The Morning herald., 1877-09-03
-'el HHH Hi /
|ParisiiaDD'etective
| oa !. .
|. A DESPERATE DEED. ! (
H. "a uRsK1Nn BOYD,
A DESPERATE DEED.
1RsK1NE BOYD,
CHAPTET III. @
ruv MAN WITH THE EARRINGS.

AAA.
rvervtbing appeared, as the comm1isssry
ID already stated. to have been scattereo
,a11mell. au No. as by the hands of a madman.
'1, In the middle of the room stood table
.rnrad .n s With fine damask cloth, white as
ps'1 pa dr;ven snow. At the farther end was q
mseniacent nv antique goblet OF cut glass; an
vorv.handled knife and plate. Next t.
(hese was placed bottle of wine, hardly
io,cbed, and bottle of brandy, from
Fbich about five or six liQuem glasses had
been taken.
To the right, along the wall, stood two
handsome oaken presses, one on each side
the window. Both were empty, and
heir contents strewn about the floor. These
after consisted of wearing apparel, linen,
nd other articles of clothing, all rumpled,
bnfolded and thrown in heap together.
At the other end of the room, near the
himnev, a large cupboard, containing
rockery, was wide open, and next to it an
b]l secretary, with marble slab, had been
broken open, and then smashed in various
blaces, evidently with the intention Of dis
overing its innermost grooves. The shelf,
baf torn away, still ..'~g by single hinge,
Mile the drawers h. been taken out and
brown on the ground. The bed also, on
he left hand side of the room, was COM
bletely unma,le, blankets and sheets lying
disordered heap beside it, even to the
Mattress, which had been half ripped open,
nd the horsehair strewn about like straw
b stable.
"Not even the faintest footprint" mur-
hured Gevrol, with ill-concealed annoyance.
FlIe must have arrived before half-past
line. We can enter without disturbing any
hing now"
And so saying, he walked right up to the
(orpse, and knelt besi'a it.
"Well, there's no denying but this affair
las been neatly done" he grumbled. "The
ssassn, whoever he may be, was no novice.
his is the work of a master and not OF an
pprentice." Then, glancing from right to
Eft, "Oh, ohv' he continued, "the poor old
irl was busy with her cooking when the
|ow was struck that sent her into kingdom
ONE in so unexpected manner. Yes,
here is the frying-pan on the floor; the
Ashers of ham and the eggs that were to
ave made the omelette. My gentleman
Fas in hurry, or he wouldn't have done
be little business on an empty stomach.
e hadn't even the patience to wait for his
inner. At anyrate, he can't plead in his
efence that his head was confused by the
(aiety Of the dessert"
"Its very evident" said the commissary
police to the examining magistrate, "that
cbbery has been the Motive Of the crime"
Il should rather think so,' answered
fevrol, with slight sreer. "And perhaps
was for the same reason that the forks
nd spoons have disappeared from the
Abe."
-ililloh! here's some gold in this drawer!"
Sclalmed Lecoq, who was ruma' 'g about
n his own account. "No less than three
hundred and twenty francs"
"You don't mean that" said Gevrol,
omewhat abashed; but recovering quick
from his astonishment, he continued,
Flth his usual confidence, "I've heard Of
|ueerer things than that. knew a man
|nce who so completely lost his presence of
llmd after he had committed the murder,
hat he ran away without taking anything,
lNd forgot his hat and gloves into the bar
|aln. Our friend, on the present occasion,
list have been nervous Perhaps he was
Interrupted by some one knocking-who
knows' I'm inclined to this opinion the
more readily from the appearance Of the
|andle' You see, he didn't leaveit burning,
put took the trouble to blow it out"
Fudge" said Lecoq. "That proves
p0thing. He may have been man Of eco
pomlcal tendencies"
Inc Investigations of the two detectives
we're continued over the whole premises;
pu' alter the minutest researches they dis
(SVered nothing that gave them the faintest
lue' Even the papers of the Widow Le-
ouge' had she ever possessed any, had dis
lpeared. Not a letter, or an envelope, or
o1a @rap OF paper of any kind could be
Every now and then the disappointed
pevrol paused to swear at the world at
.gp , and himself in particular.
."eli, what do you make of it," asked
Se Judge, out Of patience at the slow pace
um me proceedings.
I'VE are sold," replied Gevrol, with
ae1sIpaalrng 1sI1a shrug of the shoulders-"c
ple'ely sold! For the present, that is. The
Iou''nurel W. has taken no end Of precautions;
W.. vas: we shall have him yet. Before the
uea'',hg na Twill set my hounds on the scent;
'"e ar, ne IL be run down to dead certainty"
men, as it appears to me-" observed
.ohsleur Daburon, tive are no farther ad-
'anced VIC than we were this morning7"
Vne does ones best, and the best of us
alt 90 the impossible" said Gevrol sullen-
MI, II Nd Corkscrew, now, were only here"
ena m"l'efed Lecoq, in low voice, which, how
f'er' & reached the ears of Monsieur Da-
|could." '''0 WINS
No. "hat could the old fool do more thai
ancnI AN nave doneY" asked Gevrol, darting an
'"TSry glance at his subordinate.
have recoq S turned away, secretly glad to
daNt rave wounded the vanity of his too conf
'e't chief, but too wise to BRING h;s anrer