Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-04
CHAPTER XVI.

alone on Lake Geneva, Goodwin told Archer
that before he left Paris he had seen the
Project of Police, to whom he had been
formally introduced, in regard to Harry
minski. They had had q long interview,
and the Project, after hearing what the
American had to say of Barigues, gave 1t
as his personal and official opinion that
he was none other than the Polish ras-
cal. The Paris police were intimately ac'
quainted with the misdeeds of harrymln-
ski, and had often been on his track. They
had had him in custody several times,
years before, but had been unable to hold
him in consequence of legal technicalities
that were in his favor.
The fellow had himself an extraordinary
knowledge Of law, and would frequently
stop Just short Of amenableness thereto.
When arraigned his moral guilt would be
perfectly transparent, but the merely legal
points would be on his side. His boldness
and notoriety had so increased that if he
had recently fallen into the clutches of the
French police, he could not have eluded
justice, because he would have been sur
rendered to other Governments for his nu-
merous transgressions.
The Project had full record of the Poles
life, from his birth at Cracow to the time
when he had slipped out of notice and pur-
suit in the Old World. His biography
might have been written from it. It was
an overwhelming arraignment, and was
sufficient to keep him, if fairly tried by the
statutes for each offense, in prison for more
than five hundred years. The eminent
rascal would have been surprised to see it.
Doubtless, many crimes which he had for
gotten were set down there. It hardly
seemed that ore man could have been so
actively culpase. He had swindled and
stolen in nearly every department Of dis
honesty.
Goodwin had obtained from the Project
promise of two accurate copies, duly
authenticated, of the record OF Harry
minski's life, and, armed with these, he
intended to sail home, to see, as he said, if
Barigues could confront the damning testi-
mony with his usual GOODNESS and effrontery.
"Barigues, though one of the most cum
ming and fertile-minded of rascals, asserted
Archer, ''can hardly brazen down his own
life-record furnished by the Paris Project
of Police. When viii the document be
ready, oscar?'
g In about fortnight. The Project is
very careful. He wishes to verify certain
charges, and to do 80, correspondence with
other Governments has been necessary.
Otherwise, could have had copy of the
record without delay"
Have you heard, Oscar, whether
Barigues still infests New York or its
vicinity His subtle intuitions may fore
warn him of danger; be may fly the soun-
try before your return"
"He would never be so accommodating.
He was in his old haunts at last advices.
l correspond with Margaret, informing her
in vague phrase, entirely Ineligible to
her, of my progress; and she tells me of
her prosecutor without naming names. He
has recently grown importunate again
concerning the marriage. This may be
presentiment of evil to come. -
81 TESTED when spoke of Bariguea' Ay-
ing His audaoity is, as we have seen,
unsurpassed, He plainly considers him
self intrenched; he'll have to be driven
out. How does Margaret feel now,
Oscar ?"
"Greatly encouraged. She says she
feels like another woman. have inspired
her with my confidence. If 1 should fail
now, really believe that it would kill
her. But I shall not cannot fail"
"When do you go back, Oscar?"
''In about four weeks, Archer. After
I secure that precious record. / want to
90 to London again on the same business.
What are your plans ? "
81 intend to return next week. I've
engaged my passage. Various matters at
home need looking after. As I've told you,
I've grown more careful of late. I'm pay
ing off my debts, and economizing in many
ways"
"In order to help Others, Archer.
You're most self denying fellow. Your
purse is at cverybody's command
''Don't believe it. l am just beginning
to appreciate money. It's the supreme
good in this world, Oscar Rightly used, it
may be the creator of unlimited happiness.
No man has right to waste it, when he
can do SO much good with it. suppose
must see Christina again, and l shall prob
ably quit Vevay tomorrow. This sailing
is delightful. You beat me managing
boat, Oscar, as well as in hunting down
rogues."
"You may not have the same motive for
hunting rosues that have, Archer"
And yet I might have had, who
knows p
You speak in riddles, Archer"
"All life is riddle. None of us can
ever guess it.
They continued their sail for two or three
hours, until the gun went down behind the
Alps, and the mountains and the lake and
sky were tathed in the soft glow that pre-
cedes the evening, and renders Switzerland
in summer one Of the most delightful of
natures picture galleries.
Archer paid his bill and departed the
next morning, and Goodwin expressed the
hope of rejoining him in New York
the month following.
Goodwin obtained from the Project the
valuable evidence he had been waiting for,
and completed his mission in London. He
then sailed from Liverpool, and arrived at
New York toward the close of August,
Archer meeting him on the dock with his
kind heart in the warm hand-grasp ne
gave him.
To Oscars Anything new ," which
every ocean. crossing traveller naturally asks
after eight or ten days isolation from the
external world, the doctor answered,