Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-07-18

ONCE MORE HE LOOKED OVER LYDIA's NOTE.
returning home, got into conversation with
the inmates of the chateau and soon learned
| the state of affairs. He resolved to institute
| q search for the culprits on his own account.
Louvait, having achieved this victory over
his rival, returned to Baudrays inn, where
he was told that no strangers had been en-
tertained as guests for two or three weeks;
and that, Furthermore, no strangers had
been seen in that neighborhood for as long
time. The only guests who had lately left
the inn We're the American, Fairfax, and the
EngGshman Oxford.
BY this time, daylight was approaching
and Mireille arrived with the news that no
strange boat had been in the harbor.
| All the vessels which came in before the
| storm were yet there. However, some of
| the sailors thought they had caught fleet
| ing glimpse of huge boat, passing out to-
| ward the island in the harbor. And one old
! superannuated fisherman swore that, while
| he was inspecting his nets, after the storm,
he the brilliant lights Of steamer moving
out toward the channel
| Louvait felt that the hour for immediate
| action was gone, and that this was case
| requiring time, tact and patience. His de-
| light increased as its magnitude and COM
| plexity increased. Clearly no consprators
| of small caliber were concerned in it. This
| was deeply-planned, finely-executed plot.
| Men with means and authority were its
| orlglnatorS and executors, and We're, there
| fore, none of the people in the region there
| abouts. The glory to be gained was greater,
| as the intricacy of the affair was greater
| Louvait's spirits rose to the occa sion. His
| enthusiasm became boundlesS as his am
| bition.
"Not only have secured the sole man
| agement of the Casa thing l didn't ex-
| pect at the outset-but / have beaten
| Leroi," exclaimed he, joyously.
| So the two worthless, in the most compla-
| cent and self-satisfied humor, retired for a
! brief rest.
| The result Of Louvait's careful and unre-
| mitting exertions, next day, were as fol-
! lows:
| A carriage had been returned to livery
| stable in Dol, about four O'Clock on the very
| morning following the abduction.
| '1t is a full seven hours drive from the
| sea-coast to Dol. Supposing it came direct
| from Chateau Neuf, it must have left there
| about nine o'clock last eyening-just about
| the hour when the fishermen think they
| saw the yawl and the steamer! The owner
| says it was hired late during the previous
| night. By whom! think by the conspira-
| tors-another cluer'
Thus he reasoned.
After further inquiries he discovered
| that five spicious-looking characters left
| the cars at DOL on the very night when the
| vehicle was procured at the livery stable
| two alighting from the st. Malo express to
| Paris, and three from the express arriving
| from Paris.
| That they had hired the chaise, Louvait
| fully believed And that this was the chaise
| used in the abduction he clearly proved by
comparing the distance between its wheels
with that between the tracks cut in the
earth about the old fsh-house. 1t was an
oldfashioned vehicle, with a tremendous
breadth of axle. So it was quite unlikely
| that any other conveyance should have made
| those broad ruts.
| The result of the detectives subsequent
| investigations was such as to fasten his
| suspicious upon Fairfax, Oxford and Roger.
But, then, to Offset the suspicion that the
! Englishman and his servant were the inter-
esting pair that mysteriously left the st.
| Malo express at Dol, the station-master at
| st. Malo showed card, bearing the sigma
| ture '.Arthur Fairfax" requesting him 'sto
reserve compartment for two on $50 p. m.
| express to Paris-to be called for by Mr..
| Richard Oxford and valet''
| Mr. Oxford and valet had not only called
| for this compartment but occupied it in per-
| son, during the entire trip to Paris-so the
| guard said.
did the gentleman in such compart-
| ment travel to Paris or get off at Dol.''
| He and his valet went direct to Paris"
| Describe their personal appearance
| ''Their hats were drawn down over their
faces, but I think one of them wore q light
| mustache. He was at least six feet in
| height The valet wore only short-cropped
| side-whiskers. He was about five feet
| seven inches tall.''
| This correctly described Dick and his
| valet. Yet Louvait was not satisfied.