Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-10-26

Sleur, 1 udTuly CreulI ~. IL iohio oo ouo
very beginning. We do not even know
that Prince Stanislas has ever been in
Biskra. question that even."
"Would you have known?"
"As a matter of course l think he
would have come to me. think he
would have allowed me to show him
some attention. In any case the hotel
registers-you know our French system
would certainly have told me. No
Prince de Medea has been recorded
among the arrivals at Biskra, believe
me. I should have heard.
"But if he was incognito for reasons
of his own?"
"We will have the registers. Let US
see if there is any one like him on the
lists. But you toll me you have yourself
inquired at the hotels. I fear this will
lead Us no further.
The lists were brought, but, as the
baron prophesied, they told us nothing.
"No," he said, II see only one spot
Of firm ground anywhere, a point from
which possibly we may travel in the
right direction
1.-THE notary public?''
Exactly, M. La Ramie is real,
tangible fact-the only notary public
In Biskra. I know him personally lit
tie, by reputation still better, as an
honorable, straightforward functionary,
who would hardly lend himself to any
thing underhand. French notaries, as
rule, bear deservedly high character.
We had better see NJ. La Ramie. He
can at least tell you the truth about the
confession. A record of the copy, made
and attested, will be kept in his office,
If it ever was made, which doubt"
We walked down without delay to
the Place de la Sahara and were shown
in at once. All doors opened before the
commardant of the garrison.
M. La Ramie, an aged man, who was
in slippers and wore a black skullcap,
was most courteous and obliging, pre-
pared to give us any information in his
power. But he knew nothing Of con-
fession made by Prince Stanislas de
Medea. Nothing Of the sort had been
brought to his etude He had never
heard of De Fivas or Mirabel.
Then I laid the copy before him, ask
ing if that was not his Office seal, his
signature
"The seal, yes; the signature, no.
The first has been stolen, know BY
whom; the second forged-undoubtedly
forged, by the same coquin, voleur,
escroc, sacripant, faineant." The staid
old notary grew purple with rage as he
rolled out abusive epithets, then paled
suddenly with another emotion. alarm
and misgiving. He will ruin me yet,
disgrace me utterly, for who shall say
where his distractions, his misuse Of
my confidence, will cease?"
"Was be one of your clerks?" asked
the colonel. ..
my first clerk, Picpus, whom I drove
out Of my etude some two months back
for fragrant misconduct. Liar, rogue,
thief, gambler, Greek, he wasted his
substance and mine in every low hell,
at the roulette tables in the market
place, in the dancing dens of the Ouled
Nail"
"What became Of him?"
II heard that he had gone down to
the coast, to Algiers or to Constantine
and again that he was lurking some
where near He was seen at Sidi Okba,
drunk in the bazaar and covered with
flies. Another said he had gone on to
Touggourt and meant to 60 over to
the"-
II do not believe myself that he has
left Biskra-neither he nor his fast
friend and boon companion, the crou.
pier of the Cercle ell Salahin." "
"Della Grocer" quickly asked Baron
d'Hautrine, and also pricked up my
ears at the mention of the club. We
had struck another clew.
"This Della C1oce," my friend the
colonel told me as we walked away
from the notary's, 'is probably at the
bottom of this business. He was once
in a good position, had money and,
believe, rank-Della Croce is not his
real name-but he lost it all at play.
When he was bankrupt in cash and al
most in character, he was brought out
here this last season to act as croupier
at the casino just to keep him from
starvation. I heard of him-I never
saw him, for, as you will understand,
I do not frequent those places-heard
of him as a man with history, a man
who had been in good, in the best, So
ciety, knew men and cities, but had
sunk into a mere adventurer, vaurien
and chevalier d'industrie. 1t is possible
that he knew the prince by sight, had
,,at hin, nv hoard nf him in Fnrona