The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-10-12
TRACED In BLOOD
The Little Old Man Of the satignollas.
EMILE GABORIAU.
CHAPTER V.
OR

crime
The lock OF the door leading into the
apartment was what principally occupied
his attention II was uninjured and the
key turned in it without the slightest
difficulty. This circumstance entirely
precluded the idea that n stranger had
entered at night by the aid OF false keys
On my part, mechanically. or rather
inspired by the astonishing instinct that
had been revealed in me, picked up the
cork half covered with green wax which
had seen on the floor.
IL had been used, Fnd the wax portion
still showed the marks OF the corkscrew;
but in the other end was n deep notch,
evidently produced by some sharp instru-
ment-
SuSpecting the Importance OF my dis
covery, | impaired it TO NJ. Mechinet.
who could not restrain An exclamation Of
pleasure.
AT last" he cried, 1--WE have n clue
This cork was dropped here by the assas-
sin. 1t was fastend on the point OF the
weapon he used. Inference; the instru-
ment Of murder is q poniard, fastened
into n handle, and not knife that shuts.
With this cork l am sure of finding the
criminal, whoever he may ber'
The commissary OF police was finishing
his work in the bed-chamber, and NJ
Mechinet and l remained in the drawing
room, when we were interrupted by the
sound of painting breath.
Almost instantly the stout woman
whom had seen in the vestibule harang-
uing amidst the dodgers appeared.
1t was the concierge, redder, IL possible,
than when we arrived.
What can 1 do for you, monsieuri"
she asked NJ. Mechinet.
"Sit down, madame" he replied.
II
below"
They viii wait for you. tellyou to
sit down"
NoupIussed by NJ. Meehine.'s tone she
obeyed. Then, fixing his little grsyey
upon her=
- need certain information" he
began, "and am going to question you.
In your own Interest l advise you to
answer without evasion. In the first
place, what is the name OF the poor old
man who has been murdered,' o.
Ills name was PiSoreau, monsieur,
but he was best known by the name OF
Antenor, which he had formerly borne
because it was better suited to his bust
ness"
''Has he lived in this house long,"
''Fot eight years"
| "Where Ctd he live before,"
"In the Rue Richelieu, where he had
made Lis fortune in the business"
$50 he was considered rich man9''
I've heard his niece say he hadn't less
than n Million"
This matter could be easily decided
since an inventory had been made of the
old mans papers
"Now," continued NJ. Mechinet What
sort OF man was this Monsieur Pigoreau
| or Antenory"
"Oh, the best of men, monsieur" replied
| the concierge. "He was ve-y eccentric
and as miscrly as possible, but not n lit
| proud. And so com ical, too, One could
have listened TO him all night when he
was in the right mood. he Knew so many
stories Just think an old Lairdresser,
| who, "a he said, had arranged the hair Of
the handsomest women in Paris"
| ''How did he livei'
Like everybody else. Like everybody
who has an income, l mean, and yet is
careful Of money"
! Can you give me any particulars
| ''Oh, yes, seeing that l had charge of
his housekeeping. And IL gave me very
little trouble, for he did almost every
| thing-swceping, busting and polishing
| himself 1t was his hobby. Then every
day of his life, when the clock struck
| twelve, i took him a cup OF chocolate
| He drank it, swallowed a glass Of water
directly after, and that was his breakfast
Then lie dressed, and this occupied nearly
two hours, for he was mere coquettish
and particular about his person than a
bride As soon as he was dressed he went
out to walk. At six O'Clock he dined ut a
boardinE-house kept by the Demoiselles
| Comet, Rue de IN Paix- After dinner he
/ went 70 the Cafe Guerbois to drink his
coffee. and ut eleven o'clock came homo
and went TO bed. The poor old man had
ono fault. He had too much REGARD for
the fair se=- 1 often said to him, Aren't
you ashamed Of yourself ut your a~ep
But nobody is perfect, and we can under
stand this in 81 old perfumer. who had q
great r'=ny favors in his lie"
a sr-ile fitted over the face OF the stout
concierge, but nothing could make VI.
| MechineJ unbend.
did Moa-ieur Pigoreau receive many
visitors7' he asked.
| VERY few. / rarely saw any one come
to sec him except his nephew. Monsieur
| Monistrol, who dined with him every
/ Sunday IT Pere Lathuile's"
| Aud on what terms were the uncle
and nephew'" W ET-E ~
| They were like hand and glove"
did they never have any disputess"
Never, except that they Were always
squabbling about Madame Clara
4
| monsieur Mouistroi's wife. n marnih-
cent creature. Monsieur Antenor cou !,In't
bear her. He said his nephew loved her
/ too much, that she led him by tho nose
/ and made him see everything as she
wished. lie declared that She didn't love
her husband, that she felt above her bnsi-
ness, and would end by Going something
foolish. Madame Clara and her uncle
were at loSGerheads last year She wanted
the cd man TO lcnd Monsieur MonistroI a
hundred thousand francs to buy the stock
Of a jewcler In the Palais Royal. But he
refused, declaring that they might do
| what they chose with his fortune after
his death, bus until then, having made it
he meant TO keep il and enjoy it,"
| i thought III. Mechiuet was going to
dwell upon this circumstance, which
seemed TO me very important. No; L
vainiy made signs; he continued:
Il have still to learn by whom the crime
was discovered.
BY nc, monsieur. by me-" walled the
concierge. "Oh, it is terrible, Imagine
me, when the clock struck twelve to-day
coming upstairs as usual to give Pere
Antenor his chocolate. As / attend to
the house keeping, have a key to the
door. l open IL, enter, and what do /
see? Oh, nerciful heavenr' and she began
TO utter piercing shrieks.
This grief shows your kind heart,
madame" said NJ. Mechinet, graveIy.
Only, as am in n hurry. try TO control
H. " hat did you think when you saw
your lodScr murderedi"
II said 10 whoever cared to hear, 'It's
his nephew, the wretch. who dealt the