The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-12-10

him better mannersl"
Prosper was surprised at the look Of
merclless rage on his friends face as
he calmly washed and dressed his arm.
Nov, Prosper, we will talk. Our
enemies are warned, and we must
crush them with the rapidity OF light
ming"
M. Yerduret expressed himself In a
quick, imperious tone. which Prosper
did not understand.
II have made a mistake. 1 have been
on the wrong track. 1t Is an accident
liable to happen to any man, no mat
ter how intelligent he may be. 1 have
taken the effect for the cause. The
day 1 was convinced that culpable re-
lations existed between Raoul and
Nine. Fauvel 1 thought I held the end
of the thread that must lead liz TO the
truth. 1 shCuld have been more doubt
full. 1t was too simple, too natural"
"Do you suppose Nine. Fauyel to be
innocentf" Is
Certainly not, but her guilt is not
such as 1 supposed. 1 imagined that,
infatuated with Il seductive adventur-
er, Nine. Fauvel had first bestowed
upon him the name Of one Of her rela.
tives and then introduced him as her
nephew. h was an adroit strata
gem to gain him admission to her hus-
bands house. She began by giving
him all the money she could dispose OF,
later her jewels, which he pawned.
Finally, having nothing more to give,
she allowed him to steal tho money
from her husbands safe. That is
what 1 thought"
And In this way everything was ex-
%plained?"
mo, this did not explain everything,
as 1 well knew at the time. How Is
Clameran's position to be accounted
for under my first theoryf
"Clameran is Layers accomplish"
"Ab, there Is tho mistake! 1 for q
long time believed Layers to be the
principal person when, In fact, he Is
nothing. Yesterday in a dispute be-
tween them the forgemaster said to
his friend, And, above all things, my
friend, I would advise you not to resist
me, for If you do I will crush YOU
That explains all. The elegant La
gors Is not the lover Of Mime. Fauvel,
but the tool of Clameran. Besides, did
our first suggestions account for the
resigned obedience OF Madeleinef 1t
is Clameran, and not Layers, whom
Madeleine obeys."
Prosper began to remonstrate.
NJ. Verduret shrugged his shoulders.
To convince Prosper he had only to
utter one word. He had simply to say
that three hours ago Clameran had an
nounced his coming marriage with
Madeleine. But he did not.
"Clameran," he continued-"Clame-
ran alone has Nine. Fauvel in his pow
er. Now the question Is what terrible
secret is the basis Of his mysterious
power? I have positive proof that
they have not met since their early
youth until fifteen months ago, and
Nine. Fauvels reputation has always
been above the reach OF SANDER.
Therefore we shall not know all till
we know Clameran's past. All, to-
night when i mentioned his brother
Gaston's name he turned as white rs
If he had seen a ghost. And then / re-
membered hat CASTOR died suddenly
while his brother Louis was making
him a visit"
"Do you think he was murderedT"
Il tulllh tIC ulcu WIN tElGu W uSShS-
sinate me would do anything. The
robbery, my friend, has now become a
secondary detail. 1t Is easily explain
ed, and If that were all to be account
ed for I would say to you: My task is
finished. Let us go ask the Judge OF
instruction for q warrant Of arrest"
Prosper started up with swelling
breast and sparkling eyes.
"Oh, you know-is 1t possiblef"
eyes, I know who gave the key, and
1 know who told the secret word"
"The key might have been M. Eau
yel's. But the word"-
"The word you gave. You have for
gotten, 1 suppose. But Gypsy remem-
bered. You know that two days be-
fore the robbery you took Layers and
two other friends to sup with Nine.
Gypsy. Nina was SAD and reproached
you for not being more devoted to
her." ."4 ..@s.. -: 49,
Eyes, I remember that" -G.!'
"But do you remember what you re-
piled to herT ~ ~.
Prosper thought a moment. T|
NO" 49,
"Well, you said to Nina, You are
unjust In reproducing me with not
thinking constantly of you, for at this
very moment your dear name guards
my chiefs safe.'"
The truth suddenly burst upon Pros
per. s."
eyes. oh, yes. I remember nowv' he
cried.
"Then you "a easily understand the
rest. One Of the scoundrels went to
Nine. FauTsl and compelled her to
give UP her husbands key. At n ven
ture he placed the movable buttons on
the name of Gypsy and stole the $780,
600 francs. And Nine. Fauvel must
have yielded to the most terrible
threats. The day after the robbery
the poor woman was near dying, and
1t was she who, at the risk of being
involved, sent you the 10000 francs"
"But which was the thief, Raoul or
Clameran2 What enables them to
thus t%yrannize over Nine. Fauvel2
And how does Madeleine come to be
mixed up I'm the AFFAIR.""
"These questions, my dear Prosper,
| cannot yet answer, therefore I am
not yet ready to report on the case. 1
only ask you to wait ten days, and IL
1 cannOt in that time discover the solu-
ton Of the mystery 1 will return and
go with you to tell M. Patrlgent all