The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-10-18
His FIRST CASE
And LAST.
The Story Of @ Vouna Bar-
rister, Written For
This Paper.
BY SYDNEY GRUNDY.
CHAPTER I.


Victor D'Aubry's only idea was to con-
tinue the dignity of the family. Why
should he think of ever gcttin1
down TO the drudscry of the profrs.
sion? His father, one OF tho most
honored magistrates o. Caen, had lcit
him q large fortune; no was al only
child and upon his marriage with Mar
celline du Chauvannes, OF whom he was
the accepted suitor, moro gold woulc
pour in upon him, for the Count, hc'
father, was one Of the woaithicst land
holders Of Calvados. More from ar
aesthetic standpoint, therefore, thar
from one of utility, Victor had caused
to be fitted up in his mothers home
suite of working apartments-outel
Office, library, and consu!tation-room
The first client 10 be shown into the
Office OF the young lawyer we little
promise of large fec. He was a man
of so, ill-clad and travcl-stained. He
halted at the doorway, took of a tat
tered hat and having mopped the pe:
spiration from his brow, deposited his
stick in the nearest corner. Victor mo-
toned to him to he seated, hut the
mans eye had fallen upon carafe OF
water standing on small table and in
q low voice, almost whisper, he asked
to be permitted to slake his thirst.
The lawyer nodded acquiescenco.
And now, my friend, said Victor,
tell me what brings you here!"
Il come to you, sir, the man began,
"for Justice. I am not peasant about
to ask you to plead against neighbor.
I'm discharged convict. 1 have just
left a prison where have spent nearly
twenty years for crime committed by
another"
The young lawyer gave start. Was
his first case to be one that would at
tack the majesty OF the law, prove it tc
be capable Of committing a crime itself:
Bah! Do not all criminals profess tc
be innocent and accuse the judges who
sentence them?
"The day which I have been waiting
for, for the last twenty years, resumed
the stranger, solemnly, has come at
last I shall be able to prove my limo.
cence if you, sir,, will as ,ist me, but I'm
peaDiless-at lesst for the present In
the end, however, you shall be paid, for.
vixen YOU have established my limo.
cence, the hard-hearted will re!ent
toward me. l shall have friends.
shall have money.
who are your" asked Victor, break
ing in upon the mans appeal.
Il belong to respectable family,
replied the man, my fathers name was
Joseph Gouillard.
Then you are Michel Gouillard, the
murderer OF Nirount de Varville!" ex.
claimed Victor, spring:ng up and MAKING
gesture OF horror.
Yes, Monsieur D'Aubry," answered
Gouillard, so your high courts o. justice
decreed, but they condemned an limo.
oent man. They have robbed me OF
twenty of the best years Of my life.
You were too young to remember the
particulars Of the trial. Shall /"
NO, no" came quickly from the law.
yer's lips. You may spare yourself
the trouble. I've lately gone over all
the evidence. It's celebrated case
that Varville murder case. The body
was found in o ditch close to spot
called the Cats Hole dressed in shirt
and trousers, one foot hare, the shoe on
the other with its laceS united. One OF
the trousers pockets contained small
book bound in blue. The Viscount had
been shot in the forehead, the bullet
belonging to the old-fashioned smooth
bore rife. There could be no question
of suicide, for the young Viscount had
everything to make man satisfied with
life. 1t was evident that he had been
shot at the very moment of his crossing
the ditch-that he was flying for his life.
You were Count de Chauvannes' game
keeper. You had a young and pretty
wife. 1t was shown in the trial that
the Niscount had often made excuses to
visit your house-that you were in
famed with jealousy against him. And
further, that mysterious ailmcnt had
seized your wife, Huguette, the very
day after the murder. Her Symphonic
indicated poisoning, and after her death
the post-mortem confirmed the opinion
of the physicians. Upon searching yow
house short carbine was found Sc
cre:e1 in q cupboard. The bullet fitted
it exactly.
in giving this outline OF the cele-
brated Varville murder case, the young
lawyer had been surprised at his own
vehemence, his excellent emphasis and
intonation He was quite proud of him.
self and waited breathlessly 10 heaI
wnat reply Michel Gouillard would
make to it.
But SIR" began the discharged con.
vict almost in whisper, lin all thie
there is no proof of my guilt. 1t was
preposteIous to charge me with being
susl icious OF HuGuette; she was the
best and most honest of women. As
for the carbine secreted in my house, il
may have heen put there by the arm
that killed the viscount, but where was
the proof that the shot was fired by mei
They tlled the court with the low-!ivcc
villains brought in TO swear my life
away. Before God and man protested
my innocence OF poisoning my beloved
Huguette. helped to nurse her. All
the world knew how loved her. The
wretches, they told everything except
the truth. They rerjured their souls &c
flX the crime on me, although Count de
Chauvannes swOre that l had always
been a steady and honest man.
-Ay, so he did" exclaimed Victor,
-but so terribly overwhelming was the
b. rden Of proof against you that you
were even led TO confess your own
guilt.
You arc right. sir. did confess" re-.
piled Michel TouilIari, lowering his
voice and taking step nearer to the
young lawyer, "but that confession was
wrung from me when l was no longer a
calm and reasoning beng. For s'z
months was plagued and harassed by
a committing magistrate till my brain
reeled. l should nave been rarina
maniac had not got rid OF that per:e-
cutor, that sleuth hound of the law, for
ever at my heels"
All OF s.:ddt n the ex-convict ceas q
sreaking, deai he pallor oversprcad
his countenauce, and then yell o.
hatred burst from his throat as nc