Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-04
ROGER LAR0QUE.
Adapted and Translated from the French
 of Jules Mary.
BY OLIVE HARPER.

 windows were open, and tho ght possibly that some of you might have heard s,mo- thing, or even, perhaps, might have seen something"
 .sAt what hou, vas this crime committeda" '.Some minutes before midnight"
 "Thnt explains why we heard nothing went to bed about 10 o'clock. and my husband came home soon after. did not sec him." ''Is M. Laroque here!"
 sHe took the o'clock train to Paris, but he said nothing, which proves that he heard nothing"
 .'You have little girl, believe, of or 8 years Where does she sleepa Might she not she have heard the detonationa'
 ''She slept in my bed last night, and never woke until morning"
 She said this with 8 quick, harsh accent, which surprised Lacroix. His keen eye saw hero mystery, and he looked at the young woman whose eyes fell before his.
 ''Can I see the childa" asked he.
 Certainly, if you think it necessary, but she is not very well this morning, having had a nervous attack, and unless 1t is really necessaryr'
 "Aha!" thought M Lacroix; "she doesn't want me to sec the little girl. Whyw
 Mir. Lacroix was on tho point of letting this question pass for the time, when the child stepped to her mothers side from the other room.
 "No, mother she said, without being ques- toned; aI could not have heard anything; I slept all night without waking"
 "I would like to question your servants" said Lacroix, and Henriette rang Victoria entered.
 "Bring tho cook and coachman," said she, aand return with them"
 In another instant the three were there. The coachman and cook had rooms opening upon the garden. They declared they had seen and heard nothing. They had gone to bed at 10 and slept until morning. It was by report that they had known of the crime Lacroix made sign for them to retire, which they gladly obeyed. And as Victoria was about to follow them he called her back.
 "One moment, my girl"
 She stopped, a little confused. "I am going to ask you the same questions as those addressed your comrades. At what hour did you go to bedp' "Why, why," stamn1ered she, looking to- ward Henriette so earnestly that it was evident that she was waiting for @ sign from her mis- tress M Lacroix placed himself between them without seeming to do so by design.
 Answer, my girl, and do not fear to speak the truth"
 'I went to bed very late; later than usual Madame must have told you"
 "Why later yesterday than usualg' "We were waiting for M. Laroque, who did not return until after midnight. Madame and Miss Suzanne and I waited for him until nearly midnight" ''You mean 10 o'clock7' ''No, midnight At Il 80 was in madame's room. She had rung for me to come and un- dress Miss Suzanne" "You are very sure of the hourT' Certainly, sir, since tell you so." 1 Here was double contradiction which sur- prised the magistrate. Why had Mme La roque pretended that her husband had re- turned few minutes after she had retired, and that she had retired at 10 o'clocks What 1 interest had she to prevaricatea 1 "So then at II 80 you were in madame's room That hour coincides with that of the crime. A pistol shot was fired. Did you | hear itT'
 Perfectly, and even observed 50 to madame. But madame, who was on the balcony, says she heard nothing"
 "And you did not go outs"
 "No, sir"
 ''Is that all you have to say to meT'
 "Yes, sir" she replied. hesitatingly. "I do not know anything more."
 Lacroix noticed that she grew pale, and thought she lied. "She knows something else l duO VIII 1lOt Lc1 It. 4ucl1, WILL d AHuRuuS air, he turned again to Henriette, saying:
 q understand your repugnance to tell me the truth, and do not blame you for not wishing to serve as witness at the court of assizes, but the affair is grave and merits re- l fection"-
 "Sir!"
 aDo not say that you do not understand me. No, my meaning is very clear to you, and you have understood no perfectly we'll. You say that If say nothing justice will not need my testimony and I will escape much annoyance by keeping silent That is true and would be justifable if the question was trifling one, but this is a murder"
 "Again sir"-
 "Permit me, madame; have not finished. Up to the present moment you say you were asleep at 10 o'clock Neither you nor your little girl had gone to bed until midnight"
 q assure you, sir" said Henriette, whose heart seemed ready to burst
 "Do not deny. Your maid says other | wise."
 "She is mistaken"
 "Is it not more likely you who arc mis- taken?' insinuated the magistrate, who watched tho visible emotion of Henriette with Q vigilant eye.
 :Is it possible that after all did not notice the hour, and it may have been later than thought"
 "Is it true that Victoria called your atten- tion to pistol shot near your window"
 "l do not remember it."
 "And you declare that you heard nothing although you were so late out on the balcony"
 aMonsieur, permit me to remark" said Henriette, who felt that she could bear nc more, "that you question me with as much rigidity as if I were an accomplice of this crime. There is just limit, which beg ol you not to pass. Your questions and you1 insinuatious humiliate and fatigue me. Il you please, let this end"
 "I only search the light, madame" saic Lacroix, with much gentleness, land to sur round myself witt all the witnesses that might form my conviction. As you wish madame, I will withdraw, particularly as have noticed for some moments that yo1 were profoundly agitated."
 With this he saluted her coldly, bu politely, and withdrew, leaving her prey t, violent agitation. What to do7 How hinder Victoria from telling all she knewa Hov much did she knowl Would all she pos sessed buy her silencea Hardly knowin, what she did she rang for Victoria, bu learned that she had been ordered to 6, directly to the magistrates office, where sh | vvas now without do,1hf hoiuur oyemiuod h,