Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-22

short. pointed beard and mustache of the
same color. His large. Roman nose made
his thin cadaverous face look thinner and
more cadaverous than ii would otherwise
have looked. When my attention was
first drawn to him, he had risen to his feet
and was staring intentlv at the door,
through which three or four were filing
slowly into the room. He looked as il he
were impatiently awaiting the coming oil
some one.
In one hand he held roll of French
bread, in the other long, slender pocket
knife. For moment or two the knife
was poised in inid-air. while he gazed
frowningly at the door. Then. when he
whom he was expecting did not come. the
knife descended, the bread was severed,
and he sat down to his chocolate and dry
crust with the air of man who had not
tasted food since yesterday. But. mean
and commonplace as the man and his sur
rounding might seem and were, prosac,
as might be and was, the occupation on
which he was engaged, | could not but
harken to the dread voice that whispered
in my heart "The man before you is the
murderer of Osric Imray!"
II.
''Do you see somebody you know P"
asked Sergeant Smith. prompted thereto
by the exclamation that broke involuntari-
ly from my lips the moment my eyes
caught sight of the shadow on the wall
Yes" said, with sort of gasp as |
resumed my seat. Somebody that have
been looking for for long time. You see
that man." / added, Sin the cloak and
slouched hat. sitting by himself in the top
left hand corner?" The Sergeant nodded.
Have you ever seen him before tonight ?"
IL can't say that recolect his face, p"
answered Smith cautiously, after long,
steady stare.
''And yet it is anything but an ordinary
face. Put somebody on to find out all
that can be found out about him, and bring
your report to me as soon as you are
ready
lit shall be done, Sir" was the Ser
geants prompt response.
40 what class do the customers OF this
place mostly belongp" asked.
'tFive-sixths OF them are foreigners, as
you can see for yourself, Sir. A sprink-
ling OF them may be French or Belgian
workmen, who have found employment in
London. The rest should put down as
being chiefly revolutonists and conspira-
tors of different nationalites who have
fed their country, and " no contrive to exc
out a subsistence here. few save ourselves
know how, while waiting for turn of for
tunes wheel that may make them Cen
erals or Senators, and give them in their
turn, the power of shooting or exiting
those now at the top of the tree.
The first thing to be DONE" continued
Sergeant Smith, as soon as we were out
side the cafe. "is to ascertain where our
Jewish-looking friend hides his hea d of a
night. Do you, Sir, wait here a minute
or two while go and look for one OF my
fellows. If our friend comes out mean
while. follow him at distance"
Away went the Sergeant, while | re-
manned on watch near the door of the
cafe. But no one came out, and in FIVE
minutes Sergeant Smith was back, ac-
companied by policeman in plain clothes.
To this man certain instructions were
given, after which the Sergeant and
went our several ways.
Some eight or nine days passed. when,
one evening, on returning to my rooms,
! found the Sergeant waiting for me.
What he had to tell me may briefly be re-
lated as follows:
The mans name-or rather, the name
he was known by-was Pierre Lenoir,
but whether he were really Frenchman.
as his name would imply, was doubtful.
Smith was inclined to put him down as a
Pole or Hungarian; but the Sergeant's
knowledge OF different nationalities was
neither accurate nor extensive. To what
ever country the man belonged, he hao
no ascertainable employment, nor any
visible means OF subsistence. He lived
in one room, the second floor front of No
93A, Winckworth street, Soho. He gen.
orally left his lodgings about noon
breakfasted at some cafe; read the news.
papers, English and foreign; smoked
innumerable cigarettes; sauntered
through the streets for an hour or two,
sometimes In company. sometimes alone
visited different compatriots, all of whom,
like himself, seemed to live in one room
II and so, in the course of the evening.
found his way back to one or another
cafe. where he spent the hours till mid
night, sometimes brooding silently over
his own thoughts, sometimes playing
dominoes or draughts noisily with his
friends. After that, home to his second
floor front, not to be seen over the TIRES
hold again till noon the next day. SO far
as could be ascertained, when at home he
associated with nobody and had few or no
visitors. So
Such was the substance OF what Ser
geant Smith had to tell me. But now
that had found out so much, what was
to do nextp What use could | make of
the information thus acquiredP had
settled upon no, definite plan of action. |
=, only felt that l must do something--or
rather, felt that something was given
me to do. AS yet the way was dark
before me, but that light would come in
time did not doubt j did not doubt
that behind the thrice seen shadow was a
hidden purpose which of a surety would
in due Time remain hidden no longer.
On the evening of the day following
that of The Sergeant's visit found my
sell in Winckworth street, Soho. That it
had at one time been street with some
professions to be considered fashionable
was at once apparent, both from the size
of the houses and the style in which they
were built But as the tide of society
ebbed westward. so had Winckworth
street gradually but surely fallen into
decay, ill at length the whllorn homes
OF fashion and gentllity had come to be
nothing more than SO many lodging
hnn l.l,