The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-04-27

Knew that, so far. the police were al
| fault. No trace, no clew, no hint Of
the Chcurileur had yet been obtained
Sauler, the chief of the secret guar
dams ofthe public safety, had worked
till he was weary of his own false
lights and failures; wearier of other
peoples futile and sometimes idiotie
suggestions. He was sitting in the
April twilight before cafe on the
Boulevard DIES Italiens, not many
doors from the Ambigu Theatre, sit
ting alone at one of the little marble
tables, taking his demitasse after a
temperate dinner, and listening idly
to the conversations aroind md
about him. He was off duty, resting
jaded brain, yet the old habit OF
listening and putting two and two
together at all times and in all places
was so strong uron him that his eur
was on the alert unconsciously, and
his brain soon awakened to interest
in the talk of two men at a table
near his own.
They were of the fianeur species
both, one Young. one middle aged
men who knew their Paris, evidently.
"Here he comes" said the elder
man, looking down the boulevard
toward the Grand Opera. Il felt
sure he would pass us before
O'Clock; he is there every night"
"Not every night, surely?" said the
other.
81 have seen the place at least
halt dozen times, and he was in
the theatre every time. Men have
told me the same thing. 1t is a kind
of mania-a deceased vanity-I sup
pose. He likes to see himself on the
stage-the central figure, the cynos.
ure of every eye -,
The man theyspoke ofapproaehed
aud passed toward the theatre.
Tai, slim, well-dressed, with IL light
overcoat over his evening suit; pale
with a fixed look about the eyes, q
curious mobility about the mouth.
He looks harassed and ill.," said
the young man.
"Overwork, brain PRESSURE" said
the elder. 81 should not be sur
prised if | were to hear within the
next few months that Mare Avalon
had gone off his head"
Cauler rose and followed the great
chemist into the theatre, followed
him to the door of his avant-scene,
and then wentround the other side
of the house, and got a stall from
which he could observe the face in
the shadow OF the curtain as well as
the lowered lights would allow.
The idea of this prince of science
being on the verge Of lunacy had
started u curious train of thought
in the brain of the skilled detective.
He had some time since made up his
mind that the murders of the Rue
Ste. Marguerite, the Rue de Ia Vielle
Lanterne, and the Rue DIES Feves
were the work ofthe same hand and
that the hand ola homicidal maniac;
but it had never occurred to him
that these CHASTITY. motionless, in
sane murders might be thereproduc-
ton of something shown upon the
stage of a Partisan theater. To-
night, whose hours were gold, saw
the grisly play which all the idlers of
Paris had been gloating upon for
the last four or five months, and he
also saw or believed that he saw,
the germ and suggestion of those
strange and bloody nssassinations
which had convulsed the city.
Such n play, acting upon the pre-.
pared mind ofan unreveuled lunatic;
might inspire sudden sanguinary
impulse, an itching eagerness to
taste those sensations and emotions
depicted in all their hideousnes by
the actor. That which was appalling
md revolving tosane minds might
exercise a morbid fascination upon
The insane. The higher the education
md the greater the refinement, tie
leeper might be the descent into
rhine.
The detective hung about the YES
libule till he saw Mare Avalon leave
he theater, and was able to keep
lin in sight without appearing to
ollow him. An elderly man, who
oOked like u doctor, accosted tie
'avant as he went ont, and the two
men walked along the boulevard tC-
sether in the clear, mild nights as
ar as Tortoms, where they went ir.
'auler had followed close enough TO
,e able to overhear their conversa-
ion, which, was upon Indifferent sub
ects. The chemists friend remarked
Ipon his looking i'll and wearied, ard
with him for over Gag
rness in his scientific experiments.
You are trying to get quart CT
Iater into q pint BOTTLE lie said:
nobody ever succeeded in doirg
hat yet. Take care you don't burst
he bottle. There are n few men cf
our age who have made as great
mark upon the century as you have.
ant you be content to rest upon
our laurels?'
81 am not overworking my BRAIN"
.valon answered adoggedly. "You
ak to me as if ] were an incipient
matte Do you see any signs of
about me"
Eyes, several-hurry, pallor, dry
ps, and q tendency to laugh ut
Kings that make other men serious. .
am talking to you as your old
lend, and with perfect frankness."
my dear Pignon. this il the COM
ION cry when Il man devotes HIM
slf ito his profession and succeeds a
tile better that his fellow worker.
verstrain, brain work, incipient
ladness! That is what his friends
ny about him. Kindly meant, no
oubt, but arrant twaddle!"
They went into the catt, came out
gain in a quarter of an hour, when
valon hailed cab.
The detective followed him in an
Their. The fly deposited him at his
wn house in the Rue st. Guillaume.
nuler drove to the end OF the street
ismissed his cab and went back TO /
are Avalon's doorway on foot.
he house in which the chemist lived
as a fine old mansion in q, quad
angular court, dull, dignified, re-
)ectabie. Ft WAS u mGoniesS niuht.