The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-30
When rarouette hao come into nosseslon

himself at the lawyers house and asked to
see Nine. De Noirville. He was the broker
with whom Lucien had had relations in his
recent speculations Julia knew him by sight,
having met him before in her husbands room
And one day, while he was waiting to be re-
ceived by M. De Noirville, he stood with his
back turned as she entered the room She
thought it was Roger Laroque who was
standing there, and sprang forward, saying:
Roger, one word"
lie turned, and she gave a cry of surprise.
1t was Luversan. The same carriage OF the
head, the same height and build, same beard
and hair. hut there ended the resemblance
The eyes were hard, the nose larger, with
narrow nostrils, the forehead lower and the
eyebrows bushier.
Who was this mani Clever, sharp, with
out scruples, he began his career as employe
IN q commercial house. They saw him about
the Louvre year. Then came the war and
hs had disappeared. He had drifted from
one army to the other, spying for French
and Germans alike, for whoever paid him
best, having one object in view-to get rich
and to launch himself into q grand business
~ soon as peace was declared.
During the days preceding the battle Of
Culmiers, Rogers, then officer of the commits
sary, was following road near the forest of
Marchenoir, having been sent out with small
accommodating party, numbering about thirty
men, commanded by lieutenant. A peasant
ran toward them and told them that guard
OF Prussian infantry, composed of some
twenty men, had just installed themselves at
farm about two miles further on, and were
annoying the people. The lieutenant placed
full confidence in this man, but Roger felt
that he was not sincere. and watching his
chance managed to get beside him, and, hold
ing cooked revolver in his hand, said:
"If find you have deceived me will blow
your brains out"
The peasant, a great broad shouldered,
dark complexioned nan, said nothing, but
looked at Roger as if he knew him. They
reached the farm and surrounded it. After
making slight show Of resistance the Prus-
sians laid down their arms, and the French
were SO sure of their victory that they were
thrown off their guard, when, like sudden
burst of flame, the cellars, the stables and
barns poured forth 200 men, who surrounded
tho French in an instant. Roger, furious,
looked for the peasant who had led them into
this trap. In the confusion be bad escaped.
but Rogers keen eyes found him out ana be
sent pistol ball into the traitors left
shoulder, which, however, did no serious in
jury. Still it served to arouse feeling of
revengeful rage, but Roger, after firing that
shot, managed to escape into the dense forest
Of Marchenoir, and he at last reached his
command.
Three days later the German army, beaten,
had abandoned Orleans, and among the
stragglers who gathered around the French
army Roger saw the very man who had be-
Ar-~r l..
ferently, had shaved off his mustache and
imperial, but all to no purpose, and Roger at
once seized upon him, and, in spite of every
effort to escape, captured him and handed
him over to the authorities. He was searched.
and a large sum of German and French
money was found concealed upon him, and
though he made the most strenuous efforts to
prove his innocence he was tried and con-
demned to be shot at dsybreak.
His money was con6scated and he placed
under guard, but when morning came he
was gone. He had somehow surprised the
guard and strangled him, and, dressed in the
dead mans hat and coat, made his escape,
leaving these words on scrap OF paper
pinned to the wall:
ITO the sub-officer who caused my arrest
and used his utmost efforts to have me
y.
Matthias Zuber."
From this time on Matthias Zuber. or
Luverran-no one knows which name really
belonged to hlm-fostered bitter hatred for
Roger. He only had pierced his treacherous
falsity, and through him the money for
which he had sold his soul was taken from
him, and he left destituts when he had
dreamed such golden, ambitious possibilities.
he h. L.
stantly watched Roger in the hope Of some
day getting his revenge; and now he was
seeking an interview with Julia De Noirville
to that very end.
"You wished to speak with mean
ayes, madame"
Il am listening" said she uneasiIy, as some
how the man terrified her.
In few words, couched, however, in the
most tremendously polite phraseology, he
gave her to understand that he knew her
secret regarding Roger, knew of the loan he
had made her, and how Roger had broken off
all his old relations with her. He made no
secret that he hated Roger and wanted ven
geance, and he knew that Julia was only too
anxious herself to be revenged. In vain she
tried to deny. She was obliged to bow her
head
days. will make one last effort, and if that
does not succeed will join with you"
Julia saw Roger and said:
"Roger, are you determined to break nv
hearta love you so much, Roger No one
can ever love you half as well. o Roger.
do not cast me off like this"
He looked at her pityingly, but passed in
silence on toward Lucien's room.
6ROCer listen One laSf vyo,.J Tf No.,
force ME, shall hate you and you will have
everything to fear from my hatred"
Roger, saddened and grieved, retired with
out one word. Eight days later Julia, her
eyes flaming, said to Matthias Zuber: II Civ,
you full liberty; revenge us both!"
He went to work first with Larouette. whom
he knew, and it was through his advice that
Larouette refused delay to Roger, and the
same night Luversan, or Matthias Zuber,
went to Larouette's house to rob him. Zuber
knew that he resembled Roger, and thought
if in the day mistake in their persons might
be made, in the night it would be still easier,
so he copied Rogers clothes, trusting to that
to make the resemblance complete. He had
not intended to kill Larouette, but during the
old mans resistance his hat fell off, and SO. not
to be accused by the old man, who called his
name, he had lost his GOODNESS and shot him
dead
On the night of this murder Roger, a prey
to the most violent emotion, foreseeing moth
ing but ruin before him, felt as if he could
not bear to see his wife, whose father had left
him prosperous business, which he had inn
periled by his desire to grow rich faster than
the older man would have considered safe.
and, though Henriette was gentle and loving,
with such cause for reproach might she not
reproach him. and with justice! She was not
strong, and the privations his bankruptcy
would force upon her would be keenly felt.
and Suzanne, his beautiful little girl, where