The Morning herald., 1877-10-02
CHAPTER XXXVII.
WHO WAS THE GUILTY MANI


Monsieur Daburon was astounded at
the revelation th.t had just been made to
him.
After walking up and down the room
for minute or two, during which his
nautical friend occupied himself in Clean
ing his face with piece of brown paper
Which he "hauled" out of his pocket for
the purpose, the magistrate suddenly re-
turned to business.
sand where's that declaration. or rather
affidavit, which all of you signed7"
"Here it is, your honor. Monsieur Ge-
vrol-and hard nut he is to crack-told
me that I'd get into trouble it didn't 60
straight and above-board with your"
"Give me the paper"
After fumbling about In pockets that
seemed unfathomable, Lerouge fshed up
an old pocket-book, tied round with bit
of tarred rope; and, after unknotting it
with his teeth, he took out piece OF fold
ed paper, yellow with time, and carefully
sealed in four places with what was evl-
dently his own thumb-mark.
The magistrate took the paper, and, as
he unfolded it, some sand d-"the sands of
time" he thought--that had been placed
upon it crumbled upon his fingers, and
fell to his feet
Monsieur Daburon sighed as he looked
at the old sailor. II wonder what has be-
come Of the witnesses who signed this
paper2"
Lerouge thought the question addressed
to him.
"Germain is Dead" he said-"drowned
by the upsetting Of boat. My wife has
been murdered; but the other nurse Is
still alive"
"Where does she live9"
"In a cottage on the De Valcourt es-
tates."
"Her namei"
"Brosette."
sand what happened after the night in
question:" asked the magistrate, as ne
wrote down the name and address OF the
second nurse.
"The next day, your honor, Claudine
had a long talk with me, and succeeded
in making me promise to keep the whole
business secret. The baby was only a
little feverish after the wound I'd given
it; but, as l said before, it was marked for
life."
sand Madame Gerdy - did she ever
know of the scene that passed at the vii
lage inn4"
III don't think that she ever did. How
ever, I'd rather not enter into any CONVEX
sation upon that point. l never prosper
ed after that miserable night. Money ILL
gained brings no profit. My wife took to
drink, and my home became a shame to
me-"
"And what did you do thenl" asked the
magistrate. i.
swell, your honor, did the next best
thing could do. / left her, taking my
son with me-"
"And what became of her after that9'
II don't know; but was informed that
she left her cottage in Normandy about
a year after did"
sand you never saw her againf"
"Never."
"Come-come!" said Monsieur Daburon
-"refresh your memory. You were seen
at her house only day or two before the
murder"
$50 was" said the man, scratching his
head confusedly; "but, you see, l only
deal of trouble and money it cost me to
find her. No one knew what had become
of her. It was like trying to find needle
in bundle of hay. Luckily, lawyer
fellow as l knew, who had managed busi-
ness matters between me and my wife,
found out the address of Madame Gerdy,
and it was through her traced Claudine
to La Jonchere. A friend Of mine, Ger
vais by name, offered me place in his
barge, and that's how I came to Paris.
All, your honor! l shall never forget the
day when l saw her again. She didn't
recognize me in the least. She'd made up
her mind was dead, and when l told her
nv name, she fell back in fit."
"All this doesn't explain in the least the
cause of your visit to your wife,"
at was only about our son, your honor,
that called upon her. Our little one had
become man, and wanted to get mar
ried; but according to our laws, your
honor, he couldn't do that without the
consent of his mother, so I brought her a
deed, prepared by a notary, which she
signed, and here it is"
Monsieur Daburon took the paper, and
examined it attentively. Then he said,
suddenly, HAS it ever occurred to you
as to who could have been the murderer
Vt your wife2"
LerouTs made no answer.
"Have you 10 suspicions9" persisted the
eagistsz4s.
"Nsau whatever" said the sailor, simply,
i've ssssetimes thought, howsomever,
that a. rich people, whose secret she'd
got hold Of, had got tired of her and her
evil tongue, and had paid somebody to
put her out of the way"
This being all the evidence the man HAD
70 give, Monsieur Daburon dismissed him,
with orders that he was to remain in Paris,
in case he might be required; but, at tie
same time, he was to be under SUPER
vision of the polics. and kept at the ex-