The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-11

tension. She had hoped that Raymond would
console her with kind word, but his lips re-
manned closed.
at was she! She lied to mel She would
lie to me again. Whya must know, and /
will know"
And Julia, who understood, closed her
weary eyes, wishing to hide the phantom
that stood between her and her idolized son.
Raymond passed his days and nights in
consulting and studying the case of Roger
Laroque. He weighed the testimony word
by word as if his own life trembled in the
balance. That which drew his attention was
that suddenly, in che very midst OF his
most eloquent plea, his father had fallen and
Roger who had sustained his innocence until
then, rose and said:
SEARCH no more, I am guilty."
Raymond found friend of his fathers
who had witnessed this tragic end, and he
told Raymond of the letter that he had seen
handed to Lucien, who had at first appeared
much affected by its contents, but he after
ward had rallied and continued his plea
until death overlook him there. Perhaps
this letter was the key to the whole mystery.
As Raymond sat thinking on this subject q
thought flashed into his mind.
ale wore his gown. have it here. Who
knows but that letter is in the pocketF'
That black silk gown had been laid away
among the legal papers. and Raymond had
taken it and folded it tenderly and brought
it with him to his little apartment in Paris.
He now unfolded it and felt in the pocket,
which was made deep and wide to hold pa
pers of moment There in the bottom,
crushed as that dead hand had crushed it in
shame and dishonor, was the note which had
| l.; r ~. lol
poison, instead Of the treachery of those he
best loved.
Long hours this poor boy sat with this aw-
full proof before his aching eyes.
"Mother, oh, my motherp he groaned.
He had loved his mother so. Now he found
that she had been criminal She was THE
woman!
1t was all clear now Had she loved Roger
at the date of the trial she would have come
forward and proved him innocent; but she
did not, and that proved that this was ven
geance And the dates of the events in that
vengeance had been written Oh his mutilated
photograph by the hand that prepared this
vengeance. Laroque had told the truth.
Julia was the guilty one, and he saw all that
life held that was precious to him slipping
! away, and Suzanne was lost to him forever!
| 1t was not alone because he loved his native
country that Laroque had returned to France.
He wished to clear his name from the false
charge of murder. He was now in Paris
searching, searching everywhere, everything
and every place which could give him the
! least idea Of what could be the solution of this
mystery. He haunted the club where he won
the so, 900 francs, but all to no purpose, and at
| lass he saw that he should need the services of
two expert detectives. He remembered the
names and regulations of Tristot and Pivoiot,
and he decided upon employing them. Hav
ing now as a starting point the explanation
that Suzanne had given him, he wanted to
find the man who had so resembled him as to
! deceive his own wife and child.
So he presented himself at the pretty and
tasteful abode Of these two famous detectives,
and told them that he wished to engage their
services in difficult and delicate matter,
which should be largely paid for
"You already know something of this mat
ter" said Roger, "and you will remember it
well when 1 tell you that it relates to the
murder Of Larouette, and the condemnation
of Roger Laroque for the crime he did not
commit"
'But he confessed himself guilty"
Because the shadow of the crime he did
did not. Listen now until you hear the truth
of this affair from beginning to end, and then
would like your opinion"
| Roger then began at the beginning and told
all we know, even giving the name of Julia
De Noirville, and when lie had finished his
auditors accustomed as they were to strange
tales, looked completely dumfounded
"But how do you know all of this?n
T T T
come to vindicate my name at the risk of my
life. l trust in your honor. and place my life
and that of my child in your hands"
The two detectives looked at each otEer in
silence, and then as by one common accord
they rose and offered Roger their hands,
which he took with grateful heart. He
knew he had found friends Tristot spoke:
awe must put aside as impossible the actual
| guilt of Nine. De Noirville, though she may
have inspired it OF have been an accomplics
in some way, but if we find any indication of
her guilt we shall follow her up in private
until you give us other orders Now remains
the club. Did you know all the players there
that nights 1t may be that there was present
an ancient or new lover of Mime. De Noir-
vile. Think WELL"
Il cannot imagine of any person who could
have held such a position. The only peculiar
incident was that my friend the Baron De
Cey spoke to some one, thinking it me, calling
him by my name and touching his shoulder.
noticed the man, as De Cey told me laugh
ingiy OF the rencontre. He was large, tall,
dark and wore his hair and beard as did.
His eyes, however, were different and the
eyebrows bushy. In the evening or in the
day one could easily mistake this man for
me at the first glance. He had recently been
received into the club, and l do not remenl-
Der to have seen him there before, and as YOU
can imagine never went there after His
name is Luversan.n
"He is banker or broker OF something OF
that BORT, is he not, Tristots" said Pivolot
"Had this man ally good reason to hate
you?"
"None that know Of
"That we must find out. We will look up
this Luversan, as well as begin again from
the beginning, this time with a view to find
the real man, not to search proofs against an
innocent one."
II thank you with all my heart" said
Roger, more for my daughters sake than
my own. l wish her to be able to bear her
own name until the day she takes that of an
honorable and noble man who loves her and
whom she loves. AS to myself, l should not
care SO much, but would accept my fate as
my expiation for the wrong [ did,"
"You would be wrong. sir, for while you
were away, even now, do you know what
your workmen call youa Roger the Shame
full"
"Alasl" said Roger, with sob which be
vainly tried to repress.
Roger went home to await the result of the
search Tristot and Pivolot were to make.
Several days passed without a sign OF word,
when one morning a telegram caused him to
| present himself at their home
1--WE have not altogether lost our time.n
| said they "and we have not accOn,rlichod