Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-09-24

To each despono1ng cn1lo
ACCUSED BY A CLOCK.
1t was magnificent, in It's carved
walnut-wood case, with its large
enamelled dial, and with its pendulum
of brass. bright as gold, passing and
re-passing before the opening covered
with a disc Of glass. All who caught
sight of it through Pierret's (the
clockmaker's) window, stopped;to gaze
at it, and formed little knots about
his door.
Pierret, the cloakmaker, was still
a man in his thirties: but, neverthe-
less, he was inclined to sadness, and
not at all talkative. He had known
a great sorrow. Seven years before,
while he was serving in the army, his
father had been murdered-in this
very shop, now occupied by him.
Who was the assassin? On whom
could he avenge the old,man, who had
never done harm to anybody, and who
had been so kind to him? Justice
had failed to lay hand upon the MUIR
derer and robber, who had carried off
four thousand pounds, saved sou by
sou by the father for the son.
All researches had been fruitless.
Pierret had finished his time of SER
vice In the army, and, as soon as he
was free. had returned and estab-
lished himself in the murdered mans
shop, determined, doubtless, to drive
away care by labor. But it was clear
that suffering was gnawing at his
heart. At nightfall he was seen
wandering about the village as if in
search of somebody being, surely. the
criminal.
Time passed-weeks, months, years.
The murder was forgotten by all save
the orphan and the-other, who could
not but remember 1T.
Quite recently Pierret had gone to
Paris and remained there several days
making purchases, bringing back with
him the magnificent clock, which set
everybody who saw it longing to pos
sess 1t.
Come in, gentlemen" said Pierret
to the admiring groups who pressed
closely about his shop window.
"What is the price of it,"
zone hundred crowns.
'Does it striker"
Certainly. Listen!"
The ciockmaker caused the bell to
sound-clear, sonorous, silvery.
"But nobody will buy it," said
Pierret. 81 am afraid I have done a
foolish thing in bringing it from
Paris
''Oh, that depends, Pie1ret! We
are not rich enough, but there is some
body here"
ssReally! Whom?"
ssEh? Locard, good-looking Lo-
card, who is going to marry and
doesn't mind W hat he spends"
III you would not mind putting in
q work for me"
''With pleasure; and-who knows?
by touching him on the side of his
vanity"
''You would be doing me great
service"
Jacques Locard was not very much
liked. and that for several reasons.
In the first place he had made his
fortune too suddenly. 1t had come
to him from the clouds, by the inter
mediary Of notary-oh! not Of this
village. but of long way of, over
the mountains-an inheritance which
had at once put him at his ease, and
he had increased this by dabbling in
business.
For all that he was closeflsted,
spoke in a loud voice, staggered In
the street, drank heavily, and had a
following. When anybody wanted to
unloosen his purse strings for bowl
of punch or q bottle of champagne,
they knew on which side to deal with
him. 4 man like him!-the king OF
the country! He wagged his head,
and allowed himself to be taken in.
The thing, however, was not &c
easy as it had at first seemed to be.
When the name of Pierret was pro.
nounced before Locard. it evidently
produced an unpleasant effect on that
persons nerves. He disliked Pierret,
that was clear. Well, everybody il
free to like or dislike, according te
his impressions, is he note Pierret,
. pettifogger. an idler! No. no! be
was not that; but even il he were,
what had that to do with the greatest
wonder that had ever been seen in
the place? Besides, it cost nothing
to look at 1t.
While talking, Locard had drunk Z
good deal He began to get warm
saying eyes" saying stNo." and
llnally consenting TO stroll as far a!
the clockmaker's shop then with
drawing his consent
stWhy, anyone would say you IN
afraid to 20 To Pierret'I"