Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-03-19

! tective
We'll, am her husband. Didn't l
tell you 1 lived with her till she broke
me?''
Eyes, but are you legally married to
her?'
why. to be sure. Don't tell you 1
am her husbandi'
"Then, in the name of the law, ar
rest you," said Mr.. Barnes, suddenly
| rising and standing over the man.
ARREST me, said the fellow, jump
ing up, pale with fright. "What for?"
Rose Mitchell has been murdered,
and the man who killed her has con-
fessed that he was hired to do it by
you.
Hes blasted liar"
81 hope so for your sake. But as you
admit that you are her husband, you
are the man we are looking for. I'll
have to take you to New York. -
'But, say said the fellow, now
thoroughly alarmed, there is a big
mistake here. I've been lying to you !;
I'm not the woman's husband, and my
name is not Mitchell "
THAT won't do, my man. 1 had you
pointed out to me by Seton, the detect
i've here.
but he is the very man that hired
ME to pass off as Mitchell to you"
Mr.. Barnes chuckled as he found his
ruse successful. He had suspected all
along that the New Orleans detective
was trying to lead him off ON a wrong
scent and now thought he saw chance
to turn the tables upon him and get
some valuable information.
THAT is very thin story" said he,
'but if you will tell me all you know,
perhaps may believe you"
"You bet I'll give you the whole
story straight to get out of this scrape.
In the first place, my name is Arthur
Chambers. was up in the world once,
had money and was respectable. But
drink changed all that Now anybody
can buy me for few dollars, and that
is what Seton did. He came to me
about week ago and told me that de-
tective was down here from up north
nosing around for this Mitchell He said
1t was important to an employer of his
up in New York to have this detective
baked; that he was hired to do it, and
to make him lose time; that time, in
some way, was an important item.
"You say" interrupted Mr.. Barnes,
THAT Seton told you he was hired by
some one In New York to throw me off
the scent?"
"That's what he said, replied Cham
bers Mr.. Barnes easily guessed who was
employing Seton, and once more he
paid the tribute Of admiration for the
caution and ingenious scheming Of Mr..
Mitchell
go on" said the detective.
"There ain t much more to tell Sef-
ton hired me to play off that was
Mitchell, and he gave me a cock and bull
yarn to feed you with about woman
named Rose Mitchell"
"What was that story?"
"Say, look here" said Chambers, his
confidence and cunning returning as he
felt himself out of danger of arrest. You
don't want that fairy tale. You would
rather have the true story, wouldn't
you?"
Certainly"
"Well, I'm an old timer, am. There
amt much that's happened in the Cres
cent that couldn't remember if 1 was
paid for it"
"See here, my man, you are not deal
ing with Seton now. You tell me what
I want to know, and if 1 find it is true
I'll pay you for it. But if you play any
tricks, I'll make it warm for you. /"
1e, icxh% r hxy
telling you that this Rose Mitchell, that
you say was murdered, was known down
here chiefly as Rose Montalbon. La
Montalbon, she was generally called. "
"La Montalbon?" repeated Mr..
Barnes. "Then was she an actress?"
ACTRESS? Well, I guess she was; con-
siderable. But not on the stage. No, she
kept "a gambling dem on Royal street
Fitted up like palace, too, and many
young fool has lost his last dime in that
house"
"But what about Mitchell? Do you
know whether he was connected with
her in any wayf'
81 can't give you that dead straight.
There was some mystery there. used
to go to the Royal street place, and /
knew Mitchell in sort of way. He was
always hanging around there. Then
there was a while that he didn't show
up, and then he turned up again and
was introduced as La Montalbon's hus-
band. There was a story going that he
had married another girl and deserted
her-a young creole, think, though l
never heard her name.
did you know anything about a
child, grip
"That was another queer part of 1t.
There was a girl, little Rosy. Some said
it was the creole's, but La Montalbon
always claimed it was hers. F"
"What became of Mitchell"
About year after he passed as La
Montalbon's husband he skipped out
vanished. Several years after that there
was another sensation. The child was
kidnapped. La Montalbon offered big
rewards to recover her, but she never
did. Then about three years ago her
place began to run down; she lost mon
ey, and finally she, too, disappeared. "
If this story is true, it may be quite
important. Do you think you could iden-
tify this man MITCHELL
"Well, don't know for certain. But,
see here, come to think of it, there were
two Mitchels, and both named Leroy
too"
"Are you sure of that?"
Pretty sure They were cousins.
The other fellow was younger. 1 didn't
know him myself. He was a Young
Mems Christian association sort of a
boy, and not quite in my line. But l
sort of remember hearing that he was
in love with the creole girl But, say,
I'll tell you who can give it to you
straight as shingle.' -
"Ah, who is that?''
IAN old man named Neuilly. He
knew all about the creole, and so must
know about the Mitchels. think he
was in La Montalbon's power. She
knew something about him and black
mailed him, as she did lots of others.
Now that she is dead you might make
him open his mouth.
VERY good. Get me his address, and
then see what you can find out about
the other Leroy Mitchell, the good boy.
Discover what became of him and III
nav Won we'll Meanwhile don { let Sef-