The morning call., 1892-09-30
ACCUSED BY A CLOCK.

clockmaker'sl window stopped TO gaze at IL,
and formed little knots about his door.
Pierret, the clockmaker, was still Il man
In his .hirties; but. nevertheless, he was
inclined to sadness, and not at all taikatiye.
He had known a greet sorrow. Seven
years before, while he was serving In
The ermy, his father had been mur-
dered-ln this very shop new occupied by
him. Who was the assassin? On whom
could he ayenge the old man, who had
never done harm to anybody, and who had
been so kind to him? Justice had failed to
lay hands upon the murderer and Tobber,
WHO had carried eff $1,000, saved sou by sou
by the father for the son.
All researches had been fruitless. Pierret
had finished his time Of service IN the army,
and. as scoa as he was free, had returned
and established himself in the murdered
mans shop. determined doubtless TO drive
away care by labor. But 1t was clear That
suffering was gnawing at his heart. Al
Bightfall lie was seen wandering about the
village as If in search OF somebody, that
some body being, surely, the criminal.
Time paSsed-weeks months, years. The
murder was forgotten by all save the or
phan and the-other, who could not but re-
member il.
Quite recently PierTet had gone to Paris
and remained there several days making
purchases bringing back with him the
magnificent clock, which set every body who
saw il longing TO possess Il.
Gene a., gentlemen" said Pierret 10
tho simjrlng groups who pressed closely
about his Snop window.
'What is the price Of it?"
zone hundred Crowns
Does it strlkeY
"Certainly ListenP
The cl0ckmaker caused the bell to
anuud-piaaT SQnGrRUs sIiVnTY-
But nobody viii buy il" said PierTet.
IL am afraid l have dope foolish thing in
bringing it from Paris"
"On, that depends. Pisrret, we are not
Tleh enough, but there is somebody here"
Really Whom?"
"Eb? Locard, good-lookiug Loeard, who
IS going TO marry and doesn't mind what lie
spends"
for me"
touching him n the side Of his vanity
You would lie doing me great service"
JaQues LOcaTd was not very much liked,
and lnRt for several reasons. In the FIRST
place he had made his fortune too suddenly.
It had come 10 him from the clouds, by the
Intermediary Of n0tary-oh! not of this
village, bat OF long way of. over the
mOuntaiu-au Inheritance which had at
once put him at his ease, and he had in
creased this by dab6linE in business.
loud voice, staggered in tie street. drank
heavily aud had following. When any
body wanted to uniOOsen his purse strings
for bowl Of punch or bottle of cham
pagne they knew on which side to deal
with him. A man like him-the king OF
the country! He wagged his head and
allowed himself 10 be taken in.
The thing, however, Was not so easy as Ii
bad al first seemed TO De- When the name
Of Pierret was pronounced before Loeard,
II evidently produced an unpleasant
effect on that persons nerves. He
disliked Pierret. taat was clear. Well,
every body is free to Ike or dislike, accord
ing 10 MS impressions, is he not? Pierret
pettifogEer, ap id.eyi No. mol he was not
that; bu. even If he were. what had that to
do with tie greatest wonder that lad ever
been seen In tie place! Besides il cost
nothing 10 look at IT,
While talking Locard had drunk a good
deal Ha began TO get warm, saying '1 es,
saying No" and, finally cOnsenting to
stroll as far as the clockmaker's shop, then
Withdrawing his consent.
why, any one would say you are afraid
to go To Pierrrt'S-"
Afraid! 1? What do I care for Pierret?
Gene en-
The little matchmaker was at his bench,
his magnltylng glass IN his right eve, bend
ing over the works Of 3 watch. Certainly
he vas not looking at anything that was 60
ing on outside OF his shop, Yet he saw, very
plainly observed, the approaching group,
ana something very much like a smile ght
have been seen to play about his lips as he
did 80. he hoped for . customer, and TO a
poor tTadesman that must always be q
pleasant feeling must il not? On, doubt
less. But Of all possible customers Pierret
bOped for one, and that one was now at the
door.
Lncard entered.
rs that it?" he said contemptuously.
Pierrel rose politely. Loeerd turned his
back upon him-frOm hauteur. evidently.
In short be Immediately agreed to give the
twelve pounds, and threw down a FIVE
pound note on account on condition that
the clock should that same evening be in
stalled in his diniDg-rOOm at his house.
VINO did not know L0card's house? In
less than an hour the clock should be there.
This evening friends" cried Locard (of
course he did not include PierreD. we'll
drink to my new piece Of furnitureP'
"At what houI?"
Mine O'clock"
As soon SIS Pierret found himself quite
alone he burned tie bank note in the flame
of the candle. Then he went into the room
behind the shop and took up small box on
which there were English labels pasted.
Returning, lie opened the case of the clock,
no d0u5t 10 regulate the movement.
Within the promised time ID was placed,
prominently placed, amid the rich furniture
OF LO5aTd'S dining-rOom.
Around tile table, from which, point up
ward, gOodly array Of bottles stand, Lo-
card and his old friends drink. laugh and
sing. Eleven O'Clock the silver bell records
the hour. What voice, song, ratherl
One could lis en- to 1t through tile whole
night Mi'nght. the voice puts forth all
It's delightful power.
Attention! One! Twol Light the punch.
The fame fits, g0blln-like over the surface
of the bowl, tapping it with upthrown
tongues Of yellow and blue. The sugar
tTHV .k.f
hushl the clock is going to strike.
No, it speaks.
"JaQues Locardl Jaques Locardl"
"Eh2 VINO spoke? Who said that?"
"Jaaues Loesrd! Contest Confessw
NJ "LoesId! Locard! What D,, jest is thisP
The voice sounds as if 1t came from the
cellar beneath.
''Jaques Locard. you are murderer
"It is fslsel Who has dared to say that2"
"Jaques Locard. It is you who killed old
Pierreti Assassinp
There are cries, groans. LOcard has risen
10 his feet--lost. mad. He clutches q. his
eravat to tear IL from his strangled throat
The voice still pitilessly continues
yelled, distant, as ii coming from a tomb.
1t repeats, repeats, repeats the word "as-
sassinP'
Locsrd falls upon his knees, rises, falls
again.
Il confess confessP he cries. "Yes.
10 was who killed the old man and robbed
him; Bat let that horrible voice cease"
1t dId not stop, but went on repeating its
dreadful dsnunciations with the persistency
OF machine in motion.
1t ls the clock that speaksP' screamed
Locard, seiZing it, shaking it, dragging il
from its place, casting it upon the floor
The works were scattered and in their midst
was seen small cylinder covered with me-
tallie paper.
Pierret, who had heard all. sprang fnto the
room through the open window and seized
LOcard by the throat.
You are all witnesses that this man is
the murderer OF my fatherp' he cried
Murder will out; but men who take the