The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-03-26

to the mayotalty and thence to the house
of M. le Curer and away hurried Picaud
Those whom he had left looked after him
and then at each other.
"Is he lucky, this drolll''
"He is sorcerer."
"Such beautiful, such rich grill"
} ITO be married TO cobbler!"
"And Tuesday is to be the marriage
day"
"Yes, three days hence"
"lli lay you wager" said Loupian,
with a black look, "that will retard the
tete."
why, what will you dol''
ooh, a bit of sport"
"What, pray2"
"a charming pleasantly. The commits
saire is coming this way. I'll tell him that
| suspect Picaud of being an agent of the
English: you understand Upon this they
Will send for him, and interrogate him. lie
viii be in fright, and for eight days at
least the marriage must wait"
"Loupian," said Alut, "this is beyond a
Joke: it is bad game. You don't know
Picand; If he finds you out, he is capable Of
revenging himself severely"
"Bah! bah!" said the others; lone must
have some amusement in the carnival
las you please; but | warn you that
have nothing to do with it: every one to his
taste"
oh" replied Loupian sharply, 81 don't
wonder at thy head ornaments: thou art a
capon."
Il am an honest man-thou art an envi.
Gus one | shall live peaceably wilt
die wretchedly! Good night.'
With this, AIlut turned on his heel: and
as soon as he was gone the trio encouraged
each other not to abandon so pleasant an
idea; and Loupian, the inventor of the pro-
position, promised his friends TO make them
laugh rentrc dedoutonne. Two hours af.
terwards the commissary of police, before
Louplan had let his tongue run, did his du.
~ like vigilant officer. Out Of the pratt
tie of the cotetier he composed superb re.
port in true commissary style, and handed
1t IN tohis superior. The fatal note was ia
ken to the Due dc Rovigo; il coincded with
The revelations of the movements of La Ven
dee. No doubt Picaud was the 60 between
between the south and the west He must
be person of importance, and his assumed
trade only served as mask to the gentle
man of Languedoc. In short in the night
between Sunday and Monday, the unhappy
Iicaud was apprehended in his chamber
with such mystery that no one saw him de-
part, but from that day all trace of him was
completely lost. His relations, his friends,
could not obtain any tdings OF him, and at
last ceased to inquire about him.
Time rolls its ceaseless course" 1914
arrives; the Imperial Government falls; and
from the Castle of Fenestrele descends.
about the 18th Of April, man, bowed by
suffering and age stricken, more by despair
than by time. In seven years, one who
knew iiiin and looked upon him might say
that he had lived half century. But no
one will know him. for he does not recog.
MISE himself when, for the first time since
his incarceration, he views himself in look
ing glass at the wretched inn of Fenestrelle.
IhIs man, who in his prison went bv the
name of Joseph Lacher, had served, more
ike son than servant, u rich Milancse
ecciesiastic, who, indignant at the conduct
| OF MS relatives, who had abandoned him in
| h'S aiillction, IN the hope that it would soon
do It's work, and leave them in possession
OF his great fortune, had not trusted them
with the credits which he possessed in the
Bank of Hamburg, nor with those which
he had placed in the Bank Of England.
Moreover, he had disposed of the chief por
ton OF his domains TO one of the great dig
nltaries of Italy, and the annual rent was
payable to banker in Amsterdam. who
was charged to transmit the money TO a
wealthy prisoner
This noble Italian, who died on the 4th
OF January, 1914, had made the poor ,Jo
seph Lucher the sole heiy to about seven
million .rancs OF property, besides impart-
ing TO hun the secret of hidden treasure
OF about twelve hundred thousand francs
IN diamonds, aud of at least three millions
IN specie, IN the form of Mianese ducats.
venItan florns, Spanish pieces of eight,
French louis, and English guneas
Joseph Lncher, liberated at last, travelled
rapidly towards Turin, and soon arrived at
Milan lie acted with caution and pru.
dence, and at the end of few davs found
himself IN possession Of the treasure which
he had come to seek, with the addition of
antique gems aud admirable canoes. all of
the highest value.
From Milan, Joseph Lucher went TO Am
sterdam, Hamburg, and London in succes.
sion, and during this journey collected wealth
sufficient for the Golfers Of king Moreover,
Lucher instructed by his master and ben.
eiactor with regard to the secret springs Of
speculation, knew so well how to dispose of
his property that, after reserving his dia-
monds and million, he created an income
oil SIX hundred thousand francs, payable
partly by the Bank of England, partly by
tho German Bank, the Bank OF France, and
that Of Italy.
This done, he turned his face towards
Paris, where he arrived on the 10Th Of Feb
ruary, 1915, eight years, day for day, after
the disappearance Of the unfortunate ri.
caud.
Joseph Lucher, on the morning after his