The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-03-18

lone since tllaC secOllu ueatH llau
visited Madame Matteau. ..'
I mysclt-bccause Iadmired her
great deal, and her daughter still
more-had always insisted that it
was merely a coincidence, and that
in a world in which apoplcxy. and
heart disease were SO common, it
was no such marvel that two men
should have met sudden deaths i'll
the same house. But my faith in
this theory was shaken when one
morning it was published over the
city that another transient boarder
had been found dead in Madame
Matteau's house, and that she was
arrested on suspicion Of having
murdered him, his watch and chain
having been found in her posses
sion. . ... ys.
Before I had recovered from the
shock OF this terrible piece Of news,
message came to me from Mad
anne Matteau. She desired to see
me. Of course | went to her at
once.
She had been taken to prison !;
and I found her in little grim
room with barrel window, and an
insufficient fire upon she hearth.
The logs had burnt in two upon the
andirons, and the white ashes were
scattered over the hearth. Almost
i'm them sat Madame Matteau, i'll
her widows dress of sombre black.
IShe was chilly with grief and cx'
element, and had drawn her chair
eIbse to the fire. "
She shook violently from head to
foot, and her face was deadly pale
rs she turned it toward me aud held
out.her hand. .
"Oh, thank Heaven, you have
come - she said. II know you can
save me. Is it not horrible? How
could 1 kill a man? Why should [:
Why do people come to my house
to die? TO Gle horribly, with black
faces and starting eyes, as if some
one had choked them? Ugh! and
he was pretty young man the
night before. Oh, good Heaven,
how horrible" !"
I sat down beside her. I took her
hand.
"Madamc Matteau,' I said, "be
calm collect yourself. AS your
lawyer, i must know all. Tell me
from first to last what happened
what was said, what was done. If
yo-0
I paused; her black eyes had
flashed upon me. I could not ask
her whether she had any confession
to make. I saw she had not. I'm
:. less she was the best actress who
ever lived, Madame Matteau was
iinnQcent of any crime. w.
"If You hsve any suspicions,' |
added, "tcll them all to me-
"Therc is no one to suspect,
sobbcd the poor woman.
ain the house were Gabrielle,
my daughter, whom you have seen,
old Hannah, the cook, Mr.. and
Mrs. Bcauchamp, friends Of my
poor dear husband in his boyhood
the best, the kindest peorle-llr'
Gray, q very old man, too feeble to
leave the house, poor dcforncd Miss
Norman, and the librarian, Mr.
Bassford. None of these could OF
:. would murder a mouse. See how
kind they are; they remain in my
house they send me word that
they have no doubt Of me. Oh
bow can anybody?''
"And this man who-' / began
eyes" said Madame Matteau, 81
will tell you; he was fair, young
handsomely dressed; he asked MIR
IBassford at the depot, if he knew
of any one one could accommodate
him. Mr.. Bassford brought hin
home. My only empty room was
the one in which those other two
strangers died. / could not beal
to put him there but Mr.. Bassforl
laughed at me. We had suppcI
afterward. lie talked long whli'
to Gabrielle. 1t was late when h'
retired-late for our quiet house
hold. Hannah had made his fire
She came and told US that she ha<
:, done so. He said goodnight:
After he had gone, we found tina
ihe had left his watch on the table
lie wore it only with a bunch O
seals, aud he had bccn setting it by
the clock, and showing it to us a
! something very handsome:
knocked at his door to restore it tx
; him. lie had not left us but filtcci
minutes before, but he must have
, been asleep already, for he made
no answer. So l kept it for th'
might, and wore it down to break
fast next morning.. AS l came dow
I met Il gentleman in the Eall. LII
incurred for Mr.. Glenn. That wa
., the new comers name. | sent Liam
nah to wake him. She could no
do so, and grew alarmed. She ha'
key that would open the door
and used it. The next thing knew
we were all in the room, and tn
windows were wide open, and tn
doctor had been sent for; and tn
younr man who had called wa