The Morning herald., 1877-09-04

|aslo:u,.d5sst T. q sball -havs run L bic fox 'te
earth" "'.9 sshs
The old man laid finger respectfully on
the arm Of the magistrate, and there was a
bright'gleam in his piercing eyes as he said,
in low, firm tones, that had in them nothinl
Of vulgar vanity, "This is no common crimt
as you say, and II is exactly that whic1
gives me almost certainty of it's detection
10 not say to-morrQwss soC,next day-nc
not for days, weeks, months ID come; bu
the scent of blood is the strongest scent O
all-it never dies out, and the crimson mari
that will lead us on, is to him, the man w
seek, a red mist, through which he grope
and stumbles towards an, open grave" 7i
Then raising his hat, and with mutter
ed apology for the liberty he had taken II
touching SO familiarity the arm of the mag.
istrate, the strange old man turned on hia
heel and hurried away.
The house Of Daddy Tabaret, as he had
said, was only four fors five minutes walk
from the station in the Rue st. Lazare.
1t is capital piece Of house property
and from its central position ought to pro
duce him splendid income-that is, if he
is prudent enough to, ask a reasonable rent
in the letting Of its various stories. As for
himself he occupies the first floor, which
consists of five handsome and spacious
rooms, comfortably furnished, with his
magnificent collection Of books as their chief
.adornment. {& lG3fIla& Y r.a
He lives here in simple way-simple
and frugal from natural taste as much
as from habit-attended by one servant,
an old woman, to whom the porter upon
grand occasions lends a helping hand, re-
freshed in pecuniary way by his land
lord and master, Monsieur Tabaret
~ Nobody in the house has the faintest
suspicion OF the peculiar occupation and
tastes of their landlord. They suppose him
to be a quiet, inoffensive sort of man, whose
solitary life is commencing to have soft
ening effect upon 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 to honor, and
who formed an exception in every way to
the rule he had laid down.
This was widow lady named Madame
Gerdy, who lived on the third story with
her only son, Noel;
Daddy Tabaret, in fact was more q at
home" in the widows apartments than in
his own.
Her son, Noel, was young man Of about
thirty-three years of age, looking rather
older than he really was. He was tall,
and had noble and intelligent
of face. To add to his natural
advantages, he had also large, dark eyes
and black hair, which curled naturally. By
profession a barrister, he had acquired a
certain reputation. He was what is called |
= hard worker" rather obstinate in his |
opinions, very cold in his manners, and |
thoughtful in all he undertook. He pro-
fessed also-perhaps with little too much |
ostentation-a great severity in his religious
principles, and was extremely rigid and |
austere in his morals.
In Madame Gerdy's apartments Daddy
Cabaret considered himself as one of the
amily. He looked upon her as hnswos
nan, and treated Noel as his son. He had
'ften meditated Offering marriage to the
harming widow, Notwithstanding that she
vas much younger than himself, but he
lad desisted, not so much from the fear of
refusal, but from the fear of the conse-
uences of his proposal. Supposing she
efused him, then goodbye forever to the
uiet happy evenings, and the delicious
alo of home she had thrown about his
isolate heart. "@ ~ !
In the meantime he had made a will,
rawn up in full form, making his young
riend, the barrister, his residuary legatee.
18th the sole condition that two hundred
ounds a-year were to be put aside in favor
any detective "who drew the cork" out
a difficult and battling police case.
Short as was the distance from the rail-
ay-station to his house, Daddy Tabaret
'ok more than quarter of an hour to ar
We there. No sooner had he Quilted the
agistrate than he resumed his self-com-
uning and reflections, and so deeply was
, wrapped up in them that he walked on i
ithout needing the passers by, and was so
ished and elbowed, that for every step he
ok in advance he lost the space Of half Of
It is unnecessary to say that the subject
his thought was still the mysterious
urder of the Widow Lerouge.
For the fftieth time, the old man repeat
to himself her words, as reported by the
ilk-woman -
II have nothing in the funds; but I
we all I want. If I wished for more,
uld have it."
" At the bottom of that boast" he NUT
red, {" lies clue to the whole business.
le woman Lerouge was in possession of
me secret which it was the interest of
me person or persons, rich and highly
aced, to keep hidden. In that secret lay
r fortune. 1t was her bank, from which
e drew at pleasure. She has abused the
wer she possessed, and they, driven to
speration, have wiped her out; that's
out the whole truth of it. But now
n aa tho ion--uhat x,oa 4ha+ aaa.a4 l