The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-23
ROGER LAROQUR.
BY OLIVE HARPER

04 OAx v ~ nAnKGn
Il 90 not recognize your right to question
me, and l refuse. As my cashier has fur
nished you with all the indications in his
power beg you to notice that it is II O'Clock.
and that my time is valuable"
You do not seem to understand the gravity
Of your situation"
Laroque seemed at first surprised, and then
with his ordinary brusqueness exclaimed:
Nv hero the devil do you find my situation
gravel What business of yours is it any how,
n. Police Commissioner Lenardf'
ain that there exists strong presumptiye
reasons that you are tho murderer of Iarou-
etc."
~Whata heya howF'
"Yo on heard me-"
LaroQus kept silent and seemed to pass in
mental review the words just addressed to
him, and looked from Ricordot to Lienard
and back. Then ell at once the comic side Of
such an occasion struck him end he burst into
laugh, so heayty, load and prolonged that
the tears stood In his eyes and his sides ached.
II should never have thought of that" he
said rs soon IS he could control bis nlirth.
II am not hero 10 inquire your opinion,n
said Lienard with great dignity, "but to ask
you certain questions, and to place you at the
disposal of the court OF Versailles in case they
arc not satisfactorily answered.
At this moment Ricordot went cut, and in
few seconds returned with his hands full of
bank notes, which he began to examine atten-
lively while the conversation continued.
"Vcry well, t,cu~h il hutniliatas ma to
nave 70 defend myself from SO ridiculous an
accusation. But first l wish to know what
are your proofs against me-"
"They are OF various nature but am hero
only to see IL there is any suspicious account
Of money in your possession. Do you maintain
your affirmation that though your safe was
amply on tho 23sh, the important sum found
In your possession to-day cones partly from,
your winning at baccarat and the rest from
Apaymentf You must prove what you SAW
81 played last night from 10 to midnight
with Baron de Cey, Leonce Dubois, and Gas
ton and Adolph Levaliois"
"That Is all right SO far But the 10000
francs brought in by you on the 10Th of JuIy.n
Again Roger turned pale 81 have nothing
10 add to my former answer. 1t was an un-
expected payment of loan"
1.-The name OF the debtori"
Roger KEEP silent.
Reflect, this name is the proof that Won
have told the truth, for it will be easy for lis
10 verify your statement" StiIl no answer.
"1n the name OF your honorable house, your
own honor" Still no word. SIN the name,
then. OF your noble wife and your innocent
little Child, whom you seem to forget, charge
you to speak"
One Instant he stood with his lips apart then
ne sank down, aown, bending his great shout
ders under the weight of the burden he ac-
cepted.
81 cannot, cannotl am lost, lostI"
III. Lienard made gesture Of Impotence.
Then the expert arose and handed him, with
out a word, a scrap Of paper whereon he had
written few words and six Or seven bank
notes Of LOCO francs each attached with
pin. H. Lienard turned toward Larocue.
$50 them" he said, ''you refuse to speakr'
II refuse" answered he hoarsely.
"Your cashier just now gave US series of
numbers of notes which were received from
the country, and which were paid to Larou-
cite the 26th Of July After that payment
your cashier says nothing but gold remained
in your safe. How do you account for tia
fact that the most Of the numbered notes are
found to-day in your safer
'ImposSible!" said Roger, astonished
"Look for yourself. These notes were paid
to Larouette. He was murdered AMI robbed.
The notes you say you paid him were found
again i'll your hands. Now. according to you,
one of the persons from whom you won last
night, or tho person who paid you yesterday,
must have killed and robbed Larouette"
what follyi"
"You persist?'
81 told the truth"
II would gladly believe you, but at least
complete your story. You see to what danger
you expose yourself in refusing"
IL am responsible"
"Nhat reason is so powerful as to cause
you to place your liberty, your very life in
danGera"
"Do not insist" said Roger
Let it beso. The court of Versailles will
perhaps be more fortunate than L But ons
other question. When you wero playing at the
club were all the players known to your
Tho most Of them, at least by sight. !
seldom go to the club and never play, I'll
played last night it was with tie hope that
some happy chance might enable me to win.
and SO escape bankruptcy, dishonor and per.
haps suicide"
Ricordot gave little attention to this Gia. |
loSue. He now rose, and handed to NJ. !
LEONARD anothar package OF notes, pointing
to the corners which were all stained with
Ink. II. Lienard was an old magistrate and |
nothing surprised him. HIS face did not
change as he opened the door and called: IN.
Guerrier, will you step here a moments"
Jean did 80.
fiease tell your employer what you told |
Us short time ago regarding the ink spots
He repeated what we already know and |
then he was dismissed.
"You hear that stalementS"
Laroque inclined his head. He felt his
heart sink with fear, and foreseeing some
new and horrible explanation:
Il hear and sse," said Larouue. aand !
think with you that that is very extra |
ordinary"
mot so strange. As to me, explain it
easily. The situation is clear. Your business
was going badly, and you had great difficulty
70 get tho sum necessary to pay Larouette.
You begged him to wait He refused. You
saw before You inevitable ruin, and one
means only remained to you, and that was to
Jake back the money You paid Larouctte-
rob him; and in case he resisted kill him."
what you say is infamous" said Roger.
orokenly Il am almost ashamed to have to |
affirm to you that am innocent"
! Those are but phrases; prefer = clear
Sefutation."
WY "0Ais tueH DC IL 30, since must.
q He was about to speak, but paused again.
md threw himself into a chair, burying his
lace in his hands in silence.
q "Spcak, Laroquc," said the magistrate.
gently and persuasively.
81 CHAPTER v.
II swear to you, by all that hold most
precious-my wife, my child-that | have
told you tho truth" said Roger, almost stifled
by the violence of his emotion
show can the law believe you, Larocue. il
you take away the only means possible OF
proving your innocence7
%By the grace Of God Let my DESTINY he