Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-09-02
perpetrated a gross imposture."
CHAPTER ky.

Eerduret was watching him out or the
corner of one eye. and stopped him just
as he was about leaving the room.
Not so fast. my pretty youth. he
said, dragging him into the middle OF
the room; III is not polite to leave US so
Let US finish the story.
Clalneron FASTENED TO London. Tie had
no difficulty in finding the farmers wife
t. whom the old countess had intrusted
Gaston's son. But here an unexpected
disappointment greeted him. He learned
that the child. whose name was regis
tered on the parish books as Raoul Val
entine Wilson, had died Of the Group
when eighteen months old.
Did any one state such fact as
that?" interrupted Raoul; lit is false"
1T was not only stated. but proved,
my pretty youth" replied NJ. EerduIet.
You don't suppose l am a man to trust
to oral testimony. do you:'
He drew from his pocket several Off
ciallY stamped documents. with red seals
attached. and laid them on the table.
These are the declarations OF the
nurse. her husband, and four witnesses.
Here is an extract from the register OF
births; this is a certificate of registry Of
his death; and all these are authenti-
Gated at the French embassy. Now are
you satisfied, young MANI
What next?" inquired NJ. Fauvel.
THE next step was this" replied NJ.
Verduret. "Clameran, finding that the
child was dead, supposed that lie could,
in spite of this disappointment, obtain
money from Nine. Fauvel; he was mis-
fail II a
an inventive turn of mind, he determin-
ed that the child should come to life.
Among his large circle Of rascally &C
quaintances he selected a young fellow
to personate Raoul Valentine Wilson;
and the chosen one stands before you"
Nine Fauvel was in a Ditiable state.
And yet she began TO feel ray of hope;
her acute anxiety had so long tortured
her that the truth was relief; she
would thank heaven if this wicked man
was proved to be no son of hers.
Can this be possible?' she murmured;
Can't be?'
Raoul saw that the game was up.
you are a detective"' he calculated.
The fat man smiled grimly.
"At present" he replied, II am merely
a friend of Prosper Bertomy. 1t depends
entirely upon your behavior which char
acter l appear in while settling up this
little affair"
What do you expect me to do"
Restore the three hundred and fifty
thousand francs which you have stolen"
The money is in this ROOM
Very good. This frankness is cred
liable. and will benefit you. 1 know
that the money is in this room. and also
exactly where it is to be found. Be
kind enough to look behind that cup
board, and you will find the three hun
dred and fifty thousand francs"
Raoul tremblingly went to the cup
board, and pulled out several bundles of
bank notes, and an enormous package of
pavnbrokers' tickets.
Very well done said NJ. Verduret,
as he carefully examined the money and
papers; this is the most sensible step
you ever took
Raoul relied on this moment, when
everybody's attention would be absorbed
by the money, to make his escape. He
slid toward the door, gently opened it,
slipped out. and locked it on the outside;
the key being still in the lock.
HE has escaped cried NJ. Fauvel.
Naturally" replied NJ. yerduret,
without even looking rl; Il thought he
would have sense enough to do that"
But is he to go unpunished:"
MY dear sir, would you have this af
fair become a public scandal? Do you
wish your wife's name to he brought
into a case of this nature before the
police COURT"
oh monsieur
Then the best thing you can do is to
let the rascal go scot free. Here are
receipts for all the articles which he has
selves fortunate He has kept fifty thou
sand francs, but that is all the better
for you This sum will enable him to
leave France, and we shall never see him
again.
So SAYING. the fat man took up his hat
and quietly left the room. and jumping
into his cab, ordered the driver to return
to Paris, and drive to the Hotel du
Louvre as rapidly as possible.
His mind was filed with anxiety
about Clameran. He knew that Raoul
would give him no more trouble; the
young rogue was probably taking his
passage for some foreign land at that
moment. But Clameran should not es-
cape unpublished: and how this punish
ment could be brought about without
compromising Nine. FauveI was a prob
lem to be solved.
After long thought he decided that an
accusation Of poisoning must come from
Olcron. He would go there and work
upon public opinion" so that. to satisfy
the townsDeoDle the authorities yyould
order a post-mortem examination OF Me-
noul. But this mode Of proceeding re-
quired time, and Clameran would GER
tainly escape before another day passed
over his head. He was too experienced
q knave to remain on slippery ground,
now that his eyes were open to the dam
ger which menaced him. 1t was almost
dark when the carriage stopped in front
of the Hotel du Louvre. NJ Eerduret
noticed a crowd of people collected in
groups, eagerly discussing some exciting
event which seemed to have just taken