The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-05-04
MURDER WILL OUT.


The Private Oounselors Story Of
the Mark In tho Bible.
ssOf verify, Herr Magistrate" said the |
Private Counselor, "you have Just given . |
striking proof Of the possession Of those |
powers OF induction and deduction that |
characterise the born judicial investigator.
II this Enthusiastically small detail, 20
easily overlooked by . mind less keen, had |
escaped your attention, there Ii little doubt
that the culprit would have remained for
ever undctected. But who knowss Since
We are on this subject, could tell you
strange story, stranger even than the one
you have just related. In which CHANGED
70 play role that It 10 your duty to assume
olicisllv. I too. once discovered culprit
ard under circumstances 20 extraordinary,
by means Of clue 20 slender and improba-
ble that the more / think OF 1t the
moro the whole AFFAIR seems to me like
genuine miracle. i don't refer to It to exalt
myself, for l should have discovered moth
Ing without the direct interposition OF
Chance or, Providence. II you prefer the
term"
"Your preamble" replied the Magistrate,
sshas already greatly excited my curiosity.
I hops you win relate the incident"
.sWillingly. But let US first adjourn to
the library. know you are an admirer Of
rare TONES, and must show you mine.
Don't be afraid that they will take me away
from my tale; on the contrary, they VIII
lead NJ directly TO 1t, and in the most natural
manner possible"
Tho two men passed from the dining-room
whore the above conversation had taken
place into well-flled library-four walls
Of shelves bristlirg with formidable folios-
Every collector of books has his speciality,
end that of Private Counselor Otto Grotius
w,s Bibles. He boosted Of being the pos
sessor OF several editions not owned by the
richest theological library In Germany-that
Of .GeorRia Augusta" in the ancient uni
versity of Gottingen. The Magistrate, anx-
ious to get TO tho story, did not, perhaps,
admire a. they deserved to be admired, the
venerable illustrated edition Of the Holy
Scriptures issued about 1856, by Gutenberg
sad Faust; Luther's first Bible; the polyglott
edition Of Plantin; that of Aldus Hanucius,
and many others. At last the Private Coun-
selor took from HE shelves two shabby,
though modern-looking volumes, and said
with . sarcastic smile:
II have kept these for the last; they are
the bright particular jewels OF my collec-
tom
.whati Call this cheap reprint Of the
last century . jewell"
aust 20, my dear guest, and for double
reason. In the first place, the edition was
gwen to my father by the great Frederick
himself, who has condescended to ornament
one Of the two volumes with marginal
notes, moro witty, indeed, than reverential
q might be expected from the illustrioui
friend Of voitaire. In tho second place
and to this, Herr Magistrate, let me cal
your especial observation-disclosures the othel
volume boarS between its leaves, ~ mark
this bit Of yellow paper, commonplace look
ing enough, by itself, but with which moth
ing would induce me to part, since II gavt
me the clue to the terrible and mysterioul
tragedy to which l have referred"
This time" interrupted the Magistrate
II trust you win not keep me longer in sus
pense."
The Private Counselor sat down and thu
began:
In the spring Of 17s- married, and tn
Frau Private Counselor, my beloved depart
Cd wife, brought me a. her dowry this littl
estate Of g., which we readily chose .
our homo seeing that it is equally distan
from the capital and the summer residenc
Of his highness, the Grand Duke. You hav
been kind enough to admire our old garden
laid out after French models, with it, boz
bordered walks, it, yews trimmed pyramid
wise, and it, marble deities pretentiousl
clothed in operatic costumes; but hav
mot ventured to lead You further a-feld I
show you the useful after the beautiful
the commonplace vegetable garden afte
the ornamental park! now regret 1t, fc
II II probable that you have never seen
ia sv<A 4 haD zhA vyf,
one there, or, ct least one roputed to
such.
There Il nothing forbidding In the aspe
Of this insigninceut structure where m
valet assures me that he meets souls
pain. II Il . one-story cottage who
matched roof II starred with stone-cro
and whose front IL entirely hidden
honey suckie, jasmine and Bengal roses.
one happens to enter one sees that the wi
dows arc no longer glazed, that the DR.
place b flied with fallen plaster, that Il
inside partitions are % worn rs TO sho
the lath, and that the walls are crumbliI
under the combined ection Of mildew Al
saltpeter. This queer structure has for
long time only been used ~ Q convene
storage place for potted planta and gard,
implements- None Of my servants wou
consent TO live in it or oven to 60 near
aftee uightfall.
When We moved to g. this cottage "
occupied BY the gardener and his wife.
His name was Josias he was IN q
Pomeraaian cuirassier whom my faths
ju-law had taken into his service, .
whom NJ retained In ours. Should live
shousand years. Josias' features wov
nevw fndo from my memory. he v
akout nft4, tai, with strong muscul