The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-04-25

The truth suddenly burst upon Pros
per.
"Yes, oh. yes, remember nowr he
cried
"Then you can easily understand the
rest. One of the scoundrels went to
Nine. Fauvei and compelled her to
give up her husbands key. At VEN
ture he placed the movable buttons on
the name of Gypsy and stole the $780,
600 francs. And Nine Fauvel must
have yielded to the most terrible
threats. The day after the robbery
the poor woman was near dying, and
it was SHE who, at the risk of being
involved, sent you the 10000 francs"
But which was the thief, Raoul or
Clameran? What enables them to
thus tyrannize over Nine. Fauvel?
And how does Madeleine come to be
mixed UP in the AFFAIR.""
"These questions, my dear Prosper,
1 cannot yet answer, therefore 1 am
not yet ready to report on the case. 1
only ask you to wait ten days, and if
l cannot in that time discover the solu-
ton of the mystery / will return and
go with you to tell M. Patrigent all
that we know"
"Are you going away"
Elm an hour 1 shall be on the road to
Beaucaire. 1t was from that neigh
borhood that Clameran came as well
as Nine. Fauvel, who was a Mile. de
la Verberie."
gsVoc. 7 tIn;y. 20
81 must go there to study them. Mel
Their Raoul nor Clameran can escape
police surveillance during my absence.
But you, Prosper, must be prudent.
Promise me to remain a prisoner here
during my trip"
All that NJ. Verduret asked Prosper
willingly promised.
And he had the good sense to follow
the recommendations of his mentor.
During NJ. Verduret's absence he re-
manned shut up in the Archangel, not
even appearing at the windows.
| On the ninth day of his voluntary
seclusion Prosper began to feel rest
to take walk. He had a headache
and thought the air would do him
good
Nine. Alexandra, who seemed to
have some knowledge of NJ. Verduret's
affairs. begged Prosper to remain at
home
what can l risk by taking walk
at this time in quiet part of the
city," he asked. 81 can certainly stroll
as far as the botanical gardens with
out meeting any one"
Unfortunately he did not strictly fol-
low this progra nine, for, having reach.
ed the Orleans railway station, he
went into a cafe near by and called
for glass of beer.
He picked up q daily paper, The
Sun, and under the head of Fashion
able Gossip" signed Jacques Durand,
read the following:
at is announced that the niece of
one of our most prominent bankers, NJ.
Andre Fauvel, will be shortly mar.
ram"
This news, coming upon him so un-
expectedly, proved to Prosper the just.
ness of NJ. Verduret's calculations.
Alas! Why did not this certainty in
spire him with absolute faith? Why
did it not give him courage to wait, to
do nothing? Frenzied by distress of
mind, he already saw Madeleine indis-
solubly united to this villain and,
thinking that NJ. Verduret would per-
haps arrive too late to prevent it, de-
termined at all risks to throw an OBJ
stacle in the way of the marriage. He
called for pen and paper, and, forget
ting that no situation can excuse the
mean cowardice Of an anonymous let
ter, Disgusting his hand, he wrote to
M. Fauvel:
Dear Sir-You consigned your cashier to prison
You did well, since you were convinced of his
dishonesty and fathlessness. But even if he stole
$4,000 francs from your safe, does it follow thai
he also stole Mime. Fauvel's diamonds and pawned
them at the Mont-de-P iete, where they now are
Warned as you are, in your place. | would moi
be the subject of public scandal. / would watcl
my wife and would be dstrustful OF handsome
cousins. Moreover, would before signing the
marriage contract of Mile. Madeleine, request the
prefecture of police to give some information
concerning the noble Marquis de Clameran
Prosper FASTENED off to post his let
ter. Fearing that it would not reach
Nj. Fauvel in time, he walked up to
Cardinal Lemoine street and put II
in the main postoffice, so as to be Ger
tain of its speedy delivery.
Until then he had not doubted the
propriety of his action. But now he
had dropped the letter, when he heard
it fall into the box thousand scruples
came to him. Was it not wrong to act
thus hurriedly? Would not this letter
interfere with Nj. Verduret's plansi
Upon reaching the hotel his doubts
were changed into bitter regrets. Jo-
seph Dubois was waiting for him. He
had received dispatch from his pa
iron saying that his business was fin
ished and that he would return the next
evening at 8 o'clock by the Lyons
route Prosper was in despair. He
would have given the world to recover
the anonymous letter, And he had
cause for regret.
At that very hour NJ. Verduret was
taking the train ut Tarascon. meditat
ing upon the most advantageous plan
to be adopted in pursuance of his dis
coveries. for he had discovered every
thing. Adding to what he already knew
the story of an old nurse of Mile de Ia
Nerberie, the affidavit of an old servant
who had always lived in the Clameran
family and the dispositions of the Vesi.
net husband and wife, who attended NJ