, 1886-03-26

ana searched tho garden, where they
found footprints, which they measured.
They searched everywhere. In the
meantime Coussac died, and the old
mother was beside herself. Catisson,
half out OF her senses, saw ever that
frightfuI hand, with the four even fin
gers gliding over the oak uhutter, like a
spider or a crab.
As you a imagine, we made every
effort to find the dog who had sent that
worthy to Lonyat (the cemetery at Lin
oges.) Yes, we did all we could, but
there was no clew. We had the hand as
Catisson had described it to me, but
knew Of no one possessing such a hand.
We questioned all the masons who had
worked with Father Coussac, but no
suspicion rested upon them; all were
worthy people, well known, with a little
fondness for chestnut wine, but not
crime. Who, then, was the criminal
One day a butcher-boy from la rue
Aigueperse came TO tell us that he
remembered once having a quarrel with
a great fellow who, in drawing his Nou-
tron knife, had displayed a very peculiar
hand with four even fingers. Now the
knife with which he had killed Coussac
was a Noutron knife, but the butcher
boy could give no further information,
and many thought his story a fabrica-
ton. And our men still searched, find
ing nothing, which annoyed me. as / had
said to Catisson: Tell us, demoiselle,
what you will give for the man who
captures your fathers assassin"
She did not answer, but turned pale
while her beautiful black eyes wept and
promised, but all hat did not enable me
to find the criminal. Finally Catisson
said:
-If you can not ind him, l will"
She had still her grandmother, a true
woman, living, who since the assassina-
ton had been silent as a stone, yet fierce
as a dog ready for attack, and the poor
old woman kept repeating: will they
not, then, conduct to the Monte-a-Regret
the villain who killed my SOM"
Catisson left her position as seamstress,
and applied TO the project of police for
permission to take a place at the fair.
This astonished every one, especially
when we saw at the fairgrounds at st.
Loup or st. Martial OF Limoges a great
bill posted, with a portrait of Catisson in
~rose-cofored robes, and beneath, in large
letters, "The Electric Girl" How odd
for Catisson so TO designate herself. So
Catisson Coussac was electric, and you
received a shock when she touched you.
But l needed not to touch her to be cleo
trified; l had only to look at her. You
see her at %; but ten years ago, those
who saw her and did not turn to look the
second time were great imbeciles.
Well, the electric girl" brought spec
tators. An orchestra was not necessary,
or other attractions. They saw her and
exclaimed, What a beautiful girlir then
entered.
One day l entered The fair. She was
there upon a little platform, with Mother
Coussac, who, as a fortune-teller, watched
every one closely. Catisson encouraged
me, and, while l stood before her think
ing how becoming her costume, she
smiled, and said in a droll tone:
-Oh, it is you'll do not need to see
your handi"
Then / knew what the brave girl
wished; why she went about the country
in such disguise. She had ever in mind
that frightful hand. and extended her
own white little hand, soft as satin, but
nervous to every one who came, hoping
it might meet hat other hand stained
with blood. 1t was her own idea; she
had only the one clew; it would suffice,
she thought; yet to find the rascal was
like looking for a needle in a hay-stack.
But there are chances that a murderer
will wander in the direction Of his crime.
The murderer might then be far from
Limoges, but would in all probability re-
turn, and there was a chance that she
might again see the hand which haunted
her like a nightmare.
Everywhere Catisson, with Mother
Coussac, Travelled over the country, vet
it was always toward Vienna that they
turned with the most con6dence-wymen
often divine things.
One day. remember 1t as though il
were yesterday-the 22d OF May, a Mon.
day. there was a show at the Place
Royale, and Catisson and Mother Cous-
sac were there, distributing the hand.
bills and saying: "Enter, ladies and
gentlemen 1t was not necessary to in
wife me; l entered as the others, only
saying, "Good-day, mademoiselle;u and
she replied, Good day, gendarme," well
knowing my name, but giving only my
title. | see it all, now-Catisson in her
red robe, her pretty brown hair, a rose
in her corsage, white arms, pretty shout
ders, and a head to turn all others. And
she explained to the spectators, as was
her custom, about the electric fluid; then
extended her hand, saying:
Give me your hand and you will feel
A. $500. ~ -. NA
you"
Then some laughed, Others were al
most afraid, but all extended their hands
for the touch Of Catisson. l was there.
and was almost jealous of those people
who pressed her soft hand. when sud
denly, like a thunder-clap, l saw the
electric girl. as pale as death, extending
her hand 10 one who seized 1t as a dog
does a piece OF meat. Before her was a
great fellow, with curly red hair showing
beneath a felt hat; he wore a blue blouse
over a vest, and epaulets; a giant / saw,
as ! regarded his profile; his inferior jaw
resembled that Of a pike, and his tenn
piles almost concealed with eyes, with no
beard, some hairs in the pale skin, bad
figure. Catisson looked him well in the
ioSef anu ho cAAeiucu n manu- Nhhch
seemed beside her small one.
She chung to him, seemingly, as if every
thing depended upon that arm in the
blue sleeve. A shudder passed over me,
and l said: at is 1.-THE individual, she holds
him"
Yes, yes, she held him, and, pale rs
death, said 10 the gross fellow, suddenly
urned as white as herself.
Tell me, do you know the assassin Of
Leonard Coussac2 2"
He reeoiled. seeking to withdraw his