Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-04-18
And he related all that he had dis.

covered, referring to svoluminous
manuscript which he had prepared.
with many notes and authenticated
proofs attached.
II wonder how you discovered all
these infamies." said Prospersswh he
had finished.
The fat man smiled. when under.
take task" he said, * devote my
whole attention to 1t. Now, make a
note Of this: When a man Of ordinary
intelligence concentrates his thoughts
and energies upon the attainment OF
an object, he is certain to attain that
object. Besides that, have nv own
method of working up a case. To be
sure, one needs some light to guide one
in a dark affair uke this, but the Ore
In Clameran's eye when pronounced
the name Of CASTOR ignited my lantern.
From that moment walked straight
to the solution Of the mystery as to a
beacon light"
Prosper's look showed that he would
like to know the secret of his protect
or's penetration and at the same time
be more thoroughly convinced that
what he heard was all true-that his
innocence would be more clearly prov
ed.
"Now, confess" cried NJ. verduret,
"you would give anything in the world
to find out how l arrived at the TRUTH"
II admit it, for it is marvellous"
NJ. Verduret enjoyed Prosper's bewil-
derment. To be sure, he was neither
good judge nor a distinguished anna
teur; but admiration is always fatter-
ing, no matter whence it comes.
"Well," he replied, Il will explain my
system. There is nothing marvellous
about it. We worked together to find
the solution of the problem. You know
my reasons for suspecting Clameran
had hand in the robbery. AS soon as
had acquired this certainty my task
was easy. What did l do? placed
trustworthy people to watch the par
ties in whom was most interested.
Fanferlot as Joseph Dubois took
charge of Clameran, and Nina Gypsy
never lost sight of Nine. Fauvel and
her niece.
Il understand it all now," said Pros
per.
"And what have you been doing dur
ing my absence. my young friend?"
asked NJ. Verduret after pause.
At this question Prosper blushed.
"Alas." he stammered, II read in a
newspaper that Clameran was about to
marry Madeleine. and l acted like a
fool!''
"What did you doy' inquired verdu.
ret uneasily.
II wrote an anonymous letter to M.
Fauvel informing him that his wife
was in love with Raoul'-
M. Verduret brought his clinched fist
down upon the table.
'Stupid!' be exclaimed. "You have
ruined evcrything!'
He arose from his seat and strobe up
and down the room. oblivious of the
dodgers below, whose windows shook
with every angry stamp Of his foot.
Prosper remained silent as long as
he could and then uneasily said:
81 am afraid l have embarrassed
you very much. monsieur"
eyes, you have dreadfully embar-
raised me- What am to do? Shall
hasten matters or wait? And l am
bound by a sacred promise. We had
better go and advise with the judge of
instruction. He can assist me. Come
with me-"
AS NJ. Verduret had anticipated, Pros
per's letter had terrible effect. When
M. Fauvel opened his mail the morning
after it was posted, the fatal missive
fell into his hands.
Something about the writing struck
him as peculiar. It was evidently a
disguised hand, and, although, owing
to the fact Of his being a millionaire,
he was in the habit Of }receiving anony-
nous communications this particular
letter filled him with an indefinite pre-
sentiment of evil.
With trembling han and absolute
certainty that he was about to learn
some new calamity, BIZ broke the seal
and, opening the coarse cafe paper, was
shocked by the following words:
Dear sir-You consigned your cashier to prison.
You did WE'LL since you were convinced Of his
dishonesty and faithlessness But even if he stole
$50 900 francs from your safe does it follow that
be also stole Nine. Fauvels {iamonds2
This was stroke o. lightning to
man whose life hitherto had been an
unbroken chain of prosperity, who
could recall the past wi thout one bitter
regret, without remembering any sor-
row deep enough to bring forth a tear.
What! His wife deceive him! And,
among all men, to choose one vile
enough to rob her Of her jewels and
force her to be bis adcomplice in the
ruin of an innocent I'd Jung man! For
did not the anonymous letter assert
this to be the fact and tell him how to
convince himself of itsEtruth?
M. Fauvel determined to show the
letter to his wife. -,
"But suppose 1t be tluel' he mutter-
ed to himself. "Suppce I have been
miserably duped! By eonfiding in my
wife shall put her on her guard and