Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-02-21

81
Kfrss5s+scrTf7g per was =, prison in o secret
eess.ss4sssssssj cell. The frst two days had
not appeared very long. lie had re-
Qucstel and been granted some sheets
Of paper, numbered, which he was
obliged to account for, and he wrote
with a sort OF I;,.2 plans of defense
and memoranIa q, justification. The
third day he bT::,!,i to be uneasy at
not seeing any u3.l except the con-
demncd prisoners Who were employed
to serve those c>,:.iiNed in secret cells
and the jailer Wllo brought him his
food.
cam not to be examined again?"
he would ask.
Your turn is coming" the jailer in
vsriablv answered.
Time passed, and the Wretched man,
tortured by the suferings of solitary
confinement, which quickly break the
spirit, sank into despair.
Am to stay here foreyer?' he
moaned
The cell door opened, and the jailer's
gruff voice called out, "Come to the
court OF lnStIuCtlOn!'
He instantly obeyed the order. But
his step was no longer unsteady, as a
few days previous a complete change
had taken place within him. He walk
ed with head erect, firm step and the
fire Of resolution shining in his eye.
He knew the way now, and he walked
a little ahead of the guard who escort
ed him. AS he was passing through
the room full of officers he met the
man With the gold spectacles who had
watched him so intently the day he
was searched.
courage, NJ. Prosper Bertomy," l."
said. eff you are innocent, there are
those who will help YOU
Prosper started with surprise and
was about to reply when the man dis
appeared.
"Wbo is that gentleman?" he asked
of the guard.
Don't you know him?' replied the
policeman, with surprise. "Why, it is
NJ. Lecoq of the secret SERVICE
"You say his name is Lecoq?''
"You might as we'll say monsieur
said the offended policeman. 1T would
not burn your mouth. NJ. Lecoq is a.
man who knows everything he wants
to know without it's ever being told to
him. If you had had him instead Of
that imbecile Fanferlot, your case
| would have been settled long ;lSo. No.
| body is allowed to waste time when
| be- has cyn, :land. But he seems to be
friend Ct yours
~ never saw him until the first day
| I came here''
"You can't swear to that, because no
| one is sure Of the real face of NJ. Le-
cog. It is one thing today and anoth-
| err tomorrow. Sometimes he is dark
man, sometimes a fair one, sometimes
quite young and then a centenarian.
| Why, often he deceives even me. be-
gin to talk to stranger-presto! It is
| NJ. Lecoq! Anybody on the face Of
the earth might be he. If l were told
that you were he, l should say, 1T is
possible He can convert himself into
any shape and form he chooses
The guard would have continued for
ever his praises of NJ. Lecoq had not
| the sight Of the judges door put an
end to them. This time Prosper was
| not kept waiting on the wooden bench.
The judge, on the contrary, was wait
| ing for him. His surprise was great
to see the cashiers bearing-resolute
| without obstinacy, firm and assured
| without defiance.
"Well," he said, shave you reflect
ed?'
''Not being guilty, monsieur, I had
nothing to reflect upon.''
"Ah, the prison has not been a good
counselor. You forget that sincerity
and repentance are the first things nec-
essary to obtain the indulgence of a
Judge. Will you be good enough to
tell me-" he added, chow much you
nave spent during the last year?'
| Prosper did not find it necessary to
stop to reflect and calculate.
Eyes, monsieur" he answered unhes-
itatingly. circumstances made it
necessary for me to preserve the great
est order in my extravaganza. spent
about $4,000 francs"
"Where did you get itY'
I'm the first place, 1900 francs was
left to me by my mother. I received
from NJ. Fauvel $4,000 francs as my
salary and share Of the profits. At the
Stock Exchange gained 5000 francs.
The rest borrowed and intend repay
ing out Of the $1,000 francs which !
have with M. Fauvel."
"Who lent you the moneyT'
IN. Raoul de Layers"
This witness had left Paris the day
Of the robbery and could not be found.
For the time being NJ. Patrigent was
compelled to rely upon Prosper's word
"Well," he said, II will not press this
point But tell me why, in spite Of the
formal order of NJ. Fauvel, you drew
the money from the Bank of France
the night before instead of waiting till
the morning Of the payment
because M. de Clameran had told
me that it. would be agreeable, even
necessary, for him to have his money