Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-08-14

versation just now
signed, and as I was leaving the
room the magistrate added in a most
paternal tone:
''Yes, just try and remember how
that amber pin came into your pos
session 1t viii really be worth your
while to account for it
That evening l was transferred from
the depot to Mazas jail The first
question the magistrate asked me on
the following morning was:
What were you doing at Scnlis on
the night of September II, 1Ss1?"
Il don't recollect having been there
at all in that year"
every good. 1t is well TO be frank
AS matter of fact, you stayed there on
the twelfth, as we have learned by ex-
amining the hotel woman's register for
that year You left the hotel on the
morning of the thirteenth, and after
wards disappeared Where did You
go?"
Il stayed in Paris a week and then
went to London. where I have since
lived"
well. how about that pin? Have
you remembered how you got it?"
II have been cudgelling my brain all
night on the subject, but ! cannot re-
member.
1t is unfortunate, he said. I'm
fact, a number of unfortunate circum-
stances are against you BY the way,
what has become of Pierre Bastide?'
he asked, abruptly.
Pierre Bastide? Incver heard that
name before"
"Yes, Bastide. The man who was in
the hotel the same night that you were,
and who is suspected to be your accom-
plice."
''Do you really think, Monsieur le
judge l said. ''that ii had murdered
this count to rob him | would carry
about on my person in prominence evil
dence against myself? | know moth
ing about this murder. l never heard
of it,
your statement will be tested
Meanwhile let me put before you the
position in which you stand / must
warn you that it is very serious one.
On the 10th of September, 1881,
tric old gentleman. arrived at the Rum
ming Stag hotel His valisc, besides
change of linen, contained quantity
of bank notes and a few of the anti
quarian treasures of the count. He
was a great collector of curios of all
sorts.
''On the I1th man passing by the
name of Pierre Bastide, and describing
himself as a cafe waiter, came to the
hotel and took the room at the top of
the house On the 18th you came. and
after inspecting several rooms insisted
on having the one adjoining the one in
the occupation of the count You re-
fused supper and went to bed at a re-
marizably early hour.
"The next day you left the hotel hur-
riedly at five in the morning, while ii
was yet dark. At eight o'clock Bas-
tide came down to breakfast, ate quiet
ly, paid his bill and went away with
his knapsack on his back. At eleven
o'clock the woman of the house went
to wake the count, but was unable to
do so. The woman, seriously alarmed,
had the door broken open, and found
the old gentleman dead in his bed,
with his right temple fractured. All
the valuables contained in his valise
had disappeared Suspicion Immediate
" attached itself to Bastide and to you
You were both searched for by the po-
lice, but in vain, when 10y the merest
hazard the other morning the brotaU
of the victim recognized the conn
in your cIavat You win admiSl
there is at least reasonable ground for
suspicion. BY the way, how did you
get the money to pay your bill at the
hotel and get you. ticket to London?"
81 pawned gold watch which had
belonged to my father. The pawn
broker lent me ono hundred and sixty
francs on it. My bill at the hotel was
eighty francs, and my ticket cost about
thirty-fve."
AT what date did you pawn this
watch?"
1T was about a week after | left
Senlis. On the twentieth or twenty
first of September"
On my third visit the magistrate re-
ceived me with greater courtesy than
before. He said:
81 have examined your statement
and find you have spoken the truth.
The official record of the pawnbroker
makes mention of you having pawned
your watch. The hotelkeeper remem-
bers you; and, finally one of my agents
has succeeded in discovering the book
seller who sold you the Memoirs of
Abbe de Croisy.' The ouly circum-
- a.,
possession of the pin. !"
"And that, | an sorry to say, | can
not explain TO you"
"On the other hand" continued the
magistrate, benevolently, "our inquir-
les in London have produced salts
factory results, as far rs your character
is concerned. If only you could ex-
plain that one obscure point ! could
proclaim you innocent"
The same evening, after various for
malities, | was set free | returned
forthwith to London, and went straight
10 the house where my JtiaHcee lived. |
was received by her father, who said
under the circumstances he could not
think of letting me marry his daughter
until / had completely vindicated my
character. / turned on my heel indig-
nant at this injustice, and wrote TO
Glare; but the young lady left my let
ters unanswered, and when | called
10 see her, during the absence of
her father in the city, she refused to
see me.
1t was only three days ago that
some solution of the mystery of the
amber pin presented itself to my mind.
was in Berlin, and was walking
down the Behr cntrasse, when passed
n man whose face | seemed TO remem-
Der, without being able at all to recall
when and where had seen it for tho
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