The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-10-19
CHAPTER Y.

WATCH lace aL my
leisure, and detect the most trifiing ex-
pressions OF feeling.
She seemed overwhelmed with grief.
large tears rolled down her pale chet-.s,
and yet Mt times fancied could detect.
in the depths of her large blue eyes, some
thing Ike a rleam OF j1y.
"Coull shc be Guil:yS' ] thought.
And this idea, which had already oc-
Cured to me. presenting itself 81. more
obstinately TO my mind. / hastily ad-
vanced and said, brusquely:
But you, Madame. where were you
during this fatal evening. while your
husband was going on his useless errand
TO Montrouce TO find his workmansr
She looked at me with a bewildered
gaze, and answered. gently:
Il vas here. Monsieur. There are wit
nesses who viii prove it."
'Witncsscs."
YES, Monsieur. 1t was so warm that
evening that j wanted some ice-crearn.
but did not care to eat IL alone. So sc:.t
my servant 10 invite two OF my noi-h-
bors, Madame Dorstrich. tho wife Of the
shoemaker, whose shop adjoins ours, and
Madame l;Cnaille, the GlOve-sellcr o12o-
site. They accepted my invitation, and
stayed here until half-past eleven Ask
them. they will tell you SO. Amid the
cruel trials To which 1 am subjected, this
accidental circumstance is a special favor
OF Providence "
Wss IL an accidental circumstance,
This was the question VI. Mechinet and
asked each other with n glance rs rapid
az lightning.
When chance IS so very Intelligent,
serves cause so Aptly, it is difficult not
10 suspect it Of having been IA little ar
ranged.
But this was not the right moment to
reveal the depth OF our thoughts.
You have never been suspected. ma
dame" said NJ Mechinet, shanelessly.
The worst that could be supposed is
that your husband told you something
about the crime before committing it,
Monsieur. IL you knew us"
Stopi Your business Is not very pros
Porous. We have been told; you are embar.
ras-ed-"
Temporarily, yes; but"
Your husband must have been m
happy and anxious about this precarious
situation He must have grieved espe-
cially for your sake: for you whom he
worships-you who are young and beauti-
full, for you. far more than himself. lie
must have ardently desired th- luxuries
and pleasures wealth procures"
Monsieur, l tell you once more, my
husband il innocent"
n. Mechinet. rejecting deeply seemed
to be filing his nose with snufr. Then he
said suddenly:
Deuce take IT. Then how do you er-
plain his coufessioni An innocent man
who declares himself guilty at the bare
mention OF the crime OF which he Is sus-
pected. Is rare, madame"
A fieetins blush crimsoned the young
wif-'s face.
For the first time her glance, till now
frank aud clear, became wandering and
troubled
II suppose" she replied. in an indIs-
tiuct voice. with q fresh hurst OF tears
Il think my husband, terrified and be-
wildered at finding himself accused OF SO
great "a crime lost his senses"
NJ Mechiuet shook his head.
Perhaps" said he, "a passing frenzy
might be admitted; but this morning,
after n long night spent in reflection. Mon,
sieur MonistroI persisted in his confes-
sion"
Was this trues Did my worthy neigh
bor invent it' OF, before calling for me,
had ha gone to the prefecture To yet the
latest intelliCeEcel
However this might he, the young wife
seemed on the point OF fainting; and. hid
ing her face between her hands. muir
INJURED:
"Merciful Heaveni my poor husband
has gone madP'
This WAS not my opinion. Convinced,
henceforward. that ! was playing n part
in u farce, and the young wife's despair
was only lie. I asked myself whether.
for certain reasons that escaped my tletec-
ton. she had not determined the terrible
resolution taken by her husband: and
whether. IL he were innocent, she did not
know the real criminal,
Af:er addressing few words OF COLI
mopplace consolation to the wife. NJ
Mechinet gave her TO understand that she
would dispel by assisting,
with good grace. In a minute e1amina-
tion OF her home.
She seized upon this opening with eager
ness that was evidently un;eigned
Look gentlemen, /" said she; examine.
rummasc everywhere. You will do Iue a
service, and il won't take long. We have
only the shop-the back shop-where we
are now: our servants room in the sixth
story, and a little cellar. Here are the
KEYS"
To my great astonishment VI. Mochinet
accepted them, and apnea-ed - 30 W. g
ing the most thorough and patient inves-
tigatiou.
What was his object, He must have
-7uo secret purpose. for tho search would
evidently end in nothing.
When he had apparently finished, he
said:
The cellar ia still 20 be examined"
''I'li take you there, monsieur" said
Mime. Mouistrol.
Aud INSTANTLY seizinC n lighted candle
she led us across n court ysrd upon which
second door In the back shop opened.
and guided Us by n very slippery staircase
To door. which she unlocked, saying:
Here it is-wslk in, gentlemen"
began 20 understand.
Ny worthy neiyhbor had scrutinized tho
cellar with rapid. practiced glance 1t
was in wretched order A small cask of
beer stood in one corner, and directly op-
posite, fastened by sticks OF wood, was a
Eogshc1d OF wine furnished with n wooslrn
tap. On the right were ranged about
dfty full bottles
NJ. Mechinet did not lose sight OF these
bottles, s=d found An opportunity TO
move che E-scr another.
What | saw, he also noticed; not one
was sealed with green wax
So the cork had picked up, and which
had s--vcd TO protect the point of the
r1urdercr's weapon. did not come from
the Monistrols' cellar.
''weH. A" said NJ. Mechinet, feigning dis
appointment, Il find nothing-we can 20
hack"
We did So but not in tho same order
that we had gone down. for in returning