Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-26
s M@@@ i@@@s q q - Il q q @@ q {

prosper Bertomy!
Prosper arose and, without knowing
how, found himself in the office Of the
Judge of instruction.
NJ. Patrigent's homely face, with its
irregular outline and short red whis-
kers. lit up by pair Of bright, intelli-
gent eyes and kindly expression, was
calculated to impress one favorably at
first sight.
"Well," he said abruptly, you are
accused Of having robbed NJ. Fauvel
of $4,000 francs. What have you to
answer"
"That am innocent, monsieur; I
swear that am innocent"
81 hope you are" said M. Patrigent,
"and you may count upon me to assist
you to the extent Of my ability in prov
ing your innocence. Have you any
thing to say in your defense"
"Ah, monsieur, what can say when
cannot understand this dreadful busi-
ness myself? l can only refer you to
my past life"
The Judge interrupted him with an
impatient gesture.
"Let us be specific. The robbery
was committed under circumstances
that prevent suspicion from falling
upon any one but M. Fauvel and your
self. Do you suspect any one else"
"No. monsieur"
"You declare yourself to be innocent;
therefore the guilty party must be NJ.
Fauvel."
Prosper did not answer.
"Have you," persisted the Judge.
"any cause for believing that NJ. Fau-
vel robbed himself? If you have, say
so.''
The prisoner preserved a rigid 81.
lence.
81 see, monsieur" said the judge.
"that you need time for reflection.
Listen to the reading Of your examina-
tion, and after signing it you will re-
turn to prison."
The unhappy man was overcome.
The last ray of hope was gone. He
signed the paper without looking at 1t.
He tottered as he left the judges Of
aAce 80 that the keeper was forced to
support him.
If Prosper had remained an hour lon
ger in the gallery, he would have seen
the same bailiff who had called him
come out Of the judges office and cry
out:
Number three"
Witness No. 3, who was awaiting his
turn and answered the call, was NJ.
Fauvel.
Although he had very slightly ex-
amined Prosper, the judge was now
scrupulously attentive and particular
in having every question answered.
Ibid you ever suspect your cashier
Of being dishonest?" he asked.
Certainly not. Yet there were q
thousand reasons which should have
made me distrustful."
"What reasons"
s'M. Bertomy gambled. l have known
Of his spending whole nights at the
gaming table and losing immense sums
of money. He was intimate with q
bad set. Once he was mixed up with
one of my clients, NJ. de Clameran, in
q scandalous gambling affair"
"You must confess. monsieur" inter
rupted the judge. that you were very
imprudent, not to say culpable. to have:
intrusted your safe to such man."
"Ah. monsieur. Prosper was not al
ways thus. Until the past year he was
q model of goodness. He was received
into my house as one Of my family.
He spent all Of his evenings with US
and was the bosom friend of my eldest
son, Lucien. Then suddenly he left
us and never came to the house again.
Yet had every reason to believe him
attached to my niece Madeleine"
"Then you can see no motive for
your cashiers conductP
The banker paused to reflect.
"It is impossible for me to account
for 1t. have. however. always sup
posed that Prosper was led aStray by a
young man whom he met at my house
about this time, NJ. Raoul de Lagors."
"Ah! And who is this young man?'
"a relative Of my wife. charming
fellow, but somewhat wild, though
rich enough to pay his way"
The judge listened attentively to
this, then wrote the name I.agors at
the bottom Of an already long list OF
his memoranda.
"Now," he said. eve are coming tU
the point. You are sure that the rob-
berry was not committed by any in
your house,
"Quite sure, monsieur"
"You always kept your key?"
Usually | carried it about on my
person, and whenever left it at home
| nut it in the secretary drawer in my
bed chamber"
"Whcrc was it the evening of the
robbery?'
"In my secretary"
"But them
"Pardon me for interrnpting you,
said NJ. Fauvcl. "and permit me to tell
YOU that to a safe like mine the Key
is Of no Importance. In the first place
one must know the word upon which
the five movable buttons turn. WIN
the word one can open it without the
key. but without the word'-
"And this word you never told to any
one?"
"To no one in the world. monsieur
and sometimes I would have been puz
zled to know myself with what word
the safe had been shut"
Had you forgotten 1t on the day OF
| IL Ll..