The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-07-31


THI.JRsD Az y UL 81 i
/ 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
4 ed. .@
Nov, confess cried NJ, verduret.
you would give anything in the world
to find out how arrived at the trruthv'
i admit it, for it is marvellous"
u. 'rduret enjoyed Prosper's bewil-
lerment. To be sure. he was neither a
good judge nor distinguished anna
teur; but admiration is always fatter-
ing, no matter whence it comes
! WELL" he replied. II 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
I had acquired this certainty my task
was easy. What did I do? placed
trustworthy people to watch the par
ties in whom l was most interested.
Fanferlot as Joseph Dubois took
charge of Clameran, and Nina Gypsy
never lost sight Of Nine. Fauvel and
her niece
II understand it all now," said Pros.
per.
"And what have you been doing dur
ing my absence, my young friend?'
asked M. 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
foolv'
what did you do?' inquired verdu-
ret uneasily.
II wrote an anonymous letter to M.
Fauvel informing him that his wife
was in love with Raoul'-
NJ. Verduret brought his clinched fist
down upon the table.
"Stupid!' he exclaimed. "You have
ruined everythingv
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 I am
bound by 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. 1t was evidently a
disguised hand, and, although, owing
to the fact Of his being millionaire,
he was in the habit of receiving anony-
nous communications. tits particular
letter filled him with an indefinite pre-
sentiment of evil.
With trembling hand and absolute
certainty that he was about to learn
some new calamity, he 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
100000 francs from your safe, does it follow that
| he 1co 10 g rIc2
This was a stroke of lightning to
man whose life hitherto had been an
unbroken chain of prosperity, who
could recall the past without one bitter
regret, without remembering any sor-
row deep enough to bring forth 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 his accomplice in the
ruin Of all innocent young man! For
did not the anonymous letter assert
this to be the fact and tell him how to
convince himself of it's truth?
NJ. Fauvel determined to show the
letter to his wife.
"But suppose it be truev' he mutter-
| Gu " AA"SCAA. ouppOSO lave OCCA
miserably duped! By coniding in my
wife I shall put her on her guard and
lose all chance Of discovering the
TRUTH" I
There was one simple means Of veri-
fication. The letter said the diamonds
had been pawned.
If it lied in this instance, he would
treat it with the scorn it deserved. If,
on the other hand. it should prove to
be true
Breakfast was announced. At table
M. Fauvel talked necessarily, so as to
escape any questions from his wife,
who. he saw, was uneasy at the sight
Of his pale face. But all the time he
was talking he was casting over in his
mind expedients for getting his wife
out of the house long enough for him
to search her bureau without her per-
ceiving him. At last he asked Nine.
Fauvel If she were going out before