The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-03-07
CHAPTER II-Continued.


red to him to open his heart to Made
leine, of revealing to her his most Sc
cret thoughts A remembrance of the
past coming up chilled his confidence.
He sadly shook his head and replied:
Thanks, mademoiselle, for this proof
| of interest, the last, doubtless, that l
| shall ever receive from you. But allow
me, by being silent. to spare you dis
tress and myself the modification of
| blushing before you"
Madeleine interrupted him with an
| fmperious gesture:
Il insist upon knowing" she said.
"Alas, mademoiselley' answered
Prosper. "You will only too soon learn
| my misfortune and my disgrace. Then,
yes, then you will applaud yourself for
what you have DONE"
But she became more urgent. In
stead Of commanding she entreated,
| but Prosper was inf1exible.
''Your uncle is in the adjoining room,
mademoiselle, with the commissary of
police and detective. They will soon
| return. 1 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: eff he
believes himself to be alone, his face
will betray him. 1 shall detect a
smile or wink that will mean some
thing"
Leaving NJ. 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. 1t mattered little that
every word of this scene was an enig-
ma. NJ. Fanferlot was skillful enough
| to complete the sentences he did not
| understand. AS yet he only had a
suspicion, but suspicion is 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 l suppose his
love is returned. This love affair vexes
the banker, who, not knowing how to
| get rid of the importunate lover by fair
means, has to resort to foul and plans
this pretended robbery, which is very
Ingenious
Thus to M. Fanferlots mind the
banker had simply robbed himself, and
the innocent cashier was the victim of
an odious machination.
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 a decisive part having come, he
| hesitated.
"You see, gentlemen" he began, "our
search has only confirmed our first
| opinion"
M. 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, M. Fauvel, Prosper and
the commissary rose and surrounded
him.
"Have you discovered any traceY
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, "I have dis
covered nothing of importancev
But we should like to know" said
Prosper.
Il have merely convinced myself
that this safe has been recently opened
or shut, l know not which, with great
violence and haste"
"Why so?" asked the commissary.
| becoming attentive.
do you see this scratch near the
lock 2"
The commissary took a magnifying
glass that the detective had used,
stopped down and carefully examined
the safe. He saw a light scratch on
the outer coat of varnish.
81 see it." said he. "But what does
that proven
"Oh, nothing at ALL" said Fanferlot,
''as l said before"
Fanferlot said this, but he did not
think it This scratch recently made
had for him signification 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 enteroom in order
to rifle his own money safe, had every
reason to tremble. to hurry, to hastily
withdraw the key, which, slipping
along the lock Sorafohad &ho x,orn;eh