River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-02-09
CHAPTER XIV.

Before quitting Paris, Dick wrote perhaps
the first deliberate and cold -blOOded lie Of
his life. II was contained in a brief note TO
LYDIA that ran thus:
Il am Mortified 20 hear from Baudray Of
the abduction Of the Princess Natalie. What
does IL meant Il Is the most daring, and at
the same tune dastardly and outrageous,
thing l have ever heard. l have written
my friend, Mr.. Fairfax, about it. and pre-
sumo mylcttcr viii reach him soon after his
arrival in America. / see, by the way, that
his name is in the list Of passengers that
sailed from Havre. via the Vile de Lyons
on the 29th inst--the very day before the
abduction.
Poor Fairfax. hope some day he may
attain his wish to become a man Of infiu-
euce. His has been = peculiarly annoying
and trying career / shall often think Of
him far away in that quiet little village of
DriftOH, in Pennsylvania Please God, we
shall have him here in year or two again,
although he says not.n
This depression in his letter upon the sub
ject Of Fairfax. the unselfish Richard had
inserted to please his own within The first
paragraph Of the note was really Fairfax
own composition
Oxford said he had observed his frietd's
name in the list Of passengers who sailed
from Hayre by the - Vile de Lyons " on the
seth inst.
SO, too, had Jean Louvait, the detective,
for that individual, failing 10 make any
Roadway in his Efforts 70 convict Oxford
and the valet, had turned his attention To-
Fairfax
There il stood in clear black and white
g Arthur Fairfax, Drift0n, Pennsylvania. -
And, what IS more, one Of the wharf OH
cliffs said he himself had seen Mr. Fairfax
~. a.
steamers departure, and had observed him
on the vessels deck IS II moved OF
Here again the tircless conspirator's
forethought had planned 70 his gain. TAX
ing the utmost advantage Of Mr.. Nebbltt's
offer Of assistance, he had made arrange
mcnts by which one Of the officers Of the
NlmOvua secured passage 10 New York
from Havrc, and registered as Mr.. Fairfax.
At New York the officer expected 70 meet
the yacht, day or two after his own ar
rival therel
Fooled again. Louvait now turned his at
tCutiCn 70 the discovery Of the vessel by
which the cOnspirators had evidently
escaped. After numerous mistakes and the
pursuit 81 false clews. he ~ last hit upon
what he was convinced must be the right
one.
In Mr. Ncbbitt's Yacht. .Namovna.'
AAeshN A-ftAAAA4 4Ar &t-4Afs4A AAA ~ AAA44A-NAA
But, alas, for his pains. the NamOvna =
after Fairfax conversation with Nebbitr
had been ordered 70 steam direct for the
harbor Of Brcst on the extreme northwest
ern coast Of France. Leaving that port
with the publicly announced intention Of
sailing directly westward for New York,
she once again. when out Of sight OF Brest,
turned diametriCa'iy back upon her course
and sailed for the island Of Chateau Neuf.
whence-as We have rcad-she proceeded
70 America with the abducted girl
So I can't prove it was the 'Namoyna,'
unused LoUvait. sadly, &c for there stasds
the opposing proof that she was far al sea.
steaniiuz TO America, when the deed was
con mItted.'
he confessed himself defeated az all
points. HIS penetration and instinct had
shown him plan by which he believed that
the Princess had been abducted Yet. be-
cause this theory. when practically applied.
failed 10 work. he refused IN reject IL he
only confessed that Fairfax had Outwltsed
HIM At every step.
In Iaw-c0urt it would be quite impossi-
bic To prove any thing whatever against the
latter. To convict the abductors was work
81 time, Louvait saw He must wait and
work IN silence. He declined 20 accept any
other theories preached with regard 10 the
famous ease, being perfectly satisfied with
his own
As son as he came 70 the conclusion that
II was useless 70 do any thing except watch
and wait, fearful lest any oue-Ler0i, for in
stance might anticipate him, he wrote a
nose 20 the Minister Of Police. Upon the ex-
terror was the direction:
Not 10 be opened until the abductors Of
the Princess Natalie shall have been capt
ured, being the theory Of Jean LOuvait as 10
the abduction and The abductorsn
Then followed the speculation. This, in
the main, 50 well agreed with the reality Of
the case, that II could scarcely have been