Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-05

.xpert in bookkeeping, and peg you will give him your books"
 Laroquc drew himself up, and said. anarily:
 sMy booksi And by what right, if you pleasef'
 .The right which the law imposes upon ma also desire that you give your cashier orders to facilitate the labors of the expert in every manner" -
 1And if I refusep
 aI shall do so without your consent"
 Laroque made heroic effort to contain his anger. His face. usually 50 fresh and ruddy. took an ashy pallor, and his eyes glittered with suppressed anger. Finally he controlled himself enough to speak.
 "What do you wapt, sir, and why this abuse of powerT
 aWhat wans is, first, the list of all the notes, bills or securities which you used to pay Larouette You know that he was robbed and murdered the day you made him this payment"
 aIt is my duty to enlighten you on this point and you can tell your expert to 20 to my cashier, NJ. Guerricr, who win g1ve him all tho details. But allow mo to say that if you had shown little more courtesy you would havo received morein return"
 M. Lienard remained silent and cold. Roger stepped to the cashiers desk and said few words to Jean, and then returned. leaving M. Ricordot, the expert, to ex- anime the books, which he proceeded to do. saying:
 "The law wishes to know in what consisted the payment made to M. Larouette-gold. se- curities or bank notes l"
 'Nothing is easier. You see, three days ago there was nothing but gold and notes; no check or securities. As this payment was made in gold and notes, 1t will not be easy to trace them, but hnvc an indication which may be of value. Among the 1000 franc notes there were twenty or thirty which we received from the country by registered let ter. Hero arc tho letters, and they contain tho numbers and letters on the notes which were inclosed Perhaps that will be of ser vice."
 M. Lienard stood near the door listening to this conversation.
 And. besides, accident also caused a par hcular mark on some of the notes As was counting bundle of notes, an employe acci. dentally upset my ink and it stained ten or a dozen of them, all in nearly the same place, en the right"
 "That is precious" murmured Lienard.
 "The books prove all this young man says," said Ricordot, discontentedly "Now show us those of to-day."-
 Finally, after Ricordot had examined the entries of the preceding day and that of tue last hour, and had held whispered con- yersation with M. Lienard, the latter said to Laroque:
 "Ricordot has examined your books. He sees, what we knew, that your affairs are in very bad condition, and that day before yesterday, yesterday even, you could count upon nothing but hazard to save you from your embarrassment"
 "That is true, sir" said Laroque, sadly. q just missed bankruptcy but to-day am safe 1"
 "Rlcordot noticed on your books that yesterday you received nn important sum- one hundred thousand francs-and to-day another entry of 50,000 francs, both paid in by you, without any indication from whence they came"
 "That also is quite true. But what is your object in this inquiryq"
 I'M. Laroque, will you answer frankly and without hesitation some questions am about to ask youg'
 Y ou can count upon my frankness," said Roger with noble simplicity. "I never lied in my life"
 "From whence came the 5o,ooO francs you paid in to-day.
 "I won them last night at baccarat at the Commerce club"
 "Very well; we will verify that. And the 100, 900 francs of yesterday, the 29th."
 They were paid me yesterday byn-. He stopped brusquely, as if hand of steel had grasped his throat, checking his words. He had been standing, and the effect of his agi- tation was so great that he sank into a chair, and great drops of perspiration stood out on his forehead. My God!" he thought, awhat was about to say!n
 II repeat my question, which you seem not to have heard. From whence came the 100, 900 francs?"
 Roger answered hoarsely: q told you: from the payment of debt"
 "The name of that persona"
 "That does not concern you find your question 0 little indiscreet"
 q advise you to answer without subter- fuge."
 "I do not recognize your right to question me, and l refuse As my cashier has fur nished you with all the indications in bis power beg you to notice that it is II o'clock, and that my time is valuable
 "Yo ou do not seem to understand the gravity of your situation"
 Laroque seemed at first surprised, and then with his ordinary brusqueness exclaimed:
 "Where the devil do you find my situation gravel What business of yours is it anyhow, N. Police Commissioner Lienardg'
 "ln that there exists strong presumptiye reasons that you are the murderer of Larou- ette."
 "What? hey? howg
 'Y ou heard me.'
 Laroque kept silent and seemed to pass in mental review the words just addressed to him, and looked from Ricordot to Lienard and back. Then all at once the comic side of such an occasion struck him and he burst into a laugh, so hearty, loud and prolonged that the tears stood in his eyes and his sides ached,
 q should never have thought of that" he said as soon as he could control his mirth.
 sI am not here to inquire your opinion,n D said Lienard with great dignity, ssbut to ask you certain questions, and to place you at the disposal of the court of Versailles in case they are not satisfactorily answered."
 At this moment Ricordot went out, and in a few seconds returned with his hands full of bank notes, which he began to examine atten- lively while the conversation continued.
 ''Very well, though it humiliates me to have to defend myself from so ridiculous an accusation. But first I wish to know what are your proofs against me.'
 ''Ihey are of various nature, but am here only to see if there is any suspicious account of money in your possession. Do you maintain your affirmation that though your safe was A