Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-03-23
Yet wlen those Slight hsnds ahnllm mark
THE TALE OFACRIME.

: his cabinet deeply perplcNcd. his two
elbows on his desk, his head Oh his
hands. He was musing.
"lAnd was it going to last, this,
which had been going on for SO long u
while? And these assassins, were
they going TO end by beating him?
Where they going to compel him by
adverse public opinion to send in his
resignation?
"Parblcu. it looked SO, and as if
they did it on purpose, passing the
word from one to another to force
him to get out of their way. Eight
assassinations, one after another!
Crimes of the worst calibrc, with
startling details, which pcoplcd alike
with horrifying visions the sleep of
the bureaucrat and the concierge.
And not an assassin, for all their
skilliul work, had they been able to
lay their, hands upon; they had fled,
every man of them; they had disap-
peared, yanished-pt,r, like a puff of
air. Celebrity, despatch. their motto,
and to go without leaving a address
behind them! Frankly, it had begun
to}pass the bounds of ali rcas IN.
"And now, to top off these eight
ther crimes, there was still another,
he ninth one-a murder like the
bouIers, accomplished the evening be-
worr. under similar conditions, a
thinking galante with her throat cut,
foun, thef,sand francs worth OF jewels
aftae, and-not a trace of the assas.
Zans
ne Despite his robust philosophy, that
had long been the admiration and
emulation OF his century, NJ. Theo-
dore fell himself drifting into mel
y ancholy and reflection, not unmixed
with anger.
"Nine murders. n after the
other; nine crimes without an author;
nonsense! impossiblc!" The chef de
surete pulled himself tpgethcr, threw
lack his head like a war horse sniff
fling battle, and-the door opened.
y 1t was his secretary who presented
himself, bearing Il card i'm his fingers.
"a gentleman. monsieur, who in
sysists upon seeing you. He declares, "
't>tle secretary smiled Il little at
Surdity of the idea, she de-
himself in a position to furn-
lu with definite particulars re.
Ing the crime of yesterday"
fh. the crime of yesterdays" The
Il. turned quickly. 'sThen bid
{enter," said he, and while the
tetary regained the ante-room to
his bidding, NJ. Theodore cast his
upon the card before him.
- .Frcaerick i%:ouscal!." he read in a
ha voice. %"Bouscal, Bouscal; IT
se ms to me that l Know that name
{that I've heard it somewhere"
iHe scrawled a line upon a scrap OF
piper, and handed it to the secre.
vary, who returned at the moment
Y ushering in the visitor who had
asked to see him, dismissed him with
a word, and was ready for the mat,
ter in hand.
NJ. Theodore raised his eyes. lie
fore him was a man simply but
neatly clothed, and with a frank and
honest countenancc. though vcilcd,
as by a cloud, with sadness. The
eyes were clear aud open, the nous,
tache and goatce grey and pointed
in short, there was something in his
"oAAhSas Sot0CeAiuS III lIIS APPEAR
ance of Il militalrc i'm retreat.
''You have particulars to give me,
have you not, monsieur?:" questioned
the chef de surctc; particulars, ]
believe, of the crime of ycsterday?:"
II hope SO, monsieur" simply re
sponded the visitor.
'.Ah, hope so! You are not sure,
then?n
ut rests with you. Nj. lie Chef,
whether I am sure or not. All de-
ponds, in fact. upon an operation,
the mean OF which you alone are
able to furnish me-"
explain, IL you please"
"Ccrtainly, and at once. though
doubtless you have heard It often
spoken of, NJ. le Chef; a certain scien-
tifc procedure which permits under
certain conditions, better even than
description can do it, a reproduction
ofthe portrait of the assassin. Briefly,
behold my meaning. Won know. Of
course" he continued, ..that the phe.
nomenon called vision the object