Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-29

W HaSIen the WORK Inc shutters closed.
the room was quite dark, Bernardet be-
gan his task. Counting off few steus.
he selected the hest place from which
to take the picture.
Be kind enough to light the end Of
the magnesium wire, he said to the
concierge. Have You any matchcs;'
No, NJ. Bernardet"
The police officer indicated by sign
of the bead a match safe which he had
noticed ON entering the room
There are some there
Bernariet had with one sweeping
glance of the eve taken in everything
III the roon-the fauteuils, scarcely
moved from their places; the pictur, 5
hanging on the walls, the mirrors. the
bookcases, the cabinets, etc.
Moniche went to the mantolpiece and
took match.frun the box. 1t Was ".
Rovre himself who furnished the light
by which n picture Of his own body
was taken.
I'VE could obtain no picture in this
room without the magnesium wire. ~
said the agent, rs calm while taking a
photograph of the murdered man as he
had been a short time ago in his gar
den. The light is insufficient. Whom
say, Go" Moniche, YOU must light
the wire, and will take three or four
negatives. Dc you understand: stand
there to my left. Now, Attention.
Be-Eardet took his position. and the
porter stood ready. match and wire in
hg u 10, -.
der to fire
CO. said the agent.
\ rapid. clear light shot ND and sud
denly lighted the room. The pale face
seemed liviG. the various objects in the
room took On a fantastic appearance in
this sort If tempestuous apotheoSiS, and
Paul Rodier hastily inscribed on bis
writing pad, Picturesque. bizarre, mar
velouS, devilish. suggestive
Let Us try it again, said NJ. Ber-
naryiet.
For the third time in this weird
light the viSage Of the dead man ap-
peared whittier, more sinister. frishtful.
the wound deeper, the cash redder. aud
the eye, those wide open, fixed TRAGIC,
menacins, speaking eyeS-eyes filed
with scurn. with hate. with terror.
with thu ferocious resistance Of a last
struggle for life, immovable. eloquent
seemed under the fantastic light to
glitter. 70 BE- alive, 70 menace sor1e one
That Is ALL said BernarJlet very
softly. If with these three mega
tives''-
He stopped to look around toward the
door, which was closed Some one was
raining ringing blows on the door, loud
and imperative.
1T is the commissary. Open the
door. Moniche. -
The reporter was busy taking notes.
deSc-itirg the salon. sketching it, draw
inS plan for his Journal
IT was. in fact. the comIlisSary. who
was followed ty Nine. M1niche and =
number Of curious persons who had
forced their way in when the front door
was opened
The commisSary. before entering. took
comprehensive survey Of the room and
said in short tone: Every one must
60 orr Madame. make all these people
90 tUl- No OI.e must enter
There arose an uproar. Each one tried
10 explain his right to be there. They
were al possessed with an irresistible
desire to assist 80 this sinister inyestica-
tiun.
But we belong TO the press
The reporters may enter when they
have shown their cards. - the commits
sary replied. The others-ro." There
was 4 murInur from the crowd
The orher-nc. repeated the COM
nissary. He made sign to TWO offcers
who accompanied him, and they de-
uarGed the reporters cards Of identified
tien. The c0ncuurSe Of curious ones re-
belled. protested. gruwled and declaiuled
against the representatives. If the press,
who took precedence everywhere.
The Fourth Estate" shouted an old
man from the foot Of the stalrcase. He
lived in the house and passed for 4 cor
respondent Of the institute He shouted
turiously, When a crime Is committed
under my very roof, am not even al
lowed 10 write N account of IL. and
strangers. because they are reporters.
can hare the exclusive privilege of writ
ing ii ~"
The commissary did not listen tn him.
but those who were his fellow sufferers
applauded him 70 the echo. The cua-
nisSary shrugged his shoulders at the
hand clapqingS-
1T Is hut right" he said 10 the re-
porter, that the agents Of tie press
should be admitted in preference to any
che else. Do you think that 1t Is easy
10 discover criminal: l have been
journalist, toC-ycs. at TINES. In the
QUARTER occasionally. Ihaye even writ
ten a piece for the theater But we will
not talk OF that Enter. enter. beg Of
you, and we shall see" And elegant.
amiahle, polished, smiling. he looked
toward NJ Be-u&r,iet, and his eyes asked
the question, Where is il:
Herr! NJ lie Commissaire.
Bernardet stood respectfully in front
Of his superior officer as soldier carry
ing arms, and the coumiSSary in his
turn approached the body, while the
curious ones, quietly kept back by Mo-
niche. formed j half circle around the
pale and bloody corpse. The commits
sary, like Bernaryiet, was struck by tine
naughty expression Of that livid face
Poor man." he said, shaking his
head HE is supcrb, superb. He re-
minds me Of the dead Duke de GGise III
Paul Delaroche's picture. Ihaye seen it
also az Chantilly, in Gerume's celebrat-
a