Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-03-21

arrived at the mansion. A light was
still burning in the vestibule, and the
apartments on the floor above were
ablaze with light Vilmont rang, and
the door was almost Immediately opened
by sombre.looking porter. Before the
detective had time to ask for madame
rustling of dress was heard, and Nine.
Verefkin appeared and IN great excite
ment asked:
'Oh, monsieur, do v0u come from
monsieur my husband? tie is safe :?
Nothing has befalIen him? Speak
speak, pray you y
Greatly moved at the anxiety of the
lady, Vilmont could hardly speak.
Then, with considerable effort, he said
"Madame, do not bring good news.
Your husband has met with a great
misfortune. He is-he is-dead-mur-
dere6 p
"Dead p she echoed, catching at the
balustrade for support. Oh, who has
killed my darling !"
The keen eye of Vilmont noticed that,
although madame appeared greatly
shocked, she did not weep. No tear be-
dimmed her bright eye.
"Will madame accompany me 80 Mon
sieur lie Commissary? Justice demands
that madame should aid us In our en-
deavor to unearth the villain who has so
cowardIy taken off Monsieur Verefkln,"
said Vilmont.
She started, and then calming herself,
said to her maid:
Blanche, bring my coat and bonnet,
and we will 60 with monsieur.
The three entered the fiacre and were
driven to the prefecture. AS they neared
the place madame's grief and agitation
increased. Alighting, they entered
The commissary met them at the door.
Ere he had time to express bis sorrow
for madame'sN great bereavement, she
rushed past him and threw herself upon
the lifeless body of him who had been
her husband. Her piteous means drew
from the eyes of these men who were ac-
customed to such scenes tear of pity.
As the commissary gently took her
from the body and led her to the chair
Vilmont again noticed that, despite her
great grief, no tear had fallen from her
eyes.
''Strange," he muttered, "but some
people cannot shed tears"
When Nine Verefkin became suf-
fciently Gained the commissary asked:
" Madame, do you suspect any one of
this terrible crime? ?"
mo, monsieur, she answered, my
husband had no enemies that [ know of.
He was too good, too kind.
As the magis trate asked the question
he picked up the poniard with which
Monsieur Verefkin had been killed. The
maid, who had been moving about in her
chair, saw the knife and in shrill voice
exclaimed: "My Godl that is madame's
dagger" For a moment it seemed as
though the woman would faint. The
magistrate rushed to her assistance.
Then she murmured family:
"No-no, Blanche, that is not mine,
although it looks like it.
Vilmont's eyes gIstened.
"Ahal That is why she could not
weep. a clever actress. Wen see.
Advancing toward the magistrate, he
spoke a few hurried words. The COM
missary addressed Nine. Verefkin:
50 Madame, | am sorry to have
troubled you, and since you can shed no
light upon the murder of your husband,
you are at liberty to go TO your home.
VIlmOnt will accompany you.
So saying they departed, Vilmont
with the determination to see madame's
dagger, that so much resembied the one
with which NJ. Verefkin had been muir
dered.
Having arrived at the home of madame,
the detective asked:
CIVIL madame kindly show me her
dagger am very sorry to trouble you,
but it may lead to the capture of the
culprit."
Certainly, if monsieur will follow
me-, she answered.
She assembled the broad staircase and
entered her boudoir. The detective felt
uneasy. Approaching her escritoire, she
opened the uppermost drawer and
handed V1mont a poniard.
"Great heavens!' he exclaimed, sit
is a fac simiie of the one used to kill
monsieur
The only difference being that Mad
ame's initials were on hers. He looked
for the makers name. It had been
scratched off, but the word "LYons,"
was still legible
The detective carefully put it in his
pocket and left. He went straight away
to the prefecture and there saw the po-
niard besmeared with blood. Wiping
off the blood on this dagger. too, the
name was scratched except the two let
tiers his.
The detective came to but one conclu-
sion, and that was that both daggers
had been made in the same city-name-
~, Lyons. Although he did not directly
suspect madame, he thought it strange
that both daggers should be made in the
same CITY. He determined to 60 there
and hunt up the maker. Taking with
him the poniard on which madame's I'M
tails were, he started for Lyons, first
leaving comrade to watch madame's
movements. Arrived in Lyons, he en-
CURED of a dealer who the manufacture
ers of cutlery were. He was given a
list. The dealer then asked him if there
was any particular line of cutlery that
he desired. He answered that there
was, at the same time showing the
poniard.
"Ah!" said the dealer, "that was
made by NJ. Godeaux & Co., and sold