The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-03-04

showed that he would like 4,
Snow the secret of his protectori
wonderful penetration, and at thi
same time be more thoroughly con
viuced ;hat what lie had heard wa
all true that his innocence would b,
more clearly proved.
Now, confess cried NJ. Verduret
"you would give anything in the
world to find out how | discovered
the truth?"
81 certainly would, foi 1t is th,
darkest OF mysteries marvelousi"
NJ. Verduret enjoyed Prosper's be
wilderment. To bc sure he was nei,
ther "A good judge nor a distinguished
admirer, and sincere admiration il
always fiattering, no matter whence
il comes.
Well" he replied 81 will explair
my system. There is nothing marvel
Gus about IL, as YOU will soon see
We worked together to find the SO
luton of the problem, SO you know
my reasons for suspeeting Clamerai
as the prime mover ia the robbery
As soon as / had acquired this Ger
tainty, my task vas easy. You want
TO know what l did? | placed trust
worthy people 20 watch the parties in
whom l was most interested. Joseph
Dubois took charge OF Clamera,l and
Nina Gypsy never lost sight Of Mime
Fauvel and her niece"
81 can not comprehend how Nina
cd -. l. -
"That is my secret replied Verdi
ret Having the assistance of good
eyes and quick ears on the spot,
went TO Beaucaire to inquire into the
past. so as to link IL with what !
knew of the present. The next day
was at Clameran; and the first steI
] took was to find the son of st. Jean.
the old valet. An honest man he was
too; open and simple as nature her
self; and he made a good bargain in
selling me his nndder."
"Madder?7 said Prosper, with puz
zled look; what did you want"
"Of course wanted to buy his
madder. OF course did not appear
TO him as J do to YOU now. ! was
countryman wanting 60 buy madder;
he had maddcr for sale; SO we began
to bargain about the price. The de
bate lasted almost all day, durine
which time we drank dozen bottles
Of wine. About supper time, st. Jean
was drunk as a buug-hole, and hac
purchased nine hundred francs worth
OF madder which your father viii
sci, tomorrow"
Irosper's nstonished countenancs
made NJ. Verduret laugh heartily.
Il riskcd nine hundred francs" be
continued, "but thread by thread
gathered the whole history of the
Clamerans, Gaston's love affair, his
fight, and the stumbling of the horse
ridden by Louis. / found also that
about year ago Louis returned
sold the chateau to a man named
Fougeroux, whose wife, Mihonne, had
secret interview with Louis the day
Of the purchase ] went 20 sec Mi
homie. Poor womanl her rascally
husband has pounded all the sense
out of her, she is almost idiotic.
told her / came from the Clameran
family, and she at once related to
me everything she knew"
The apparent simplicity of this
mode Of Investigation COMPOUNDED
Prosper. lie wondered IL bad not
occurred 10 him before
From that time" continued NJ
Nesduret, "the slSein began to Olsen.
tangle; | held the principle thread.
J now set about finding out what had
become of CASTOR. Iafourcade, who
is friend of your father, informed
me that he had bought foundry and
settled at Oloron. where he soon after
sAddenly died. Thirty-six hours later
was at Oloron."
You are certainly indcfatigable!"
said Prosper.
"No, burt | always strike while the
iron is hot At Oloron / met Manuel
who hau gone there to make little
visit before returning to Spain, From
him Z obtained complete history of
Gaston's life. AID all the particulars
Of his death. Manuel also tcld me OF
Louis visit; and the inn-keeper de-
scribed q young workman who was
there at the samc time, whom / at
once recognized as Haoul!"
''Iiut how did you know of all the
conversations between the viliiains2"
said Prosper. You seem to be
aware OF their secret thoughts"
"You evidently think ! have been
drawing upon my imagination You
will soon see 90 the contrary" said
Verduret, good-humoredly while
was an work there. my aids did not
sit with their hands tied together
Mutually distrustful, Clameran and
Raoul preserved all the letters re-
seiyed from each other. Joseph Du-
bois copied them. or the important
portions Of them. and forwarded them
TO me Nina spent her time listening
At all the doors under her sepcrvi
sion, and sent me a faithful report
Finally, l have at the Fauvels' anoth-
en- means OF investigation, which 1