Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-03-23

U.s."
The door of the cabinet opened
anew, and the secretary of NJ. I.hco-
dore rc-cntered, holding in his hand
a foil of papers, which he laid before
his chief, then turned and was gone
again as quickly as he had come. NJ.
Theodore lifted it up and ran ms eye
rapidly over the contents.
"Iou arc named Frederick I}ous-
cal, arc you not, monsicur:?" he de-
mandcd, presently, adore sing his
visitor.
eyes, NJ. !c Chct, Frederick Bous-
"Your agc::"
"Fifty-c.gh years. ". lie Chef"
''Hum-m-m." Mr. Theodore rap
idly twirlcd the sheets beside him.
s'Twenty-seven years." he murmurcd,
as if thinking aloud. $50 it was you,
then, who was imprisoned two years
ago, and condemned for contumacy
and the theft OF 1000 %ilorins::"
A sudden flush cnpurplcd the coun-
tenance of the Visitor
mo, monsieur" he responded with
an effort, in Il dull voice; mo, it was
not lit was-my o
San cmploye of the Credit Agricolc,
was he not?: And-you are ignorant
of what has become of him?"
"A%bsolutely. 1t is fifteen months
that his mother and l have been
without news of him. That child,
M. lie Chef, that child has Eccn our
sorrow and our shame. He has
broken IL hearts, dishonored our
name"
His voice was choked. He was
silent. unable, evidently, to go ON.
''Pardon inc, monsieur" said the
Chct de Snretc. ~ have re-opcncd a
painful wound; but, 1 listen to you-
you were saying"
The man passed his hand across his
brow and eyes to clear his vision,
then resumed:
II was saying, NJ. lie Chef, that in
the cas which occupies us now the
reproduction Of the assassin's portrait
should be entirely possible. The vie
tim was struck in the face, the dircc-
tion of the blow and form of the
wound indicate it plainly. More
than this, it must have been light
enough to see the murderer, and with
sufficient c%lcarness to have stampedhis
likeness upon the retinal screen, for
the papers assert that ven in death
her eyes were liked in Il wide and
frightened stare. Thus. monsieur,
we find ourselves in the presence of a
half-ccrtainty; it is probable. if not
sure, that the eye of the corpse now
lying upon the slab of the morgue
contains the exact reproduction of
the likeness you seek. With your
permission 1 will draw it from
them"
"Draw it: but how"
"sBy Photographic is my bust.
ness, NJ. lie Chef. And this matter,
this subject l speak of I have studied
it long, and almost with passion, for
1 hold it to be, in case of success, one
of the most useful and beautiful ap-
plications of modern science. Iknow
it a be done. l have myself ex-
perimentcd, and in one instance have
reproduced the lineaments of the
physician who had leaned above the
bed of the dying"
The man spoke with animation,
and while speaking his voice vibrated,
his eyes burned, his whole counte-
nance was illuminated, irradiatcd
with the light of Il legitimate pride.
NJ. Theodore regarded him, vlsibly
moved himself by this ardent convic-
tion.
gSAn1 wv, .,N,,o1,,Io Ea
toned, after a moments Thought
81 conclude-but authorize me to
attempt the experiment on the
woman assassinatcd yesterday, and l
will tell you what l conclude. If
succeed it will be for us-my wife and
me-a little glory, and also a little
money! ray of hope in our misery:
if 1 iail-wcll, no mattcr-wc - re
used to misfortune. a failure m0re
or less need not be counted. In any
event, NJ. lc Chef, you lose nothing
in the experiment, but have the
chance OF an unhoped- for success.
''Tllen SO be it. monsieur" agreed
the chef de suretc. ssTakc your in
struments to the morguc tomorrow
at 10 o'clock. l will see that the
clerk is instructed. Later on l shalt
myself be there. 1 have the honor,
monsieur, to wish you good-morn-
ing"
In the obscure nook at the morgue
where he had Enclosed himself in ac-
coIdance with the arrangement made
at the Office of the surete, Frederick
Bouscal, his body bent, his face
drawn, watched anxiously the result
of his last washing. The plate was
there before him in It's bath ofquick-
silver, into which he had dropped it
u while ago with such fear and intln.
lite precaution.
Sensitized? Nitalized? At least
it should be. and il the conditions of
the crime were such as he supposed
them, and the victim. before dying,
had really seen her murderer's face,
the portrait of the assassin would be
there under that he'd of gelatine en-
traine to melt away.
1 MI AI.--A 1---L