Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-12-19
THE NAKED ASSASSIN.

When Pierre Lurier came out of
| prison he found himself without work
| or bread.
He had been condemned for the
burglary of house which he had en-
tered as valet de chambre. In prison
J he had been taught TO make tags for
shoe strings. Naturally, In the little
| city of the prince IN which the surveil-
lance of the police obliged HIM to
dwell, it was absolutely out of the
question to utilize this special business;
on the other hand, it was out of the
| question to think of returning to his
| life as domestic.
| Fierre Lurier, then, had nothing in
prospect but hunger and misery. He
reelected, and told himself that by
working early and late, if by chance he
found work, he would only arrive at
the point of not dying like dog. If,
on the contrary. lie committed a new
crime, he would doubtless be able to
gain at stroke supply of bread, and
| also riches.
He hesitated.n no longer-he elected to
commit a new crime.
What crime should he commit? That
was the question; but the first thing TO
do was to 1y from the eyes Of Justice.
Pierre Lurier left the city where he
had been imprisoned.
| Without reference, without money,
lie dragged along for six months the
hard and miserable life of vagabond
walking always before him, begging in
secret, sleeping under the beautiful
stars or IN an open barn, haggard,
emaciated. waiting an occasion, refUs-
ing il when It failed to offer security or
wealth enough; but enduring every
thing until the propitious moment when
he could indemnify himself for his
youth by devouring the prey always
hoped for.
One day he perceived that he was in
Champaign. his native country. He
had been drawn there by l know not
what fatality-posslbly, however, 10y
that bestial instinct that brings back
the hunted animal to the wood that has
been his home. He was seized with
fear at first. They would recognize
: himl He had thrust himself into q
hornets nest-he was lost-he mus;
| retrace his roadl
Reflection reassured him. How could
they recognize him? He had left tht
| country at twelve years of age, child
rosy and blonde. He had returned a.
forty years, with bronZed skin. lonl
beard, hollow jaws and gray hair. HI
reasoned with himself, and very sensi
bly,. How many occasions had faileC
him along the route he had passed
through ignorance because he knew no
the places nor the people?
Here, in spite of the changes during
his absence, he knew everything
knowledge that Was a weapon read,
made to his hand. He required onl.
: TO recall his memories.
Pierre Lurier recalled his memories
Ten leagues, perhaps, from the spo
: where he then was there had been il
, otber times, in village called Nizy-le
2 Comte, a household rich and childles
"a man and wife by the name o
: Berlot, and whom they nicknamed IL
? the village Comte sous count sous).
Pierre had known them well, for Il
e the times he was a lad and peasant b
had filed III the household the office o
l domestic errand boy. He was famIlIa
4 with all the habits and arrangements @
9 the dwelling. He knew that the big doc
2 that opened upon the road was stou
! and armed with solid bars Of iron, an
that the walls of the garden at the bac
were covered always with broken glas:
T but he knew also that the trees at th
end must have grown up, and tha
from the exterior, by climbing thes
trees, one could penetrate the garde
without touching the walls.
He knew that from the garden OIL
e did not enter Immediately into Ii
! kitchen, closed invariably at the san
hour every evening. but he knew wit
u equal certainty that the wash-hou:
! was only separated from the outside /
$ a very thin layer of bricks. This wa
J. would be very easy to throw down, an
: once in the wash-house one was IL
!, same as in the kitchen. From ther
y one passed to the lower hall, when
under the face of the clock, hung Il
!. double key OF the staircase. AT Il
!, top of this staircase was a closet,
o which it had been The custom to kee
!, the dustpans and brooms; after tt;
y the sleeping chamber of the Berlots.
IL Here-he could recall no more. 4
/ had never entered that chamber, al
Il had only seen through the half opent
. door that the bed was at the end of
> beside tall and solid armorie of oa
Ie with copper hinges.
u at this, the first memory that ha
u returned TO him, his design had take
. shape-he had found. in short, Il
&c occasion patiently awaited. He mu
l. go there without letting himself
e seen, to find out if anything hs
i changed, to take all the precautiol
e demanded by prudence and to act Wi
= daring.
He made in two nights the Il
D. leagues that separated him from Niz
De le-Comte. lie passed an entire d;
"a concealed in the woods at the botto
N of a wet grotto, his feet in the wat
er and without eating. But for all tha
a when he arrived. about two O'Clock
the morning, at the house of the Be
10 lots, he was very sure OF not havIl
10 encountered upon the road a sing
Ie person. In the lane that ran alol
behind the garden he luckily found