Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-09


dropped it with a smothered groan of anguish
then listened, catching my breath. to seq
whether Raoul did not awake. He slept on.
laid on the table the newspaper had bought,
folded so that the paragraph about the murder
lay uppermost; put beside it in little pile oil
that remained of Levi Jacobs money, aud
stole softly from the roon1
1 had meant to fly at once and forever
from the Tue Dauphine But no sooner had
I closed the door of Raoul's room behind me
than the impulse left me. How could de-
sert my friend' Even if he were-even if he
were what l dreaded to think, ought to
leave him! Would he in such a case have
abandoned me! l leaned my head against
the damp wall Of the staircase, and, nm not
ashamed to say, sobbed to think of it. What
could I believe but that all was true' There
was that danlning evidence at the Morguo
there was all that had happened since my
parting with Raoul at ten o'clock Oh Monday
night-the hundred trivial details that Joined
their several forces and drove the mind to
such a terrible conclusion. But Raoul?-of
all men, he? Was to trust my reason or my
friendship A cruel alternative! shook as
If with q fit Of ague; l felt thoroughly worn
out in mind and body. Was to go or stayi
sat down on the stairs and buried my face
in my hands.
do not know how long I sat there; was
careless Of the time, as Of the cold To leave
Raoul was like troason; but to meet him
to face him with such thoughts in my mind-
rather anything than thatl 1t was now late.
Seven o'clock was the hour we had fixed for
dinner; it must be long after that; already
tha lo, -.
meal. Raoul might rise at any moment
might come out--he must not find me here!
Irose, staggered downstairs and rushed along
the passage.
A stout man, muffled up in great, black
cravat, stretched his arm across the outer
doorway to prevent my reaching the street.
Almost beside myself, in blind rage at this
obstacle, / raised my arm and dealt him a vio-
lent blow on the chest. He reeled back, but
as he did so whistled shrilly and grasped me
by the sleeve. Two men rushed forward, and
in a moment held me fast "" : ~
"Ho, ho!' said the stout man with the era
vat; 1--WE assault the agents of police? We
raise our hands against the authorities, chi
Here Jaequot, Bertrandl Bring this fine fel.
low under the light of the lamp there, that
may have a look at himl . Short, fair,
blue eyes--no, it is not our man. You may
let him go. And, young ja,kanapcs, let me
warn you--" ..t..
But no sooner had the two lnen loosed their
hold of me than l had fled like coward, and,
before the stout man had finished his sen.
tence, was half way down the Rue Dauphine
CHAPTER V.
To make my narrative clear, shall give
you, before going further, the result of the
first days inquiry held on Wednesday, the
day Of my visit to the Morgue. The Judge
of instruction in this case was NJ Robert
Roguet, a man of high reputation in the mag.
istracy. From NJ. Sapinaud, advocate, and
a friend Of mine, obtained a copy Of the
Judges notes later on in the case; give them
here. a... .
The inquiry was held 'on the spot"--thatis is,
in the very room Of the house No. 13 Passage
de Mazarin, where Joseph Meissner had been
murdered. w s,e.s..T ...,.r-.s,. .,,
Jean Mouton, janitor, interrogated, gave
evidence: That he had held his present stu
alton for more than IA years, and that the
murdered man, Meissner, had occupied that
room and cabinet for OF least ten years. In
terrogated as to the habits of Joseph Meiss
ner, declared that these were regular in the
extreme; that he always breakfasted in his
rooms on three days of the week went out at
noon, returning at 4, and going out again at
to dine; on the other days remained in his
room till 6, his invariable hour for dinner:
returning every night, without exception,
ON the stroke Of 0. Had returned at
o'clock on tho night Of Monday. Tuesday
being one Of the days on which he never
stirred out Of doors till 6, he, Mouton, had
not been surprised or alarmed by his non-ap-
pearance up to that hour. Stated that Meiss.
ner had repeatedly enjoined him to force an
entrance into his room any day that he did
not appear at q o'clock. Interrogated as tc