The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-06-04
BLOOMSBURG Pa, FRIDAY JUNE A. 1885,

tant business, and, before going, will
suggest to him the propriety of his
empowering me as trustee for his wife,
to receive and take care of any prop
erty that may be coming to him. /
will have an instrument properly drawn
and executed, for he will be influenced
by the consideration that one doesn't
know what may happen on long
journey. Something must hap
pen on this journey to Alfred, and ]
look to you to see that it does hap
pen"
"You mean,' said Bertrand, 'that
Alfred must never reach Marseilles 2"
"Just So" was the answer; ''and, as
your reward, you shall have one fourth
OF all that comes into my possession"
A map of the railroad to Marseilles
was spread, and Rogue said;
THE LITTLE BUSINESS.
"Alfred will start for Marseilles by
the train which will reach Chalon at
midnight. After that there will be
thirty-mile clear run to I'ourmes, and
everybody will be asleep. AT Tourmes
the mails will be dropped but there
will be no stoppage. Between Tourmes
and Macon all will be lonely and ev-
erybody will be asleep - including
Alfred. You will be in the same com
partment with him. If there is any
one else there, you will have to wait
and use your judgment. This is the
month of December, and few people
will be travelling for long distance.
Mark you l am only mentioning the
earliest hour at which l think it would
be safe for you to do the little business
propose TO you. Any time later, up
to say, 5 o'clock, it will do; but, as you
see, it will be absolutely necessary that
you and Alfred should Oe alone in the
compartment
"And what is the little business you
expect me to attend to ?" Bertrand
asked.
"Simply TO throw corpse out of
the window" was the answer. 'and
then to throw out the valise which the
corpse owns
And the details of this horrible
crime were thus arranged, and it was
settled that Alfred should quit Paris
by certain train the next day.
"You can make no mistake" said
Rogue. Gle is about five feet ten,
with dark hair and moustache. But
the token by which you will know him
is the valse. See y
And Rogue produced yellow
leather valise, bearing on silver plate
the name "Roque."
"He will take first-cass ticket and
you will do the sane, and the rest
must be left to your Judgment ard in
genuity,' said Rogue, adding: "Re.
member, the thousand francs which l
give you is not hundredth part of
what your reward will be if you are
successful
The same day Rogue announced to
Alfred that firm in Marseilles, which
owed him large sum, was on the
verge of bankruptcy, and that the only
way to prevent the loss of the money
was to go thitEer at once and make
the best compromise possible.
"Now, my dear Alfred said Rogue,
81 know it must be hard trial for you
to quit your bride, but l am sure, also,
that you will even make the sacrifice
to benefit me-
Alfred readily agreed, and Rogue
went, as he said, to the Bourse. At 2
o'clock he returned and found Bert
rand thoroughly disguised waiting for
| him Rnpua moo uarx, ind; Harapt opl
hurried off with him. Alfred couldn't
understand what this meant, and went
to the door. Rogue and his visitor
were getting into cab, which was
driven rapidly off.
A DISCOVERY.
Alfred returned to the office and en-
tered Roque's private room Rogue
quilted the place in such hurry that
he had not taken his overcoat with
him. 1t lay on the table, and out of
one of its pockets protruded legal
looking document Alfred glanced at
it and was astonished TO see his own
name and the name of Rogue on the
outside. He drew it forth and exam
ined it. 1t disclosed the fact that AL.
fred was the sole heir of his father,
who had died recently in Calcutta, very
wealthy, and went on to authorize
Rogue to act as trustee for Alfred 4
wife if anything happened to him.
When he had read it he replaced it in
the pocket and laid the coat On the ta-
BILE. Alfred's mind was filled with
strange surmises and fears, and he
was puzzled beyond utterance to un
derstand the situation.
When Rogue returned he called AL
fred into his private room and said
"Alfred, you are about to start OF
a long journey and don't know wha
may befall you. / owe you som,
salary and you have some money il
the bank, so l prepared a paper b,
which, in case of any accident to you
| become trustee for Eugene. Thu
all your property will come right int,
my hands and | can transfer it at one,
to. your wife without a long, tedious
legal strife. If you will come with me
the notary will witness your sigma
ture."
The thought that here was some vii
, lainous scheme to de- fraud him at one
entered his mind; but then, remember
ing that the trust was TO exist only il
case of his death, he resolved to sig
the document and see what it forshad
, owed. They went before the notary
! Alfred answered the usual question
and the signatures were duly ar
: pended.
SUBSTITUTE.
Alfred went home and communicat
ed to Eugene all that had happened
She strongly urged him not to 90 t
Marseilles, and finally he agreed tina
he would send friend named Mas
: seran and remain in disguise in Pari,
and watch the movements of Rogue.
He went that evening to the ru
Vanguard and saw Masseran VIII
resembled Alfred sufficiently to pas
! for him among people who were nc
we'll acquainted with him. Masseral