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

The new Ser GER an elderly person,
tnrned of xty, .n' whose appearance
loudly proclaime hat fact Small, ,me'gre,
and slightly benthc leant with t,J long,
nervous hands, rossod upon q bamboo
cane. with carNd ivory top. His ronnd,
nnmearing viSac WAS remarkable only for
an expression of.'nrii aStoniShment. His
chaaLs and chin$ere closely shaven and
his nose. which A. frigh'ful pug. seemed
ia he continual shifting the air. His small
ewes made mp " their deficiency in size
by their rerpNnl mov"m"nt-they were
never still forf moment while his hair,
which thatchet1ut thinly a skull that set
YOU in mind ofthat Of !; greyhound. in no
wise interferedwith 4 pair Of long ears.
which stood holly ont from his head. ~ if
thev had beenae wings which adorned the
cap of Mercul.
He WAS couortally dressed in q suit of
good broadclul, wore cotton gloves a little
too large fornim, and gaiters a little too
small. A ve1 massive gold chain, in the
extreme of ,ad taste. went three times
round his lea neck. and descended in a
cascade to h; waistcoat pocket.
Daddy Taaret, otherwise Old Corksrrew,
= stopped ah,ptly Oh the threshold of the
door. gIe o, shar~, qnirk glance AZ the
masistrate,%n lo~ red his eyolids. and
esid. in a ice of def"rential rolit"n"ss,
"You havlone me the honor Of sending
for me-
"Yes." ,sw"red Monsieur Dahuron,
bowing ileturn TO the others stln'ation,
which wa.f sneh i respectful nature that
itncarlv ascd him to 20 OF al-fonrS.
"If | , be of any uSe to you," continue
ed the olman, Il shall lie only too hap
py."
You be Of very great service to us,
Monsiennbaret." said the magistrate, if
Won ran ;cnel in finding ont some clue
that will able Us to track the assassin
for mu,wn 10 You that We all seem to
be on the ong scent. If you will take 4
chair, I have the whole business eX-
planned tou as far aS we have gone"
-0h, tNs enough of it already" inter-
rrUted OlorHSrr'.w. LerUl gave me the
details as rnmr alru~.'
81 But Stl." ir<iilat"d the magistrate.
leave to ne, sir-l"tve il to me. |
like TO truto my own first impressions,
unbiased the observations Of others,
however vab" they may he because
you see. siae>p'e ourselves, we cannot
help h"uc uerlc"d 10y them. Bat fear
Tn wa>tinrne. so, if you will allow me,
! will ronIlne 1T once my researches with
L"roJ."
Aud rs little old gentleman spoke,
hi small greycs frightened and gleam-
ell till thcyonc like sparks of fire his
whole rhysi omy reflected Il sort of in
terror Joy, athere was laugh in every
mike. YA He med to grow taller-young-
e., even and it was with almost Il buoyant
.s.e,, that he crossed the room and entered
with eager prccipiiancy the second cham
Der.
lie stayed there some half an hour at
least, then came running out as quickly as
he had entered rushed back again-re-
turned. but only to vanish again and again
as quickly.
The magistrates, M. DaLuron, could not
divest himself Of the notion that in this
strange old mans every motion and look
there was startling resemblance to a dog
who searches scent. The upturned nose
and trembling nostrilS appeared to seek in
the air itself some subtle emanation of
the assassin impallahle TO others, while in
his quick comingS and goings, his restless
movings to and fro. he gesticulated and
'spoke aloud, apostrophiSing himself, heap
ing abuse upon his own stupidity, or, by
little exclamations of appreciation and tri-
umph, appearing to encourage himself to a
more energetic search. II s activity was
incesSant, and his friend and admi!er,
Lecoq, was not left for one moment in
peace. Daddy Taharet required this, Dad
dy Taharet required Tat. Now it was pa
per and a pencil. then il was spade ; next
he shouted for some wet clay, some plaster,
water, and, last of all. bottle OF oil.
More than an hour having passed in this
manner. the magistrate began to grow i'm
patient, and demanded Of the brigadier
what had become of their amateur detec-
tive
"He's in the road" replied the bricadior,
with grin. "Wh"n I last saw him. he
was lying down in the mud on his stomach,
and mixing up som" plaster in plate. He
told me to say he had nearly finished, and
would be at your disposition in moment"
The words were scarcely ont of the gen.
darme's mouth, when Daddy Tabaret ap-
peared. Joyous, radiant. triumphant; look
ing positively younger by twenty ypa"s.
AT his heels, close a. his shadow, follow
ed Lncoq. CARRYING with the greatest pre-
caution large basket.
ave got il ~ cried tha old gentleman, RS
he advanced hriskly towards Monsieur
Daburon. "I've drawn the cork. though
it's the very tigh'est I've ever wor,ned the
screw into. Lecoq, my good young man,
put that basket down upon the table hut
gently-gentv One rough shake, and
shall have all my work TO do over again"
At this interesting moment, Gevrol also
re-entcr~d the room. He had returned
from his expedition almost as triumphant
as Oh Corksr"cw hims"lf.
"I've ra,.k"i 1..''n 'ho chap With the
earrings" hc s.,i' ~, Il h4au';rrl trail
TO follow The '";.' ."u' down the river,
and I've rot an "xa"; description of its
master"
"Now, Mnn<ionr To',"r"t. I am anxious
TO have vorr rn,,"r'." lid .ho MAGISTRATE.
All eyes wore now turned on Old Cork
screw and cvc,v oar Iirirlin IN to catch
every word tha' might fall from his oracu-
lar mouth. He had at"eaAv "nn1iad out
upon the tailr IN" rnN '"Mts of the ba>ket-
viz, la~ge cloA &C clay. several large
shce's Of pornr. aud 'hree or four pieces
Of plaster. sill wet
Standing upright hpfor" the table. the
queer old gentleman looked douhly gro
tesque, and tha eccent"icitv Of his appear
ance was MOI l"ssenrl from the fact that he
was covered with mud from hia toes to his
chin With the air of n lecturer, and
amids. the d"eu"St sil"nrr. he commenced.
in tone whose studied mode>ty conld not
altogether hide the pride that possessed
him -
ANY first discovery. gentlemen. is this:
that robbery has had nothing 10 do with the
crime in question, and thar we shall find
there exist private and far NOR" terrible
motives that have l"d 10 the murder of the
unfortunate Widow Lcrouge."