The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-11-21
Mystery of Mont Gents.


suggested that Jusucan had committed
suicide, or again, that he had aad a
quarrel with some one and had been
flung out Of tho carriage In any case
It seemed terribly certain that his body
would be found near the rails at some
point we had traversed since II o.
clock for If there was one thing OF
watch the officials assured themselves
it was that he was no longer a passen.
ger by that train.
But curiously enough, the search
vas without result. Every inch of the
line was explored, the tunnels were
searched and the embankments care
fully surveyed, but there was no trace
to be found of any accident. No dead
body, no stain Of blood, no shred Of
clothing could be discovered to tell it's
own tale. Edmund Justican, If that
were his name, seemed to have van
ished as completely as If he had been
a denizen Of another world.
For some time / continued to take
an interest in the strange disappear.
ance Of the traveller as did the rest
of the world, for the papers were full
OF the mystery. Other sensations pre-.
sented themselves, however. and the
Justican disappearance was forgotten.
made up my mind at last that
should never know the sequel of the
strangers story and that his disap-
pearance was one of the mysteries Of
life which are never explained.
When l was next in the south of
France, some three years later, l had
almost forgotten the occurrence. and I
was only reminded of it by means of
the evil chance which caused me to
miss train and have to wait for a few
hours at Culoz.
Well as this place is known by
name don't think that it has many
foreign visitors, and, as I had some
hours to wait, strolled through the
village, admiring the quaint green pot
terry which l saw in the little shops,
and wondering whether I had time to
attain the heights on which the great
chateau was built or to explore the re-
cesses of its park.
AS | strOlled past the house and up
one of the green lanes, which were
suggestive of England rather than Of
southern France, l came across a pref
ty little scene of domestic felicity.
There was tiny red house built in
French fashion, with its back to tho
view, surrounded by a garden full of
roses and other sweet smelling flowers,
with a pot of herbs behind and little
enclosure of land, evidently we'll titled.
Everything about the place breathed
of humble prosperity.
There were great beehives in a cor
ner of the garden, and a dovecote on
the side of the wall, and on the porch
sat a pretty, dark-eyed young wo-
man in peasant dress, who was at that
very moment lifting up black eyed
child of about two years old, in its
| queer blue blouse and black cap, to be
kissed by man who wore the sabots
and blue blouse of a French laboreri
but who, as l noted Immediately mad
curiously fair hair and looked very I'm
like the ordinary Frenchman.
There was a still smaller child in 6
wooden cradle at the door, and the
young woman pointed to it reproach
fully, as much as to say that her hus
band had not given sufficient attention
to the little one, whereupon with {
laugh the man stopped over the cradle
and at that moment l caught sight o
his face.
held my breath and stared in blanl
amaze, for the fair haired man in tn
peasant dress was none other than Ed
mund Justican.
stood outside the hedge still star
ing, when the woman at the doc
caught sight of me and said some
thing to her husband. He locke,
around at me and paled suddenly
Then he put his finger to his lips as
to beg me to keep silence, transferre
the child to it's mothers arms, an
walked slowly down the garden pat
to the gate, looking steadily at me a.
the time.
Monsieur wants something's" h
asked in French, or rather in the patoi
OF the district, which is generally diff
cult for an Englishman to acquire.
was too much taken aback to answe
in anything but English.
"Is it you, after all?" l said. Don
you remember ne? vas an old a.
quaintance of yours!"
81 have no acquaintance with MOI
sieur,'" said the man, looking me quit
calmly in the face. But the more l Of
served him the certain l BEGAN
A1.aA !. :. ....- 81. q -.a..a.1.aa 1..aAaA..