The Morning herald., 1877-09-01

x pork-butcher Of Bougival, in pecuni-
ary difficulties, had been known to propose
marriage to her, but had been summarily
dismissed, with the observation that she
had had one husband, which was quite suf-,
licent and that she was by no means dis
posed to repeat the experiment..
Nevertheless, on several occasions men
were seen to call on her. At first, young
man having the appearance of railway
guard then, tall, dark, elderly man, in
blouse, and Of a sinister and disagreeable
aspect. After the incident of the pork
butcher, the village gossips put these men
down as the widows admirers.
Whilst the commissary was collecting
this evidence and putting it to paper, the
examining magistrate arrived. He brought
with him the chief officer of the detective
police, accompanied by one Of his agents.
Monsieur Daburon, the examining magis-
trate, was at this time about thirty-eight
years of age. In figure he was tall and
we'll made and, Notwithstanding certain
.oldness and hauteur in manner, with a
yentle and melancholy expression Of face.
This melancholy had remained indelibly
marked on his features after severe ILL.,
ness, which two years before had nearly
proved fatal to him.
He had held his present important posi-
| ton since 1859, and had rapidly acquired
brilliant reputation. Hard-working, patient,
and endowed with sort of subtle common
sense, he could unravel the most tangled
rkein in the most puzzling law case, and in
the midst of thousand threads pick out
the right one.
With so many rare qualities, he, however,
hardly seemed fitted by nature for his ter
rible Office. He never condemned without
a shudder mistrusting his own Judgment,
and fearing to be led away in spite of him
self by the extent Of the authority placed
in his hands.
The CHIEF Of the detective police was no
other than the celebrated Gevrol, who has
played so often prominent part in the
criminal dramas Of our time. A very able
man, with one fault, n obstinate persistenry
whether right or wrong, in his own ideas. He
never confesses himself wrong, and, the scent
once lost, stuhbornly refuses to retrace his
steps to take up another which subordinate
might have discovered. With this excep-
ton, he is the beau ideal of a police officer
cool and courageous, gifted with hercn-
lean strength, Notwithstanding his mea-re
appearance, and ever ready to confront q
danger, and arrest-often single-banded-
the most desperate criminals. But his
special popularity, his glory, his triumph,
is an extraordinary memory for faces. A
face once seen by him is never forgotten.
In the most unlikely places, under the
most incredible DISCUSSES. he never fails to
recognize it. This remarkable and unerr-
ing precision, he explains, is due to his
never troubling. himself about any other
part of mans face but the eyes. He could
remember glance, or detect a look, when
the other features often escaped his men,
ory. TO quote an example,: A few weeks
before the occurrence we are now treating
Of. a question of identity had arisen con-
cerning three malefactors, accused of a
rraye offence. Draped with heavy cover
Ings. so as to utterly disguise both height
md figure, their faces were hidden by thick
veils, in which openings were SO managed
rs to show only their sinister eyes, and in
This state they were placed before the Keen
visioned defective. Without moments
hesitation he recognized each of the three
,ascals, and pointed them out by name.
Gevrol's assistant in the matter he had
now in hand was young, but, at the same
time, one of the most promising of his staff.
Keen rs razor, and loving the profession
he had adopted, he saw the one great fault
of his MASTER and never failed, when op-
portunity offered, to take advantage OF it.
But Gevrol, on his side, regarded his
younger colleague with a Jealous disdain.
This agents name was Lecoq.
The commissary of police who was be-
ginning to feel uneasy at the responsibility
Of his present position, received the magis-
trate and the detective officers as captive
receives his liberators. He gave them a
Irapid recapitulation of the facts, and read
the dispositions of the various witnesses.
"All this is very satisfactory" said the
magistrate; "but there is one fact you have
Iomtted to ascertain" ...-..
sand what's that, sir?" inquired the com
mssary.
"On what day was the Widow Lerouse
last seen, and at what time?"
~ was Just about to inform yol', sir.
tShe was met returning from Bougival on
1.-The evening of Shrove Tuesday, with a
market-basket on her arm."
I care you quite sure of the hourY" asked
Gevrol.
aPerfectly, and I'll give you the reason
why. Two witnesses, whose dispositions l
|bavc taken--the woman Teller, and wine-
cooper who lives close by-were getting out
Of the omnibus that leaves Marly every
hour, when they saw the Widow Leronse
crossing the road in front of them. They
Iouickened their pace, and, joining her,
walked with her as far as her door, .
"And what had she in her basket" asked
the magistrate.
"The witnesses can't say, They only saw
the necks of two bottles Of wine, each one