Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-22
CHAPTER XVII.
CHECKMATED.

Her heart sank as she looked round her. All eyes were fixed on her-the baleful glances of the two evil looking strangers, the grave, severe look of NJ. Dumont, and the hard, penetrating, ju- dicial gaze of the gendarme. She felt she was in some terrible danger.
 "ln the name of heaven" she cried in trenr bling tones, ''of what am l accused? What does all this mean:"
 1t means" replied the brigadier, that terrible crime has been com mitted
 She halc rose to her feet. grasping the table beside her for support, as she gaZed at him with speechless horror.
 "Yes, wretched woman," said M. Du- mont. the unfortunate NJ. Germenil has been foully murdered this night! Speak, then. and prove to us if you can that you are not guilty of this wicked deed" She lifted her hands to her head with a gesture as though she could not quite grasp the meaning of what he said, re- beating his words in low, horror stricken tones.
 M. Germenil has been murderedw Then after pause she seemed to realize the position she was in. My God!' she cried in piercing tones, do hear alright: You accuse me of murdering him, my benefactor? Before that God whose wrath falls thus heavily upon me I swear to you am innocent"
 Her looks and tones were so full of truth and genuine feeling that the listen CTS hesitated. and their conviction of her guilt began to waver. Perceiving this in their faces. Remond insidiously inter posed to the effect that he was sure it was all right and that madame would have no difficulty in showing where the money came from which Pierre had seen in her possession that morning, and that point settled there would be no longer any T, son for Suspecting her.
 Marie eagerly explained that the mon- ey had been given to her by M. Germe- nil the previous evening.
 The unfortunate gentleman probably knew madame previously and took an interest in her. which would account for his giving her q purse Of gold" said Re mond.
 ''Is that so:" demanded the brigadier.
 But Marie was obliged to admit that she had never seen M. Germenil till her arrival at Les Sons AmiS the previous | afternoon.
 She felt the web closing around her and struggled helplcSsly to escape.
 1t isa likely story" said the brigadier that any one would give so much money to an utter stranger. as you admit yourself to have been to M. Germenil. Let me see" he added, examining the 1 purse which had been taken from Marie $ | pocket, ''one-two - three-fOur-fvc pieces of gold. and purse to carry them in addition. \ likely story indeed!' .'Still," said Rcmond, with we'll as | stunned sympathy. we must not forget | that madame has not contradictcd her l self, and that she accounted for the pos session of this money i'll precisely the same way when Pierre found her this morning.
 Yes" said Pierre. interrupting him, when I found her trying to escape from the house before any one was up. That did not look very like an honest woman.
 Why" said M. DumOnt. did you thus seek to fly from a house where you had been so kindly treated:"
 ''Yes," said Pierre, and after promis- ing II. Gernenil, who had been so kind to you, that you would not go away till he had seen you again"
 Marie remained silent. She could not answer these questions without disclos- ing all which she had sought to conceal by flight She looked around her de- spairingly, and seeing an expression oi pity on Charles face she appealed tc him not to condemn her without some further proof.
 Il know" she said, that appearance, are against me, but indeed-indeed an innocent!'
 Charles had listened i'll silence to whar had passed, but though appearances wer, so much against her he did not feel al all convinced of her guilt and now sait so boldly. reminding those present tha Gs yet there was nothing proved. ant that mere suspicion, however strong could not condemn.
 "Be sure" he said. addressing Marie that justice will be done. There mus bo thorough investigation of this af fair. My father and will sec to that. B
 Remond began to think that matter were not going quite as he wished them and observed that himself and his frien' were also interested in the matter bein satisfactorily cleared up. and that ther was one point which ces mcsSieurs ha overlooked. and which might help { - ClIClOdit l4t SAGl G1 llsilAS III good friend NJ. Pierre would tell them any of the rooms adjoining the one i which the murdered man had slept ha been occupied that night. The numbe of the Iamented gentleman's room Wa: . he understood. No. 13.
 An unlucky number" |" he added, WI n No. 13."
 Yes" said Pierre. ,'she"-pointing | Marie-''she slept in No. g. d Then" continued Remond, .'as sue " deed could not possibly have been con mitted without some little noise, m Il dame doubtless heard somcthing-son
 little disturbance-of which she will te - us, and which will perhaps give son
 clew to the real culprit."
 Thus, with devilish ingenuity. did tn . monster complete the chain of eviden
 against his victim.
 She of course could not meet this ne
 suggestion with any sort of satisfacto
 answer She could only affirm again al ' again that she had been so overcome wi '' fatigue she had slept heavily, not ava
 ing till the sun was up, and that she h
 heard nothing, absolutely nothing.
 The brigadier listened incredulously
 her story seemed to him quite unwortl
 of belief-and be said that there was
 use wasting further time. It was
 duty to arrest her, and having talk
 down her statement in writing he a n. his men would convey her to the ge
 darmie, where she would be detain till further inquiries were made. J, At this a gleam of triumph pass
 over Remond's face. He was safe,
 any rate. That was all he cared f r. He felt no pity for the creature |" was so remorselessly sacrificing.
 memory of the love she had borne hi IL IL. |.