The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-10-12
CHAPTER VI.

We took facre TO go to the prefecture
Of police, as we had taken one to come TO
the Batignolles.
NJ. Mechinet was very much pre-occu-
pied; his fingers never stopped travelling
from his snuff box to his nose, and /
heard him muttering between his teeth:
"I will have a clear understanding I
must have n clear understandings
Then he drew the cork Ihad given him
out OF his pocket, turned IL over and over
lie monkey examining a nut, and muir
mured-
"The criminalty is proved, and yet
some eIpedient ought TO come out OF this
], leaning back IN my corner, did not
utter n word.
Ny situation was certainly most sin
gular one but did not think of it, All
the Intelligence / had was absorbed in
this business. was turning over in my
mind the various cont radictory elements,
and eIhausting myself in trying TO pene-
trate the secret of the drama, OF which /
had n presentiment.
Night had closed IN when our carriage
stopped.
The QuaI des OrfeTres was deserted and
silent Not a sound, not step was
heard. The few shops in the neighbor-
hood were closed. All the life in the
quarter had collected in the little restaur-
ant at the corner ofthe Rue de Jerusalem,
on whose red curtains appeared the shad-
ows of the customers.
''WiA they let you have access to the
prisoner," / asked NJ. Mechinet
Certainly" he answered. Haven't /
been ordered to follow up the affair.
Isn't it necessary, in consequence OF IN
foreseen circumstances which may occur
during the inquiry, that should be able
TO question the prisoner at any hour of
the day or night," rIr
And he entered with rapid step, say
ing
Come, come; we've no time to lose"
There was no necessity to hurry me-
followed close behind, agitated by in
definable emotions, and quivering with
vague curiosity.
IL was the first time had ever crossed
the threshold of the prefecture of police.
and Heaven knows what my prejudices
were. ..-.+
There" said to myself, not without
a certain emotion OF terror, there is the
secret OF Paris"
was so absorbed In my reflections,
that, forgetting to watch my steps, 1
nearly fell down.
The shock recalled me to a consciousness
We Were then passing along an i'm
mense passa~e with damp walls and
rough pavement. My companion soon
entered a little room where two men were
playing cards, while three or four others,
stretched on a camp bed, were smoking
pipes. He exchanged a few words with
them, which did not reach my cars, then
came out and we continued our walk.
Having crossed n court yard and dentered
a second passage, we soon reached an iron
grating with heavy bolts and formidable
lock-
At a word from NJ. Mechinet an attend
ant opened the grating; we passed on the
right an immense hall, where ! seemed to
see all the policemen in Paris, and at last
climbed n steep staircase.
At the top of this staircase, at the
entrance of q narrow corridor ON which
opened n number OF little doors, sat a
stout man with n pleasant face, who GER
tainly bore no resemblance to the classic
jailer.
why, it's Monsieur Mechinetr' he ex-
claimed, as he saw my companion. 81
was expecting you. I'll bet you've come
TO sec the murderer of the little old man
Of the Batignolles."
Exactly. Is there anything new In
the case."
'sNo"
But the magistrate must have conner"
'He has left here"
"Weli?"
''He didn't stay three minutes with tho
prisoner, and looked very well satisfied
when he came away. At the foot of the