Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-20

hrSt Slgnt.
"WeL," he said abruptly, "you are
accused OF having robbed NJ. Fauvel
of $50, 900 francs. What have you to
answerW
"That I am innocent. monsieur;
swear that am innocent"
81 hope you are" said NJ. Patrigont.
"and you may count upon me to assist
you to the extent Of my ability in prov
ing your innocence. Have you any
thing to say in your defense"
"Ah monsieur, what can / say when
I cannot understand this dreadful bust
ness myself? l can only refer you to
my past life"
The judge interrupted him with an
impatient gesture.
"Let us be specific. The robbery
was committed under circumstanccs
that prevent suspicion from falling
upon any one but NJ. Fauvel and your.
self DO you suspect any one else"
| mo, monsieur"
"You declare yourself to be innocent;
therefore the guilty party must be NJ.
Fauvcl."
Prosper did not answer.
"Have YOU" persisted the judge,
"any cause for believing that NJ. Eau
vel robbed himself? If you have, say
90
The prisoner preserved a rigid 81
lence.
Il SEQ. monsieur" said the judge,
chat you need time for reflection
Listen to the reading Of your eXamina-
ton, and after signing it you will re
turn 10 prison"
Tho unhappy man was overcome.
The last ray Of hope was gone. He
signed the paper without looking At it.
He tottered as he left the judges Of
fee so that the keeper was forced TO
support him.
If Prosper had remained an hour lon
ger in the gallery, he would have seen
the same bailiff who had called him
come out OF the judges office and cry
out:
"Number three
Witness No. ,, who was awaiting his
! turn and answered the call, was VI.
Fauvel.
Although ha had very slightly ev-
amined Prosper. the judge was now
sclupulously attentive and particular
in having every question answered.
Did you ever suspect your cashier
) of being dishonesty he asked
) certainly not Yet there were a
= thousand reasons which should have
made me diStrOstful.'
"Nhat reasons?'
e an. Bertomy gambled. ! have known
Of his spending whole nights at the
gaming table and losing immense sums
= Of money. He was Intimate with a
= bad set Once he was mixed up with
- one of my clients, NJ. de Clamcran, in
e a scandalous gambling affair"
:; 'You must confess. monsieur inter
= ruptcd the Judge, that you were very
j imprudout, not to say culpable, to have
i intrusted your safe to such man"
, "Ah. monsieur. Prosper was not al
/ ways thus. Until the past year he was
Il q model of goodness. He was received
p into my house as one of my family
= He spent all of his evenings with u
? and was the bosom friend of my eldes
g son. Lucieu. Then suddenly he lief
d us and never came to the house again
f, Yet had every reason to believe hin
: attached to my niece Madeleine"
:, Then You can see no motive 70
e your cashiers conductY'
. The banker paused to reflect.
It at is impossible for me to accoun
d for il. I have, however, always sup
l. uosed that Prosper was led aStray by ;
Young man whom he met lat my hous
IS about this time. NJ. Raoul de Layers"
II "Ah! And who is this young man"
= "a relative of my wife. a charming
\ fellow, but somewhat wild, thoug'
It rich enough 20 pay his way"
d The Judge listened attentively I
1T this. then wrote the name Layers a
lie the bottom Of an already long list o
l. his memoranda.
t. "Now," he said, eve are coming {
-e the point. You are sure that the rol
H. berry was not committed by any /
lie your house,"
p quite sure, monsieur
* "Nou always kept your kcy?'
IF Usually | carried it about on III
w person. and whenever | left it at HON
a put it in the secretary drawer In II
n bed chamber
IL "Whorc was it the evening Of til
Id robbery"
I'm my secretary"
or "Rut then
IN pardon me for interrupting you
I'd said NJ. Fauyel land permit me TO to
- you that to a safe like mine the kC
ms is of no importance. In the first plac
or one must know the word upon Whic
Of the five movable buttons turn. Wit
IL. the word one can open Il without Il
nd key. but without the word
to And this word you never told to al
ly onc?"
of "To no one in the world. nonsieu
lie and sometimes I would have been pu
he 2led to know myself with what VOL
IN the safe had been shut"
gu Had you forgotten it on the day
the theft"
he mo; the word had been changed II
day before and its popularity stru'
mt me-"
ct what was it?'
id. "Gipsy--G-i-p-s-y." said the bankt
ng spelling the name.
est NJ. Patrigent wrote down the name.
"One more question, monsieur. We
ith you at LONE the evening before T.
p0 robbprv2'