Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-03-06

in a condition bordering on poverty. He at one
time was possessed OF a moderate fortune, but in.
vested it in a silkworm nursery and lost 1t all
Gle had no son, but left two daughters, one Of
whom is a teacher at AK, and the other married
a retail merchant at Orgon. His widow is sup
ported entirely by one OF her relatives, the vito
Of a rich banker in Paris. No person Of the nsms
of Layers lives in the district Of Aries.
"That is ALL" said NJ. verdurct.
"Don't you think it enough"
Really, monsieur, 1 don't know
whether l am awake or dreaming"
"Now I wish to remark one thing.
Some people may assert that the Wild.
ow Layers had a child born after her
husbands death, not acknowledged,
but bearing the fathers name. This
objection is destroyed by the age OF
you friend. Raoul is twenty-four,
and NJ. de Layers has not been dead
twenty years"
But" said Prosper th~oughtfully,
"who is Raoul?"
81 don't know. I confess it is easier
to find out who he is than to know
who he is not. There is one man who
could give us all the information we
seek, but he will take good care to
keep his mouth shut"
an. de Clameranr"
eyes,
81 have always felt the most mex.
plicable aversion toward him. All. if
we could only get his record in addi-
ton TO what you already havew
Il have been furnished with a few
notes concerning the Clamcran family
by your father, who knew them we'll.
They are brief, but I expect more"
What did my father tell you"
"Nothing favorable, you may be
sure. will read you the synopsis Of
his information:
"Louis de Clameran was born at the Chateau 10
Clamersn, near Tsrascon. He had an elder brother
named CASTOR. In 1s42. in consequence OF an at.
fray in which he had the misfortune to kill ono
man and badly wound another, he was compelled
to fly the country. Castor was an honest, nohls
youth. universally beloved. Louis, on the con-
trGry. was a wicked, d~espicable fellow, detested
by all who knew him.
Upon the death OF his father Louis came 70
Paris and In less than two years had squandered
not only his own patrimony, but also the share
Of his exiled brother.
"Ruined, hsrassed by debt. Louis entered the
army, but behaved SO disgracefully that he was
dismissed from the service.
"Aft,r leaving the army we lost sight Of him.
All we know is that he went TO England and
thence to a German gambling resort, where he
was mixed up in a scandalous affair.
"In 1865 We find him again in Paris He was
in great poverty, and his associates were depraved.
"But he suddenly heard OF the return OF his
brother CASTOR to France. CASTOR had made a
fortune in Mexico; but. being still a young man
and accustomed To a very active life, he pur-
chased an iron mill near Oloron, intending to
spend the remainder Of his life in working it
Cfv yr0pfIa arr ta I,aI In tha or1y n lie kv,thar
Louis. His death gave our De Clsrneran an irn-
mcnse fortune and the title OF marquis"
A light began to break in on Pros
per.
Then" he said, 'from all this I
judge that NJ. de Clameran was very
poor when | met him for the first time
at NJ. Fauvels."
'Evidently."
"And about that time Layers arrived
from the country?'
Exactly"
"Aud about a month after his ap-
pearance Madeleine suddenly banished
me-"
"Well." exclaimed NJ. Verduret, II
an glad you are beginning to under
stand the state of affairs"
He was interrupted by the entrance
of Il stranger. The newcomer was Il
spruce looking |coachman, with ele-
t CANT black whiskers, shining boots
r with fancy tops, buff breeches and q
r yellow waistcoat with red and black
= stripes, After cautiously looking around
5 the room he walked straight up to the
= table where NJ. Nerduret sat.
y lNN~.1I ATo+o, A.A-L n,,hAfH gt eo;1
the stout man eagerly.
Don't speak of it," answered the
servant. Things are getting warm"
Prosper concentrated all his attention
upon this superb domestic. He thought
he recognized his face. He had GER
tainly somewhere seen that retreating
forehead and those little restless black
eyes, but where and under what cir
cumstanccs he could not remember.
: Meanwhile Master Joseph had taken a
e seat at Il table adjoining the one occu-
g pied by NJ. Verduret and, having called
5 for some absinth, was preparing it by
holding the water aloft and slowly
dropping it in the glass.
e speak" said NJ. Verduret.
"In the first place, l must say that
the position Of valet and coachman to
k NJ. de Clameran is not a bed of roses"
60 on. You can complain tomor-
$ row.
a Very good. Yesterday my master
walked out at . o'clock. OF course I
followed him. DO you know where he
went? The thing was as good as a
I farce. He went 70 the Archangel ia
Y keep the appointment made by Nina
Gypsy"
g well, make haste. They told him
she was gone. Them"
r Then? All. he was not at all pleas
s. ed, | assure you. He hurried back to
the hotel where the other, M. de La
gors. awaited him. And I have never
heard so much swearing! NJ. Raoul
r asked him what had happened to put
h him in such a bad humor. Nothing,
k replied my master, except that little
y devil has gone of, and no one knows
$, where she is. She has slipped through
our fingers Then they both apNeared
to be vexed and uneasy. Do she
T. know anything about usY asked kaoul
4. Nothing but what told YOU replied
4: Clameran. But this nothing. falling in
u the ear of a man with any suspicious
- -. H., 49, ~ -A1 % l.