The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-06-19

OuL IIOSper was lQueXlDle. AZ [saaEs
"Your uncle is in the adjoining room,
mademoiselle, with the commissary of
police and a detective. They will soon
return. I entreat you to retire that
they may not find you here.'
AS he spoke he gently pushed her
through. the door, she resisting, and
closed it upon her. 1t was time, for
the next moment the commissary and
NJ. Fauvel entered. They had visited
the main entrance and waiting room
and had heard nothing of what had
passed in the study. But Fanferlot
had heard for them. This excellent
bloodhound had not lost sight of the
cashier. He said to himself: IF he
believes himself to be alone, his face
will betray him. 1 shall detect a
smile or a wink that will mean some
thing"
Leaving M. Fauvel and the commits
sary to pursue their investigations, he
posted himself to watch. He saw the
door open and Madeleine appear upon
the threshold. He lost not a single
word or gesture of the rapid scene
which had passed between Prosper and
the young girl. It mattered little that
every word of this scene was an eng
ma. M. Fanferlot was skillful enough
to complete the sentences he did not
understand. AS yet he only had a
suspicion, but suspicion is a point to
start from. He was prompt in build
ing plan upon the slightest incident,
thinking he saw in the past of these
people whom he did not know glimpses
of domestic drama. If the commits
sary~ of police is a skeptic, the detec-
tive has faith. He believes in evil.
"This is the situation said he to
himself. "This man loves the Young
lady, who is really very pretty, and as
he is quite handsome 1 suppose his
love is returned. This love affair vexes
the banker, who, not knowing how to
get rid of the tmportunate lover by fair
means, has to resort to foul and plans
this pretended robbery, which is very
ingenious"
Thus to NJ. Fanferlot's mind the
banker had simply robbed himself, and
the innocent cashier was the victim of
an odious Vaccination.
Meanwhile, the search up stairs COM
pleted, the searchers returned to Pros
per's office. The commissary, who had
seemed so calm when he first came.
now looked serious. The moment for
taking decisive part having come, he
hesitated.
"You see, gentlemen" he began, "our
search has only confirmed our first
opinion
NJ. Fauvel and Prosper assented.
"And what do you think, NJ. Fanfer-
lot?" continued the commissary.
The detective did not answer. Occu-
pied in studying the safe lock, he man
ifested signs of SURPRISE Evidently he
had just made an important discovery.
Noticing this, NJ. Fauvel,' Prosper and
the commissary rose and surrounded
him.
"Have you discovered any trace?'
asked the banker eagerly.
Fanferlot turned around with a dis
satisfied air. He reproached himself
for not having concealed his impress
sions.
'Oh,' said he carelessly, II have dis
covered nothing of importancer'
"But we should like to know" said
Prosper
II have merely convinced myself
that this safe has been recently opened
or shut, I know not which, with great
violence and haste''
"Why SOP asked the commissary,
becoming attentive.
"Do you see this scratch near the
lock?"
The commissary took a magnifying
glass that the detective had used,
stopped down and carefully examined
the safe. He saw light scratch on
the outer coat of varnish.
Il see it, said he. "But what does
that proven
"Oh, nothing at ALL" said Fanferlot,
"as said before"
Fanferlot said this, but he did not
think it. This scratch recently made
had for him Specification that escap-.
ed the others. He had discovered a
confirmation of his suspicious. If the
cashier had stolen millions, there was
no occasion for his being in a hurry
The banker, creeping down in the dead
Of the night softly for fear of awaken
ing the boy in the anteroom in order
to rife his own money safe, had every
reason to tremble, to hurry, to hastily
withdraw the key, which, slipping
along the lock, scratched the varnish.
Resolved to unravel by himself the
tangled thread of this affair, the de-
tective determined to keep his con-
lectures to himself. For the same rea-
son he was silent as to the interview
which he had overheard between
Madeleine and Prosper. He fastened
to withdraw attention from the
scratch.
ITO conclude" he said, addressing
the commissary, II am convinced that
no one outside Of the bank could have
obtained access here. The safe is in
tact. No suspicious pressure has been
used on the movable buttons. I can
affirm that the lock has not been tam
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