Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-09-28
Jean Teterault's Secret


not only observed q proper economy
he descended to parsinony.
Ono night jean was lying awake
thinking of some way to add to his
holdings. His bed was so placed that
he could look out OF back window to.
| ward hill in the rear of his house.
He was surprised to see light just
beneath the hilltop moving about
among clump Of trees.
That's very strange" remarked
Jean to himself what can any one
be doing thereT
Jean suddenly formed a resolution
to go and find out what 1t meant; 80,
jumping out Of bed, he hastily dOnned
his clothes and, going out Of the back
door, climbed the hill. When he came
near enough he stopped and watched.
But he was too late to discern what
had occurred. A man and a woman
were just leaving the place. The man
held up lantern to remove its lamp
and blow out the light, and as he did
so Jean caught glimpse Of his face
and that Of the woman as well. They
were Mr.. and Mrs. Pierre Brazeau,
whom he knew well by sight and repu-
tation, a wealthy young couple whose
country place was not far distant AS
soon rs the light was extinguished
Jean could hear them moving away
through the bushes toward a road, and
few moments later he heard the
closing Of carriage door and wheels
creaking on the stones.
Jean went home and TO bed. but the
next morning he reascended the hill to
the place where he had seen the cou-
pie, and there. in a secluded spot In the
center Of thick bushes. he came upon a
space four feet long and two feet wide
where the earth had been dug up and
the cavity refiled.
Jeans first impulse was to remove
the earth and see who or what was
buried there. but a neighbOr whose
property adjoined the place came
along and prevented.
"Have you heard of the good fortune
of the great people living below, the
Brazeaus?" asked the man.
''No. What is TT"
"The only child OF Brazeau's elder
brother, who inherited the most OF
their fathers estate. Is dead. and Pi-
ERE Brazcau will now be twice as rich
as formerly"
Jean made no reply to this announce
mcnt, but he did great deal Of think
ing. 1t was plain to him that the little
heir had been put out Of the way by
those next of kin and buried at the
dead of night. when no eye except
Jean Teteraut's was looking. Here
was an opportunity il properly fol-
lowed up for large accession to bis
own fortune.
After much deIIberation he decided
not to run any risk in tampering with
the grave. What he did was TO write
Pierre Brazeau note informing him
that he knew of the secret burial. To
this he received no reply. Then he
wrote another note stating that he con-
ceived 1t to be his duty to inform the
authorities. To this Il reply came offer
ing him large sum of money to keep
his mouth shut. Jean was delighted,
but the sum offered was not large
enough. He replied that his conscience
would not admit Of such thing.
More correspondence followed, and at
last Jean consented to meet Mr.. Bra
zeau at the place of the grave to re-
ceiye q sum far greater than he could |
have hoped as the price of silence.
On the appointed night Jean went up |
the hill with a light heart. He pro-
posed as soon as he had received the
hush money to go to France and live
to the end Of his days in that sunny |
land. On approaching the place he
heard cough, which guided him to
Pierre BraZeau. who was standing be-
side the grave. Jean had no sooner
Joined him than Brazeau gave a whis-
tie, and Immediately several persons
bearing dark lanterns came forward
from opposite directions. Jean was
"Mr. Magistrate" said Brazeau to
one of them, Il have desired your pres
ence here to make confession and show
you the evidence Of crime. But for
his good man 1t might never have been
known"
He motioned to one Of the men who
pore spade and he began to dig.
Presently the spade struck wood, and
IN oblong box was removed. The lid
vas unscrewed, and when 1t was lifted
IF the box there lay the body Of n
doodle with a pink ribbon around its
ieck and the name "Daisy" inscribed
N its collar.
"Mr. Magistrate" said Brazeau, 81
I'M q murderer. My wife's pet dog
howed symptoms Of hydrophobla and
poisoned It. Mrs. Brazeau and l Sc
reilly buried it here on these few
cres which we own. Mrs. Brazeau
hrank from attracting attention by
he honor she wished to do her pet she
o loved. and we buried 1t when we
no one would see us. de-
Ire, Mr.. Magistrate. TO make a clean
'reast OF this matter and give you all
he evidence especially the record OF
his good mans conscientious efforts
n behalf Of Justice"
lie handed the magistrate batch OF
ntters he had received from Teterault
he magistrate glanced them through
y the light Of n lantern. then. bent his
axe on the conscientious man who had
written them and who was now SILVER
ng at tie consequences Of his efforts
n behalf Of justice. But without
peaking to him the magistrate turned
D Brazeau:
IF you do not give me your word Of
onor to appear against this man to.
borrow on charge Of blackmnil I will
IKE you and put you in Jail with him"
Brazcau gave the required promise,
nd Teterault would have served q
nrm in prison had he not given Ills