Crittenden press., 1902-04-17
THE CURES
DISAPPEARANCE.
~ JOHN II. RAFTERH.

NJ Goelet, the jailer at Blossin, was
very proud of his prisoner. Bernard,
of the Paris bureau. the famous de-
tective, had captured him right there
in the chief inn Of the village, where
he had been living for two days with
very fair Parisienne whom he called
wife.
"Not his wife al all, )" explained Ber-
nsrd after the criminal had been
locked up, "and you must not permit
her to visit him. Mind that Msieu,
no visitors"
Not even the cure?" whispered the
jailer, who was a good Catholic and
who fancied that the mysterious pris-
oner must be at least murderer.
''Is he a sober, discreet fellow, this
cure?" demanded the pompous Ber-
nard, twirling his mustache grandly
and glad to see the impression he was
making on the simple jailer.
"Ah, he is discretion itself" said
Goelet, ''besides, he could have no
business with the prisoner except for
confession, and that, you know is Sc
crecy itself.
"Well, then, you may admit the
cure, but none other on your peril"
The detective was impressive, and NJ.
Goelet began to suspect that perhaps
the prisoner was an arch anarchist.
"And mind you, good landlord, not
word to anyone about the prisoner. l
will take him to Paris with me on the
first train in the morning. | might
catch the express at Eteinne tonight
by driving a few leagues, but | am
afraid, er-that is, it would be incau-
tious. Soyou see?@
Indeed l see that you have a most
important prisoner" said Goelet, his
big blue eyes watering with admira-
tion of the famous sleuth, "and i shall
guard him as the apple of my eye. I
should not have mentioned Father
Polycarp, our good cure, but heis very
jealous for my prisoners, and always
comes with consolation for them.
And then, my dear Bernard, it is a
matter Of conscience with me, too,
that guests of my poor house have at
least the comfort of repentance"
There was much gossip at theinn be-
tween Fifne, the maid Of all work, and
CASTOR, who combined the offices Of
horse-boy, porter and waiter, about
the arrest Of NJ. Therriot, the hand
some stranger, who, during his brief
stay, had been astonishingly liberal
with tips. Fifne had seen him and
the mysterious Bernard meet in the
little hallway that day, heard them ac-
cost each other first as strangers, then
excitedly, and finally watched them
march off to the town jail after brief
conference with Nine. Theriot. Gas
ton, quickly apprised of the strange
event, had spent hours watching the
one door to NJ. Goelet's dreaded bas-
tile, and when Bernard came out
alone, rubbing his hands with salts
faction, he had carried the news TO
Fifne, who, as bound by custom and
instinct, retailed the mysterious story
to the butcher, the baker and the can
llestick maker, so that by nightfall
the whole village knew of the arrest of
NJ. Theriot and that he had left be-
hind him in the inn beautiful wife |
loaded with diamonds.
Good Father Polycarp had the news
rom his gardeneIwho said that "Ihe-
lot famous murderer, had been
,aueht by the Paris police" and was at
hat moment bound and shackled in
Jailer Goelet's darkest dungeon.
such an opportunity seldom came to
he Jealous cure, and he was plainly
xcited. At IL o'clock the gardener
aw him 90 out through the private
'oor at the south Of the garden, and
new whittier he was bent. Goelel'
ull of his sudden importance, had dis-