The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-10-19
TRACED In BLOOD
The Little Old Man Of the sa.ignoilss.
EMILE GABORIAU.
CHAPTER TX.
OR

''Is Madame Monistrol ins"
Eyes, gentlemen, and I'll tell her you
are here, because. you see"
NJ. Mechinet did not give her time to
finish.
With somewhat rude movement, 1
confess. he thrust her ont of his way and
entered the back shop. saying:
VERY well; since she is in I'm going to
speak TO her"
l followed Mt my worthy neiChbor's
heels, sure that we should not 90 away
without having the clue TO the enigma
The back shop was q gloomy apart
meut, which served for dining, drawing
and sleeping room.
1t was in disorder, and had the in
CongrUoUs appearance often seen in the
homes Of the poor people who try to seem
rich. At one end WAS a bed with blue
silk curtains and pillow cases trimmed
with lace, and before the mantel- piece
was n table loaded with the remains of a
by no means simple breakfast
a fair-haired young woman sat, or
rather reclined in 4 large armchair. hold
ing in her hand n sheet OF stamped paper.
This Nine. MonistroI.
Certainly when her neighbors had told
us OF her beauty, their description fell far
short Of the reality. l was actually
dAzzled.
Only one circumstance excited my dis
approval: she was attired in deep mourn
ing, n crepe dress, cut slightly low in the
neck, which was marvelously becoming
This showed too much presence OF mind
FOR great SORROW. Il seemed like an
actress dressing herself in advance for
the part she is 10 play.
She started like n timid roe at our
entrance, and in n voice apparently choked
with tears, asked:
"Whst do you want. gentlemeny'
NJ MechlEet had noticed what had
remarked.
Madame" he answered harshly. 'T
am sent here in the service OF the law;
am 4 detective"
Atthis statement she sank back in the
arm chair with n moan that would have
sottened n tiger.
Then suddenly. in 4 frenzy OF excite
ment, with sparkling eyes and quiVering
lips, she exclaimed:
Have you come 20 arrest me, You are
welcome am ready-take me away. 1
shall join the honest man you arrested
yesterday. Whatever hiS fate may be, /
wish 70 share il. He is as innocent as I
ammo matter. IL he must be n victim
TO an error of human justice it viii be a
last joy 20 die with him"
She was interrupted by low grovvI,
which proceeded from one OF the corners
of the shop.
looked in the direction OF the sound
aad saw a black dog, with hristling hair
and blood-shot eyes, showing his teeth,
just ready TO spring at rs.
Down, Piutor' said Nine. Monistrol,
'lio down; these gentlemen will do me no
harm"
Slowly, still fixing it's eyes f1ercely upon
Us, the animal retreated under the bed
You are right in saying that we will
do you no harm. Madame" said NJ.
Mechinet, eve did not come TO arrest
you"
She did not seem to hear.
This very morning." she continued,
'I received this paper, which commands
me to go AT ; o'clock to the Palais de JUS
tice, 20 the Office OF the examining magis-
trate. What do they want OF me, Oh,
Heaven! what do they want OF met"
"To obtain Information. which, hone,
viii prove your husbands innocence. So
don't look upon me as an enemy, Mad
anne. I wish TO ascertain the truth"
He took up his SNUFF box, hastily thrust
his fingers into it, and in solemn tone,
which / did not recognize, continued:
at is for you to decide, Madame. what
answer you viii make to the questions
shall have the honor OF addressingto YOU
She fixed her large blue eyes, wet with
tears, upon my worthy neighbor. and said
in a tone Of sorrowful resignation:
Question me, sir!"
For the third time, / repeat, was ut
terly inexperienced. And yet the man.
ner in which NJ. Mechinet had commenced
this examination disturbed me-
He was betraying his perple1ities in ad-
vance, it seemed to me, and instead OF
pursuing "A fixed object, dealt his blows
hap-hazard.
All, il be would have let me speak, Ah,
il I had dared!
NJ. Mechinet. with an impenetrable
face, was seated opposite to Mme Monis-
troll.
You must know, Madame, ;" he began,
that night before last, at eleven O'Clock,
Monsieur Pigoreau or Antenor, your hus-
bands uncle, was murdered"
'Alasr'
"Where was Monsieur MonistroI at
that houry'
ooh, heavensi it IS fatality"
NJ Mechinet's face remained immov-
able.
II ask You, Madame" he persisted.
''where your husband spent the evening Of
the day before yesterdayt'
It was some time before the young wife
replied; her sobs seemed TO be choking
her. At last, controlling herself, she
n1oaned:
'My husband spent the evening out of
the house"
'Do you know where he was,s
ooh, yes! One of our workmen, who
lives at Montrouge. had prorrisad to bring
as n set Of false pearls, and did not keep
h.5word. v c r-a tie r., K OF losing the
order, which would have been n misfor-
tuac. for we are not rich. SO MT dinner
my husband sal to me: I'm going TO
tLIt Tasca.'s house" And about 9o'cIock
he went cut and / accompanied him TO
the Omnibus, which he entered before
my eyes in tie I.ue Eiohelicu."
bre1;icd more freely. This might be
an ali s,:er III.
NJ. Geoa,aet had the same thought, and
continued in n Gentler tone:
III that Is so, your workman will be
able to swear he saw Monsieur Monistrol
at his house ut IL o'clock"
"Alas. no."
"IIow, Why,r
Because he had gone out. Ny hus-
band C.6a't see him"
That il certainly n fatality. But per-
hsps the concierge may have noticed Mon
sieUr S-oaistrol?"
Our workman lives in a house where
there is no cOncIcrgc"
1h:s might be the truth. IL was Ger
tainly n terrible charge against the un
fortunate prisoner.
And at what time did your husband