Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-04

doWn and she was made to sign 1t, and then told not to go back to that house, but to hold herself Ill readiness for future orders Then M. Lacrolx took all the papers he had seized at the dead mans house and read them, after which 70 made them into two packages one held papers of no moment, the other con tained two letters only. each containing Du5 a few lines. But in reading them MT. !Ar crolx could not restrain an exclamation oI Joy l and surprise. These letters were dated SIX and eight days back, and both addressed to Larouette, who, according to the addresses on the envelopes, lived at that time Rue St. Koch, No. IT, i'll Paris The first was as follows: "Sir: You call upon me to pay to you 13O,- GOO francs, loaned mo by your uncle, Mr. Celestin Vaubernon, whose heir you are. will not conceal from you that the restitu- tion of so important a sum at the present mo ment will greatly embarrass me- If you will call at my office at Rue St. Maur, will ex- plain to you the nature of that embarrass- ment. ROGER LAROQUE." The other was more laconic and even des- perate.
 'tSir: You exact your money. You have the right to do so. You can call at Rue St. Maur, and receive from the cashier the 130,- GOO francs left by your uncle, plus the interest which has accrued, and which paid yearly. It IS 1CI lIc dlAIOSU tuo COA toAAUy VI Au4AS bankruptcy and dishonor.
 ROGER LARoQUE.n
 M Lacroix was convinced. At least proofs seemed to accumulate pointing to Laroque as the murderer And, horrible thought the wife and child had witnessed the crime. The motive was clear. Laroque had paid Larou- ette and to avoid ruin and bankruptcy had planned and executed this crime.
 M Lacroix did not lose his time in useless deductions. He felt that he must move quickly to prevent Roger Laroque from dispensing the sum of money he had stolen from Larouette. He took the train from Paris and went direct to the prefecture of the police, and they gave him two keen detectives, Tristot and Pivolot. Then he returned to Versailles, where be made his report to the judge and state attorney. Then, being at liberty to act, he shut himself up ill his study to lay out his plans for the preliminary ex- animation of the inhabitants of the Villa Montalais.
 And what was taking place at the villa during this coming and going of the commis- sary of the polices Henriette was in mortal agony of fear since the morning. Fever burned ill her veins. She was left in doubt and uncertainty. Victoria did not return. Roger did not come home at the usual hour. Night fell end the hours dragged on The  in the morning Roger returned. He came, as he had the night before, to listen at the door of his wife's room, and then go out on tiptoe to his own room, where he closed the door at once.
 But the silence was so profound that the mother and child heard Roger, while prepar- ing for sleep, sing childish little air which he had taught Suzanne to sing.
 This second night dragged along as had the last, only that Suzanne slept in her mothers bed. But Henriette never thought of lying down. She remained wide awake, trying to listen to her heart, and trying to think of some way out of this dreadful danger, every moment her excited imagination taking her over the horrible scene again. The morning sun found her as the setting one had left her. About o'clock she heard noise in her husbands room. He had slept without phantoms or remorse, and he awoke gay and light hearted, for he sung, as he dressed, the same little song he had sung the night before. Yes, he sung while dressing, and with his window open to the cool morn- ing air.
 He came to his wife's door. "Come in!" said Henriette in feeble voice.
 Roger went in, with smile on his lips, but stopped in surprise, seeing his wife up and dressed
 "Already?" said he, "and it is not yet"
 "It is so fine that I shall go for walk with Suzanne" said she.
 "You are very happy. How wish could go along" And he kissed Henriette tenderly, and she did not forbid him by look or gesture; and then noticing Suzanne, whose look of fear he could not understand, he said:
 "How is this, young lady? To-day again in your mothers beds They spoil you. shall Inr, %O nkk ,se Ar,l I, beside her on the bed, he took his little girl up in his arms in her night dress. She did not open her lips, and her eyes were fixed until stranger would have said she had lost l her reason. "You are not awake yet, and l you are cross,n said Roger. "Cuddle down and go to sleep again, Mademoiselle," kissing her again and covering her up carefully.
 "Ah!" said he in an indifferent tone, 'sthis murder of our neighbor-have they found out anything about who did it?"
 "I do not know; the commissionnaire of the police came here yesterday to question us"
 "You?" exclaimed Roger energetically.
 sI, Suzanne and the servants.n
 s'And to what end?"
 ''As there was a pistol shot fired in the house so close to ours, they might naturally suppose we heard it and that we rose and 1 perhaps saw something.''
 ''That is so"
 'But you, Roger" said she, trembling, ''how did you know about this murder, since you left here yesterday morning before it was discovereds"
 "When came home last night the chief ol the railroad station told me what he knew little in fact, not even the mans name"
 "Our neighbor was named Laronette"
 Roger turned brusquely as he heard this name and turned pale
 s'What did you say his name was7"
 ssLarouette. heard that during the day.
 .'Well, that is strange" ,nurmered Roger and he remained silent few minutes, and then said:
 "Do they know the motive of this murders'
 Robbery, without doubt," answered she looking full into his eyes; but he did not re mark her singular emotion, and he bit his lips in preoccupied manner. At last he took his hat and cane.
 "Excuse me-" he said hurriedly; 'tI must ge or I shall miss my train" Henriette did not not answer. She felt as if she must cry ou, to him, "Flyl Quit France. You will moi escape justice. Come no more where am You horrify mel Do not soil the forehead ol my child with your assassin's kisses!"
 But instead of going direct to the trair Roger went to the mayors office and sent hi. card to the commissary, who had just re-