The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-12-22

inquiries evprywher" in its neighhorhool;
while Monsieur Daluron WAS TO keep the
old gentleman we'll posted with such intel
ligence, as his agents might CLEAN, conrern.
ing the past life and conduct Of the unfortu-
nate Widow Lerouge.
"In conclusion, Monsieur .Tabaret," said
the magistrate, throwing off for the NOM nj
all official reserve, ~ am at all times risibl"
to you. Should You have occasion to
speak to me, do NOT hesitate about the place
or the hour; night or day, il is The same TO
me. 60 abroad but rarely, and you will
find ME always either AT my own house in
the Rue de Seine, or in my own pri:. te Of
fee at the court, aud l will give orders for
your immediate admission nj whatever tim"
yOn may present yourself"
Thev were l"avi!.s thc railway station -,
Monsr'r nahr"n made lis rrr.misc
which, :ose,h"r with the general >.@aness
of his ln;l ner, gave gltlt de-, - To j;ri,i,
Tabaret; bu: Ike latter lrirs" the i:a,,1
tratc's offer of seal ia Ike ral, IL l.;.i
called, OF 10" '!"t Ina! 49, ",rsl Io:,.,., i.
tn" Rte 81. La%.f", ~ Iu :; :.;v pace,
from wlpr" hey ooi.
"To-M,2Tow It"n," *"i ,:.. r'";'.:,:;:"
extenli.:r his ha.i!- g.; .-,.:r.....'. },, ..',''
On the trad OF III" in,l.;r"r."
~ III SIidIi ItIl iilll! li}NiI, t''il'1'I t'N.
Cork:,cre~, Sith all that srt.,antidence in
his subtle instincts which marks the savage
dweller in the wilderness rather than the
civilized inhabitant of great city. "Tht
scent is weak, and the trail is indistinct As
yet, but the one will strengthen and the
other will broaden in time. Aud when he
least expects it, when his confidence is al lis
highest, when his laugh of triumph is at
&c 7 abnn l,> f,r T.
earth"
The old man laid finger respectfully OF.
the arm Of the magistrate, and there VIA; II
bright gleam in his piercing eyes as he said,
In low, firm tones, flat had 81 rlom ."' ing
Of vulgar vanity, "I'lis i. no conn, N me,
as Won say, and it is exactly HAT which
gives me almost certainty Of lis l"t"fio:.
do not say tomorrow or next day-l,",
not for days, weeks, months to come: ln!'
the scent of blood i the strongest scent of
all-it never dies and III" crimson malk
that will lead lis on, is f. him, the man we
seek. red mist, through which h" gropes
and stumbics towards III open grave'.
Then raising his hat, and with ,m,l'trr-
ed apology for the liberty he had taken in
touching 50 familiarity the arm of the mar-
istrate the strange old man turned on his
heel and hurried away.
The house of Daddy Tabaret, az he had
said. was only four or five minues' walk
from the station in the Rue st. Lazaro.
II is capital liece of house property,
and from it's central losi'ion ought to lro-
duce him splendid income--that is, if he
is pr;nl"ut e.,ongh to ask reasonable rent
in III" letting Of its variouS stories. A. for
himself he ocr,pir- thu first floor. 'vhirh
consists of five handsome and ~,,ariors
rorm. comfortably FIR 'i-h"l. with his
magnificent collection of books "a their chief
aI>rnmHnt.
He lives here in a Smrl" way-simple
and frugal from e natural ia-" ia mr'h
as from halit--:;tr:,l"d by or" sarvant,
nm oil woman. 10 whom In" I"r'er unon
grand orrasions l'n Is h"''ng hanI r"-
Gr"$hed in a recnna,v way l'v his land
lord and master. Monsieur ral,aret.
N,hnly in the house has the fa'nt"st
srs,irnn OF tha rrrn'iar orcnpn'ion and
tastes of their landlord They suppose him
10 h" a url;pt. inoFrnSiv. sort Of man. whose
solitary life is commencing to have q soft
enin.- effect upor his brain. They remark
with pity, his singular habits. his frequent
and almost mysterious absences from his
home, and his eccentric. pre- occupied man
ner on his return.
There was one Of his dodgers, however,
that the landlord delighted 70 honor, and
who formed An exception in every way to
the rule he had laid down.
This WAS widow lady named Madame
G"rdy, who lived on the third story with
her only son, Noel;
Daddy Taharet. in fact. was more "at
home" in the Widows apartments than in
his own
II son. Noel, was yonng man OF abont
tliMy-threc years of age, looking rather
Older than he really was He was tall,
wcll-made, and had noble and intelligent
expression of face. TO add 10 his natural
advantages. lie had also large, dark eyes
ant black h.r, which "urlAd naturally. BY
profession har'ister. he had acquired a
cctain reputation. H" was what is c"llel
q hard workc'." rather o'a';natc ii nis
onill;nns. vof'r cold IN ~ ,'Nr,A'". I'D
thou.','ful in ~ h. rr,i",'r..t. ~. u",-
feSse:' also-rj!rni., "';tl " li'l" :"n 'anch
osten.atirn-a .,~a. .n:..l'', ~ lis ,;.'i ,us
pr;:riple". and vas "x'r.nely rigi'l and
austare in his morals.
In Ma?a'ne G"rr:y': apartments Oddly
Tabartt considered himself az one of the
family. He looked npon her as kinswo-
man, and treated Noel as his son. He had
often meditated Offering marriage to the
charming widow. notwithstanding that she
was much younger than himself but he
had lesisted, not 90 mnch from the fear Of
refusal, but from Il q fear Of the conse-
qnences of his proposal. Surprising she
refused him. then goodbye forever TO the
quiet, happy evenings. and the delicious
halo of home she had thrown about his
desolata heart.
+ In the meantime he had made a will,
drawn up in fnll form making his young
friend, the barrSt.r. his rrsdnary lpgatee.
with the sole condition that two hundred
pounds a-year were TO l'" put aside in favor
of anv detective "who drew the cork" ont
of difficult and bafFling police case
Short rs was the distance from the rail
way-station to his house, Daddy Talaret
took more than a quarter of an hour to ar
rive there. No sooner had he omitted the
magistrate than he resumed his self-com-
muning and reflections, and so deeply was
he wrapped mp in them that he walked on
without heeding the I,assers by. and was so
pus i and ehowed, that for every step he
took in advance he lost the space of half of
it.
1t is unnecessary 'o say that the subject
mrrle" Of the Wid"% Lerrr,..e.
For tie ff'eh tim, the old man repeat
ed to himself her words, as reported by the
milk woman -
al have nothing in the funds: but
have all want. If wished for more, |
could have it."
AT the bottom Of that boast" h" ~ -
tered, " lies cline I" he wh"l i"'
The woman Ierong' AS in Posses -. :.
some secret which ! vas the intel"S' Of
some person or per- ~. rich and 'iEhly
placed, 20 keep li'idc!' In 'ha' s""ro. l'H
her fortune. 1t was her bank. from wllir':
she drew at pleasure. She ha. ah,' cd Ia.
power she possessed. and they, driven TO
desperation, have wiped her ont that's
ahout the whole truth of it. But now
comes the question-what was that secret,
and by what means did she berome its pos
SCISSOR? It's possible that, in her youth,
she might have held II situation in some
great family, and while in the service Of
that family she may have seen. overheard,
or ferrpted out something Of importance,
-, on,,, otbintr h,,iful tn its rredit d.nrpr-