The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-26

OF the picture.
Anything you please, F" said the wo
man, still frightened. Bernardet smiled
"Come, comet What do you want fol
it? Fifty francs, eh? Fifty"
"Away with your 80 francs! place
it at your disposal for nothing if you
need it,"
Bernardet paid the sum he had named.
He had always exactly, as if by princi.
pie, 90 franc note in his pocketbook.
Very little money-a few white pieces
but always this note in reserve. One
could never tell what might hinder him
in his researches. He paid, then, this
note adding that in all probability
Nine. Colard would soon be cited Nfore
the examining magistrate to tell him
about this Charles Breton.
II cannot say anything else, for do
not know anything else, p" said the huge
widow, whose breast heaved with emo
ton.
She wrapped up the picture in piece
OF silk paper, then in piece Of news
paper, which CHANGED to be the very one
in which Paul Revere had published
his famous article ON 1.-THE Crime of the
Boulevard de Clichy" Bernardet left
enchanted with his "find' and repeated
over and over to himself: cit is very
precious. 1t is tidbit.
Should he keep on toward the pre-
lecture to show this find" to his chief,
or should he go at once to hunt up
Charles Breton at the address he had
given?
Bernardet hesitated moment; then
he said to himself that in a case like this
moments were precious; an hour lost
was time wasted, and that as the adj
dress which Breton had given was not
far away he would go there first. "Rue
de la Condamine, 16"-that was only
short walk TO such tramper as he was.
He had good feet, a sharp eye and stur-
dy legs. He would soon be at the Bait
gnolles. He had taken some famous
tramps in his time, notably one night
when he had secured Paris in pursuit of
malefactor. This, he admitted, had
wearied him little, but this walk from
the Avenue DIES Bons- Enfants TO the Rue
de la Condamine was but squirt. Would
he find that false name and false adj
dress had been given? This was but the
infancy of art. If, however, he found
that this Charles Breton really did live
at that address and that he had given
his true name, it would probably be
very simple matter to obtain all the in
formation he desired of Jacques Dantin.
"What do 1 risk? A short walk, F."
thought Bernardet, "a little fatigue.
That can be charged up to profit and
loss "
He hurried toward the street and
number given. 1t was a large house.
several stories high. The concierge was
sweeping the stairs, having left card
bearing this inscription tackled on the
front door: "The porter is on the stair
case" Bernardet FASTENED up the
stairs, found the man and questioned
him. There was no Charles Breton in
the house; there never had been. The
man who sold the portrait had given a
false name and address. Vainly did the
police officer describe the individual
who had visited Nine Colard's shop.
The man insisted that he had never seen
any one who in the least resembled this
toreador in the big felt hat. 1t was USE
less to insist Nine Colard had been
deceived. And now how to find in this
immense city of Paris this bird of
passage who had CHANGED to enter the
bric-a- brac shop. The old adage of "the
needle in the haystack" came to Ber-
nardet's mind and greatly irritated him.
But, after all, there had been others
whom he had looked for, there had been
others whom he had found, and proba-
bly, he might still be able to find an
other trail. He had collaboration who
seldom failed him-chance! 1t was des-
tiny which often aided him.
Bernardet took an omnibus in his
haste to return to his chief. He was
anxious TO show his "find' to M. Le-
richie. When he reached the prefecture,
he was Immediately received. He I'M
wrapped the portrait and showed it t.
NJ. Leriche.
"But that is Dantin |" cried the chief.
as it not?''
Without doubt! Dantin when
younger, but assuredly Dantin! And
where dld you dig this upT'
Bernardet related his conversation
with Nine. Colard and his fruitless visit
to the Rue de la Condamine.
'Oh, never mind" said M. Jericho.
"This discovery is something. The mau
who sold this picture and Dantin are
accomplices. Bravo, Bernardeti We
must let M. Ginory know"
The examining magistrate was, like
the chief and Bernardet, struck with
the resemblance Of the portrait to Dan
tin. His first move would be to ques-
ton the prisoner about the picture. He
would go at once to Mazas. M. Leriche
and Bernardet might accompany him.
The presence of the police spy might be
useful, even necessary.
The magistrate and the chief entered
fiacre, while Bernardet mounted be.
side the driver. Bernardet said moth
ing, although the man tried to obtain
some information from him. After one
or two monosyllabic answers the driver
mockingly asked: