Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-10-28
Secret Of tbe PIuDdered Safe
CHAPTER VI.
BY EMILE GABORIAU

over this victory. Ihe cell door opened
and the jailer's gruff voice called out:
at is time for you to appear before
the court"
He instantly obeyed the order. AS
he was passing through the room full
Of policemen he again met the man with
the gold spectacles who had watched
him so intently the day he was searched.
Courage, NJ. Bertomy," he said; ''if
you are innocent there are those who will
help you"
"Who is that gentleman?" he asked of
the policeman.
SIS it possible that you don't know
him? 2" replied the policeman with sur
prise. "Why, it is NJ. Lecoq, Of the de
tective SERVICE" and the constable would
have gone into a long disquisition on NJ.
Lecoq's detective abilities had they not
arrived at the door of the judges room,
which they entered.
The judge, M. Patrigent, was waiting
to receive them, and at once began Pros
per's preliminary examination. We need
not give it here In detail When 1t came
to Madame Gypsy, the judge said:
"Who is this woman?"
Madame Gypsy was a governess and
is my cousin" replied Prosper. "She was
born at Oporto, and came to France with
Portuguese family"
Have you ever heard of this Caldas?"
Never, monsieur"
"The unfortunate man loved Gypsy.
There is reason to believe that he has
since committed suicide" The judge
paused for minute, as IL to give Pros
per time for reflection, and then added,
impressively, "Such Is the woman for
whose sake you have committed a rob-
berry"
NJ. Patrigent had hoped to extort cry
of suffering from Prosper, wounded to
the quick. But Prosper remained i'm
passive. or all that the judge had said
he only remembered the name Of Caldas
"Why did you no longer visit house
where you had apparently been paying
your addresses to young lady whose
hand would not have been refused to you,
so am informed by NJ. Fauvel, and you
were aware Of the fact as is shown by
your own letter to your father"
81 had reasons for my conduct which
I cannot explain"
"Did Mademoiselle send you away 2
Speak! | am bound to tell you that this
Is point of great Importance to the
prosecution"
M. Patrigent waited In vain for an
answer. Prosper seemed to reflect deep
ly.
Monsieur" said he, there Is one cir
cumstance which, in my trouble, | had
forgotten, and which may help me to
prove my innocence. When the messen-
ger went to fetch the money from the
Bank of France only waited for his re-
turn to leave the office. l am sure I
locked up the bank notes in his pres
ence. Oh! if he should have happened
to have noticed the fact! At all events,
left the office before he did"
VERY WE'LL" said M. Patrigent; 1--WE
will take that mans evidence. Now you
will be taken back to prison, and would
advise you to reflect seriously over the
line Of defense you are adopting"
M. Patrigent dismissed the accused
rather abruptly, because he felt puzzled
by the new fact just brought to his no
tice, which gave great Importance to the
evidence of the office messenger. Al
soon as Prosper had left he turned t.
the greffier and said:
'Tell me, Sigault, is this messenger
spoken Of by the accused the man ex
cused from giving evidence In conse
Quence Of a medical certifcate?"
"Yes, monsieur" answered Sigault
che sustained so grave an injury by
fall that it has been found necessary t,
convey him to the Dubois hospital"
"Well, | will go there at once to TAX
his deposition. Get ready all that 20,
require, and send for a hack"
1t is long distance from the Palai
de Justice to the Dubois hospital, bu
M. Patrgents coachman, stimulated b.
promise, sent his sorry steeds along a
racing pace. Would Antonin, the mes
senger, be in n condition to give his ev
dence? That was the question. TIL
director of the hospital soon reassure
the judge on this point. The unfortunat
messenger had injured his knee cap. II
suffered great pain. but his intellect wa
perfectly clear On seeing the Judge Ell
ter, accompanied by his clerk with wri
ing materials, Antonin guessed his oil
ject.
"Ahw said he; 81 suppose monsieur
come about NJ. Bertomy's affairs?"
Exactly. Now, my friend, 1t was yo
who went to the Bank of France on IL
9th of February for the sum that W,
stolen? At what hour did you retuI
with the money!
st must have been five o'clock wht
got back"
'Do you remember what M. Berton
did when you handed him the note
Now, do not be in hurry; think befo
you answer"
LET me see; first he counted the note
and made them into four packages; tn,
he put them in the safe; and then
seems to me-and then he locked I
safe; and, yes, / am not mistaken,
went out!''
When they retired M. Patrigent sa
to Sigault:
"This is a very important piece of e.
dence."