to the yOunOer."
"Pa has no idea of all this," said Freneuse.
"Pia Astrodi little suspects the change coming in
.her circumstances, for M. Bozer hai never troubled
himself about his daughters, and when he did re-
member them at the last moment of his life )1e knew
not where they were. It was quite by accident that
I heard the day before yesterday of the ilinviving
one, and my information was far from complete.
You may remember, sir, that I came to your studio
to speak to M. Paulet, who was there."
"Perfectly," answered the artist, "and you just
missed seeing Pia. She had that afternoen heard of
ler sister's death." - -

"And had left the house as I arrived," put in tho
notary. "M. Paulet said she was his brother's
legatee."

"That was very generous of him," said Freneuse;
"but for his information you might never have dis-
covered Pia's relationship."
"Probably never, sir; but it has not been by Ti!.
Paulet's aid that I have succeeded in finding the
house."

"How is that He had only to ask me for her
address."

' "That is what I requested; but he replied that it
did not devolve upon him to assist in executing a
will which despoiled him—for the benefit of a
stranger!:
" This fis a strange story. You have just told us
that without him you would not have known that
Pia sat at my studio."
"The first impulse is invariably the just one ; bad
feelings quickly regain the mastery. M. Paulet has
certainly no reason for satisfaction, and one cannot
expect him to take the interest of this young girl to
heart, as she inherits to his disadvantage."
"Then he absolutely refused to assist you in
obtaining Pia's address P"
"Absolutely. He declared he would not hear the
heiress's name mentioned. Mademoiselle Paulet,
who came in during our interview' approved of her
father's resolution, and requested me not to mix
myself more in this matter,.which, she said, was no
concern of mine. She added that Pia was a worth-
less girl like her sister—that she had left Paris, and
that I should search for her in vain."
"Ah!ah !" said Binoslbetween his teeth. "She
ja only half-bred'After all! And yet, who would
have thought it 2"
"Happily, sir," rejoined Freneuse, "you have not
acted upon her desires.",
" No, ' said the notary. ".1 should have failed in
ray duty as an honest manlhad I not done all I
could to make Pia Astrodi aware of her natural
'father's will. I delayed thy departure purposely,
and since yesterday I have put myself in communi-
cation with the nolica."
"The police I":feried Dm' es. "They had very
little to tell you, I am sure. Pia's sister died in a
most extraordinary manner, and yet they would see
nothing at all strange in it.
"Excuse me, sir:' resumed the notary, " it is the
sister's death which caused them to put me in the
right way. They told me Bianca Astrodi recently
deceased, lived in a lodging.house at Niel% tmartre.
1 went there this morning and ascertained from the
woman who keeps the place that Pia lodged in the
hue Fosses St. Bernard."
"How fortunate?' exclaimed Preneuse. " Yes-
.l( rday morning, before visiting the cemetery, that
woman did not know her."
"Silo could not tell me the number; but I met an
Italian girl at the street corner who gave it me."
"Ah !" interrupted Binos. "She pointed thit
Lorrruo's barracks. It surprises me the old brigand
allowesl you to come up, for he had seen Pia go
wit"; •
"lie seemed somewhat astonished," answered M.
Drugeon,, "on my enquiring on what floor she lived,
and he hesitated to reply. He ended, however, by
telling me it was the sixth—without adding that the
Person I sought was not at home. I fancy he took
me for a police agent."

'.4111.1 ;1.93au.

"Very -natural; tOo," muttered Binos. "Re was
brought up in fear. of detectives. He is an old
bandit."

"Sir," said Freneuse, making a sign to his talka-
tive friend to be silent. "I thank you exceedingly
for your intervention. It is the more valuable
because I have reason for anxiety at the girl's
absence. I came here to finish a picture for which
Pia has been my model. She promised to wait for
me, and now the lodging-house keeper informs me
she has gone away with an elegantly-dressed woman
—gone without notice, without saying when she
will return, or whether she will return at all. It is
most strange, and I begin to suspect she has been
carried off."
"That would not be an irreparable misfortune,"
replied M. Drugeon,''. smiling. "Girls who are
carried off are not difficult to recover."
"No, if it were a carrying off such as you refer
to. Pia has no lovers, but she is likely to_be rich,
and her fortune may be coveted."
"She is rich, but few persons are aware of it. If
you suspect any plan against her life, I would have
you remember that her death would be of no advan-
tage to M. Paulet."
"And assuredly," said Freneuse, "M. Paulet is
Incapable of committing a crime for the sake of an
inheritance. Nevertheless some curious circum-
stances
,unknown to you are connected with this
history. Have you been informed of the manner of
Bianca's death ?"

" She died suddenly, I believe," replied the
lawyer' "on the evening of the day when M.
13ozer died at Amelle-les-Bains, so that, as far as
she is concerned, the will is void. M. Paulet was
rejoicing at: an event which restored him his
brother's fortune' when I informed him of the exis-
tence of another legatee who he knew was living—
for he at once said he had seen her."

_
"Blanes' wits murdered !" cried Binos ; "and
those who killed her will kill Pia—it is as clear as
noonday. If they have not tried to kill her before
this, it is because they did not know she would come
into the money."
"Murdered ! ' repeated the notary, horrified.
"Sir, you do not consider what you are saying. The
police made due enquiry, and concluded that the
girl died from the breaking of a bloodvessel."
" Bah ! don't talk of the police! "What do they
know? lam in it. I understand the matter. I
have certain proofs, and, with the help of a friend, I
will lay hold of the wretched who did the business.
The question is Shall I catch them before they
make away with the younger, as they have done
with the elder girl ?"
"Enough," exclaimed Freneuse, "let me speak.
Sir," said he, addressing the notary, "this is what
happened. Bianca was found dead in an omnibus
in which I happened to be travelling—dead in the
most singultr manner—without uttering a cry or
making a movement. It was not discovered that she
was lifeless until the omnibus arrived at the
terminus. On the floor of it I picked up a long pin
which the woman who sat beside Bianca had either
dropped or thrown away, and I
.proved by accident
on the following day that this pm was poisoned. A
oat pricked by it fell instantly dead ! '
"Good heavens! if this woman killed her
sister !"

"She may kill Pia also, and I feel almost sure
that she has carried off the unfortunate girl whom
you seek."
. _

"But, sir," cried the notary, if your suspicions
be correct, it is your duty to relate all the facts
within your knowledge to the ministers of justice.
I am surprised you have delayed doing so."
"I have been wrong—l see it now," exclaimed
Freneuse, "but I cou'd not believe in such villainy.
I did not then know who the deceased was, or th,it
she was likely to inherit a large amount of wealth.
The murder of a poor obscure girl seemed highly
improbable. I failed to comprehend what object
there could be in killing her. The news you have
just brought clears up the sad story. It is evidently
a design against the inheritors of M. Bozer's
fortune."

"Did I not say so Y' cried Binos. "That is why
I took care of the deadly pin."
"What have you done with itr demanded
Freneuse, exc:tedly.
"Ah ! you no longer forbid my speaking of my
operations. You are ready to acknowledge now
that I was right, and since you make honourable
amends I won't be hard upon you. Know that I
have entrusted the pin to A friend to have it
examined by a first-rate chemist—in order to ascer-
tain precisely the nature of the poison on its point.
What we shall then have to do is to find the woman
who pricked Bianca, and my friend Pi(douche has
undertaken that matter. We may make pretty sure
of her, for he is a wonder:ul detective. He was
only half an hour finding out where Bianca lodged."
"Was it he who took you there ?"
"Yes, you might have guessed that long ago if
you had taken the tr.ouble ; but when I began
speaking of Pi 'douche, you desired me to stop."
"Never mind, tell us about him now. Where is
he ? I trust he has not confined his services to the
mere discovery of Bianca's abode."
"I hope not, also; but confound it! I have not
seen him since the day we went to the Rue des
Abbesses."

"And have you not been to his house to inquire?"
"No, for the excellent reason that he never gave
me his address."

"What! you committed the custody of this pin
to a man whose address you did not know ? "
exclaimed Freneuse.

"Oh, I know his café. He was not there yes-
terday, hut he will come again. He is an habitu6
of the Grand Bok.'"

"And you depend ricon such a doubtful acquaint-
ance to trace the murderers? Say no more. I will
find them myself. I saw the woman who was in the
omnibus at the theatre—with her accomplice—the
man who gave her his place. He is an inauiry agent
employed by M. Paulet."
" n agent? Wait one moment," said M.
Drugeon. "M. Paulet told me that—fearing some
awkward provisions in M. Bozer's will—he had
employed an inquiry agent to obtain particulars of
Bartolomea Astrodi and her daughters."
"Did he mcntion his name ? "
"No: but I have no doubt he will if I ask him."
"I hope so. Are you willing, sir; to go at once
with me to 31._Paulet ? "

"Certainly," replied the notary, pausing a moment.
"Excuse my apparent hesitation, but the story of the
omnibus and the poisoned pin is something so new
to me, that I feel lost in amazement."
"And what am I to do ?" inquired Binos.

" You ? I advise you to run to your café and find
your friend Piklouche," replied Freneuse, wishing
to avoid further co-operation with the young
fellow.

On opening the door, he fonnd himself face to
face with Lorenzo, who was bending under the
weight of the canvas and easel.
"Tell me," said Freneuse, "had not the woman
who came for Pia a very red face?"
"Yes," replied the old man, "and eyes as black
as coals. A big nose, too—a Roman nose. If she
would sit for Medea, I could soon find work for
her." _ _

"It is she," muttered Freneuse. "Listen, my
good friend. Just put down what you are carrying;
shut up this room and take the key. Should Pia
return prevent her going out again, and send for me
immedia'ely. If the woman who drove away with
her should return, send for the Commissary of
Police. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir," said Lorenzo, whom nothing sur-
prised.
Freneuse was already descending the staircase,
the notary behind him. The latter had taken the
matter thoroughly to heart, and determined to
elucieate the mystery and see the heiress righted.
"G' on, my children!" growled Binos from the
rear. "Go and consult your rich trader, though no
one but Pi6douche will be of any use; only I must
find him again, that's the worst of it!"
(To be continued.)