Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-01-04


Henriette, who felt that she could bear no
more, athat you question me with as much
rightly as if I were an accomplico of this
crime. There is just limit, which l beg OF
you not to pass Your questions and your
instuatious humiliate and fatigue me- II
youplease, let this end"
only search the light, madame said
Lacroix, with much gentleness, "and to sur.
round myself with all the witnesses that
might form my conviction. As you wish,
maaame, will withdraw, particularly as
hare noticed for some moments that you
were profoundly agitated."
With this he saluted her coldly, but
politely, and withdrew, leaving her prey to
violent agitation. What to do2 How hinder
Victoria from telling oil she knew9 How
much did she know2 Would all she pos
sessed buy her silence9 Hardly knowing
what she did she rang for Victoria, but
learned that she had been ordered to 90
directly to the magistrates Office, where she
was now without doubt being examined By
NJ. iLacroix. Henriette passed over in her
mind all that had happened, and the more she
thought the greater grew her agony, for she
knew that her own denial, coupled with what
JiSEia might say, would serve to bring down
Esavalanthe Upon her shoulders She could
do nothing but sit in weary, dazed way,
from which even the caresses of her child
could not rouse her.
In the meantime the magistrate by threats
and promises obtained from Victoria the fact
that mother and child had been on the bal
cony. that she had heard every word they
had said as they spoke to some one to her in
visible, and who they believed to be Roger
Laroque; heard Suzanne say: "There is papa
going to see the neighbour" their apparent
agitation; and oil that testimony was written
down and she was made to sign it, and then
told not to 60 back to that house, but to hold
herself in readiness for future orders Then
NJ Lacroix took all the papers he had seized
at the dead mans house and read them, after
which be made them into two packages. One
held papers of no moment, the other con-
tained two letters only, each containing but
few lines But in reading them Mr.. La
crox could not restrain an exclamation OF JOY
and surprise These letters were dated six
and eight days back, and both addressed to
Larouette, who, according to the addresses on
the envelopes, lived at that time Rue st. Roch,
No. II, in Paris. The first was as follows:
"Sir: You call upon me to pay to you l3O,-
900 francs, loaned me by your uncle,
Mr.. Celestin Vaubernon, whose heir you are.
I will not conceal from you that the restitu-
tion of SO important sum at the present mo-
ment will greatly embarrass ME- If you will
call at my office at Rue st. Maur, will ex-
plain to YOU the nature Of that embarrass-
ment. ROGER LARoQUE."
The other was more laconic and even des-
perate.
"Sir: You exact your money. You have
the right to doso. You can call at Rue st.
Maur, and receive from the cashier the $780,
900 francs left by your uncle, plus the interest
which has accrued, and which paid yearly.
1t is for me almost the certainty Of ruin,
bankruptcy and dishonor.
"RoGER LARoQUE."
NJ. Lacroix was convinced At least proofs
seemed to accumulate pointing to Laroque
as the murderer. And, horrible thought! the
wife and child had witnessed the crime. The
motive was clear. Laroque had paid Larou-
cite, and to avoid ruin and bankruptcy had
planned and executed this crime.
NJ. Lacroix did not lose his time in useless
deductions. He felt that he must move
quickly to prevent Roger Laroquo from
dispensing the sum Of money he had stolen
from Larouette. He took the train from Paris
and went direct to the prefecture Of the
police, and they gavo him two keen detectives,
Tristot and Pivolot. Then he returned to
Versailles, where he made his report to the
judge and state attorney. Then, being at
itSYty to act, he shut himself up in his study
to lay out his plans for the preliminary ex-
animation Of the inhabitants Of the Villa
Montalais.
And what was taking place at the villa
during this coming and going of the commits
sary Of the police7 Henriette was in a mortal
agony of fear since the morning. Fever
burned in her veins She was left in doubt
and uncertainty. Victoria did not return.
Roger did not come home at the usual hour.
Night fell and the hours dragged OH. The
windows were all closed. Toward l o'clock
in tue morning Roger returned. He came, as
he had the night before, to listen at the door Of
his wifes room, and then 20 out on tiptoe to
his own room, where he !closed the door at
once.
But the silence was so profound that the
mother and child heard Roger, while prepar-
ing for sleep, sing childish little air which
he had taught Suzanne to sing.
This second night dragged along as had the
last, only that Suzanne slept in her mothers
bed. But Henriette never thought Of lying
down She remained wide awake, trying to
listen to her heart, and trying to think o
some way out of this dreadful danger, every
moment her excited imagination taking her
over the horrible scene again.
The morning sun found her as the setting
one had left her. About o'clock she heard
noise in her husbands room. He had slept
without phantoms or remorse, and be awoke
gay and light hearted, for he sung, as he
dressed, the same little song he had sung the
night before. Yes, he sung while dressing,
and with his window open to the cool morn.
ing air.
He came to his wife's door.
"Come imp said Henriette in O feeble
voice.
Roger went in, with smile on his lips, but
stopped in surprise, seeing his wife up and
dressed.
"Already!" said he, sand it is not yet"
ut is so fne that shall 60 for q walk with
Suzanne" said she.
"You are very happy. How wish could
20 along!' And he kissed Henriette tenderly,
and she did not forbid him by look or gesture:
and then noticing Suzanne, whose look of fear
he could not understand, he said:
"How is this, young ladya To-day again in
your mothers bed? They spoil you. I shall
have to look at this" And, seating himself
beside her on the bed, he took his little girl
up in his arms in her night dress She did
not open her lips, and her eyes were fixed
until a stranger would have said she had lost
her reason. "You are not awake yet, and
you are cross" said Roger. "Cuddle down
and 60 to sleep again, Mademoiselle," kissing
her again and covering her up carefully.
"Ah!" said he in all Indifferent tone, "this
murder Of our neighbor-have they found
out anything about who did itp
~ do not know; the commissionnaire of the
police came here yesterday to question us"
"You" exclaimed Roger energetically.
~, Suzanne and the servants
"And to what endl'
GAS there was a pistol shot fired in the
house so close to ours, they might naturally
suppose we heard it and that we rose and
perhaps saw something"
"That is So"
"But you, Roger" said she, trembling, chow
did you know about this murder, since you
left here yesterday morning before it was
discovered"
"When I came home last night the chief Of
the railroad station told me what he know
little i'll fact not even the mans name"
"Our neighbor was named Laronette."
Roger turned brusquely as he heard this
name and turned pale.
"What did you say his name was!'
"LarOuette | heard that during the dayn