The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24
THE EMPTY BOAT.
From the French. IN Romance.

From the French. in Romance.
II was in December. about o'clock IN
the morning Baron Louis Monnier was
returning from his club to his apartments
in Grenele street. finishing his cigar. The
clearness of the winters night inspired
him to walk He turned up his large fur
collar, put his hands in his pockets and
started across the Pont Royal The Seine
was not yet frozen and the baron. reach
ing the middle of the bridge. stopped to
admire the fairy-like picture the city pre-
scented. He had just started again when
his attention was drawn to dark OBJ
ject which was turning around and around
in the middle Of the Seine. AS the object
grew more distinct the baron recognized
a boat adrift. No one was in it, as the
two oars were lying uselessly across it.
The waf was very near the bridge when
the baron was drawn from his reverie
by the approach Of an individual, who ran
up and stopping near him leaned upon the
parapet ana contemplated the boat with
an air of frenzy.
Louis Monnier noticed the figure of this
man, his black beard, his white face, his
ulster of large plaid (which was prominent
under the gaslight. lie saw him bsnd over
a moment when the boat reached the arch,
then cross the bridge in order TO see IL
unknown walked away rapidly, taklns
the left bank
The baron, slightly puzzled, followed
him with his eyes, and saw that he ran
along the quay in the direction of the
POnt de la ConcOrde. Finally the man took
the sidewalk in front of the houses; stop
ped a second TO shake hands with a wine
merchant who was closing the front or
his shop, then began 10 run. He reached
the Pont de la Concorde and leaned again
over the parapet to watch the boat pass
under
Monsieur Monnierl hesitated a moment
whether to follow him, then thinking il
was the affair of some luhatic or drunken
man, he turned into the Rue de Mac, and,
lighting another cigar, in order to dissi-
pate the dismal impress sion which The lit
tie boat had made, went home,
The baron soon lost all thought of this
adventure Eight days after he was quiet
ly drinking his absinthe al little table on
the Boulevard about q O'CLOCK, - 4.
The temperature Was MID, the .Boulef
ward gay and animated. After taking a
sip the baron began to read a paper. He
looked over the various items when sud-
denly while reading a long article, he be-
gan TO tremble, and returning to the first
line he read each word carefully.
The article concluded with these words
"A crime was committed Monday last at
place up the river called Joinville-le-
Pont, under mysterious circumstances. a
woman named Louise Sauyetre, who ran
the ferry and lived alone in an isolated
house on the border of the Marine, had
suddenly disappeared. The day before yes
terday her body was found caught by some
willows, hundred yards below that place.
A wound in the neck made by a knife
proved that the unfortunate was the VIC
tim of an assassin. Suspicion rested upon
countryman of twenty years, who lived
on the opposite shore. This individual
energetcally denied all knowledge of the
crime, but circumstantial evidence pointed
/ toward him, as a knife, probably like the
one used was found in his house. II was
arrested; The boat used as ferry had dis
appeared.
i'm the following fashions About or 9
o'clock in the evening the young man
hailed the woman Souvetre, and crossed
the river with her. After cutting her
throat and throwing her into the water,
he returned to the right bank and push
ed away the boat, whose presence on that
side would awaken suspicion. The little
old house Of the victim was entirely
stripped. 1t is true, only insignificant
sums We're found at the presumed assas-
sins house, but IL is supposed he eau
tiously buried somewhere the two or
three thousand francs which the ferry
woman had economical. The accused
young man. Thomasseau by name, had
served two sentences for poaching. lie
tried to eVade the law now by affirming
that on the night of the crime he saw an
individual approach the river and call
the ferry woman. But as no other neigh
Dor knew OF this incident it was deemed
improbable
times. Baron Monnier placed the paper
on a chair, and, crossing his hands upon
his cane, he began TO reflect profoundly.
That drifting boat which the article mem
toned, was it the one he had seen whirl-
ing down the Seine TO the Pont Royal
The date conceded; ii was indeed Mon
day of the week preceding. Surprising
the crime had been committed about s
O'clock it would certainly take five or
six hours for the boat slowly borne by
the current. to reach the center of Paris.
i I was probably on that night it had drift
ed seven or eight leagues without being
perceived or stopped by any one.
IN n
thoughts, but he could think of nothing
else. The strange individual who had
watched the boat pass under the bridge
the anxious desire Of this man to follow
the wreck puzzled the baron the more he
reflected upon it. Hypothesis followed
hypothesis, until he became convinced
that this stranger possessed alone, per-
haps. the secret Of the drama which
was enacted on the Marine eight days
science told him to go to the prefecture
of police, who We're still engaged in the
inquest; but Incidence, ennui, the neces-
sity of testifying in the courts kept him
back He thought to himself that his
deposition was very unimportant that
perhaps ii would be laughed at and
after all the law was able to unrayel
However, if the inquest should be
wrong, if the man arrested should be
innocent? The charges brought against
him were indeed serious!
At all events Baron MOnnier put the
matter by until the next day in order
to see what turn the affair took: then
as il was time to dine, he arose, and
following the Boulevard des Capucines,
went to his club.
The next day, after a sleepless night
during which he recognized the duty i'm
posed upon him. the baron entered the
prefecture of police about O'Clock. He
excused himself first for bringing evi-
dence which doubtless would have no
interest; then in a few words he related
what ne had seen on that Monday night
the empty boat, and the Individual Who
persisted in following It the length Of the
quay.
When he finished ne renewed his ex-
cuses smilingly but the chief INTERRUPTED
HIM your deposition" said he ION the
contrary, is Of extreme importance; the
description Of your individual corresponds
exactly to that OF the man whom Thomas
seau has described. Would you repeat itg'
Certainly Medium hight, slight. very
black beard, IN double points, an ulster
"With large plaids? That is we'll As 10
the hat, ThOmasseau said a soft felt-but