The Iola register., 1902-05-16
Chas Ii. Spencer g %.

ed the Orleans railway station, he
went into a cafe near by and called
for a glass of beer.
He picked up a daily paper, The
Sun, and under the head of Fashion
able Gossip" signed jacques Durand.
read the following:
1T is announced that the niece of
one of our most prominent bankers, NJ
Andre Fauvel, will be shortly mar
ried to NJ. lie Marquis Louis de Clame-
ram"
This news, coming upon him so I'M
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 1t 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. Nerduret 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
NJ. Fauvel:
Dear Sir-You consigned your cashier to prison.
| You did well, since you were convinced Of his
| dishonesty and fathlessness. But even II he stole
$4,000 francs from your safe, does 1t follow that
he also stole Mime. Fauves diamonds and pawned
them at the Mont.de Piete, where they now are ?
Warned as you are, in your place, | would not
| he the eubipCt Of uuhlip epandal I would uatp oh
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 me some information
concerning the noble Marquis de Cllmeran.
| A FRIEND.
Prosper hastened 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 it
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 ii not wrong to act
thus hurriedly? Would not this letter
interfere with NJ. Verdurets plans
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
tron saying that his business was fin
ished and that he would return the next
evening at o 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 at Tarascon, meditat
ing upon the most advantageous plan
to be adopted in pursuance of his dis
coyerics. for he had discovered every
thing Adding to what he already knew
the story OF an old nurse OF Mile de Ia
/ Ncrborio, the affidavit of an old servant
who had always lived in the Clamcrai
family ana the depositions Of the Nosi
net husband and wife, who attended NJ
Lagors at his country housc-deposi
tions sent him by Dubois OFanferlot-
with good deal OF information oh
tained from the prefecture Of police
he had worked up a complete case
AS he had predicted. he had been com
PEELED to search into the distant pas
for the causes of the crime of which
Prosper had been the victim.