River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-01-21
THE FRENCH POLICE.
Revelations of a Stranger In the
Streets of Paris.
Authentic Narrative OF an English Noble
man to an American Friend, Showing
How Hts Life Was Preserved by
Secret Agent of the Police.

Meurice'S famous English hotel. Hav-
ing been shown to my apartments and
made some change in my toilet, went
out for short stroll in that great and
magnificent city-that heart, as it were,
of the world i had some letters of in
PRODUCTION, but, as / had not yet pre-
scented them, believed myself wholly
unknown to living soul in that me-
tropolis, except, it might be, to the Off
GERS who read my passport at the gates
and the clerk who had seen me register
my name, and that either should have
fixed that name in their recollection
was something that my modesty had
not yet permitted me to take into con-
sideration.
Judge of my surprise, therefore,
when had gone but few steps from
Meurice's, 40 Rue de Rivoli. toward the
beautiful photographer nearly OPP
posite. to hear myself addressed as
follows:
the kindness to answer me a few inn
portant questions?"
turned to the speaker, and saw at
a glance he was a total stranger 70 me
that had never, to my knowledge,
looked upon his face before. He was a
middle-aged man, of rather PROPOSES
ing appearance, with gray hair. eye
brows and mustache, and was dressed
as plain, subst antial citizen.
81 will do myself the pleasure to
oblige you," l replied, in a polite and
courteous tone. Permit me first to
remark. howe yer, that you have a
little the advantage of me, in that you
already know my name"
Monsieur will please know me as
Eugene St Medard."
Ibid we ever meet before?''
1T is monsieur that has now be-
come the questioner," rejoined the
Frenchman, with peculiar smile and
a kind of formal bow, half dignified
half polite, as if he would have said
the questions were only to come from
his side
Somehow l felt just a trifle vexed
and nettled at the look and tone, and
remarked, little coldly:
Il take it for granted one has the
same right to interrogate as the other. +"
The features of the stranger grew
grave, as one who feels little annoyed,
and his reply was impressive, without
being exactly stern.
"If monsieur will be kind enough to
waive his right in this instance" he
said, sit may save us both some time
| and trouble"
/ scarcely knew why-perhaps some
| thing in the look, tone and manner
( but the idea now suddenly occurred to
me that / was speaking to a man in
authority-and l said, respectfully:
Proceed, Monsieur St Medard."
THANK you, monsieur. You are an
Englishman?'
II am"
"You are distantly related to the
earl of Malvern"
$50 distantly that his lordship could
never get near enough to know our
family" | replied, pleasantly. not a
! little surprised that a French stranger
should know so much about me, and
wondering all the while to what result
/ his questions might be tending.
| You were an only child?''
"Yes."
"Your parents are dead?"
"Yes"
'You were left small inheritance,
which you have lately converted into
money and brought with you, thinking
| it not unlikely you might take a fancy
to settle on the Continent"
"Ail true, monsieur; but your knowl-
edge of me and my private affairs as
/ tonishes me-"
Let that pass The family of his
lordship, the earl of Malvern, has been
unfortunate; no near OF kin remain to
| him"
Two profIigate sons of a deceased
sister are the nearest, / believe"
''They are both dead, monsieur.
One died of heart-disease in Ger
many, the other was sta bbed to death
/ in Rome"
''Deadr' exclaimed /, with start
for this was news to me.
"Are you sure?"
Certainly, monsieur"
''Both of theml This astonishes me
still morel had not heard of this"
81 know it.
ut seems to me you know every
thingg' said I, with stare of wonder.
/ Monsieur St. Medard smiled and con-
tinued:
"You are now the heir presumptive,
monsieur"
sIf what you tell me is true, ami
exclaimed I, almost startled at the
thought of being so near to an earldom
for the then lord was old and feeble
and might drop off at any minute.
DO Won know who is next of kin
after yourself, MONSIEUR" inquired my
strange interrogation.
II think have heard it is one Will
liam Byerly."
Right 30 you know him?"
Something by report"
Personally"
"No."
Ibid report speak favorably of him?"
81 am sorry to say it did not
From what you heard, do you con-
slider him an honest man."
81 do not"
las YOU alone now sta nd between
him and an earldom, after the death of
the present lord, would you consider
your life safe in his hands?"
Before l answer this question. will
you permit me to ask some two or
three?" said !.
Proceed, monsieur"
Are you William Byerly?"
mo"
"Are you related TO himP"
"No."
"Are you friend of his2"
"No"
do you intend to use my reply in a
legal way?"
NO"
as your object in these questions
friendly to me?"
Yes"
'sThen / venture to say that should
not like, under present circumstance,
to trust my life in the hands of VIII
liam Byerly. provided there were
single chance of his escaping detection
in case of willful murder
VERY we'll May I now proceed?"
"Yes, monsieur.
s'You will please answer to each
statement. of mine as If question
were directly put On your way to
Dover a fellow-passenger made your
scqusintanos?"