The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1905-09-21
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They formed q circle around Judge
Bermutier, who was giving his opinion
of a mysterious affair that had hap
pened at saint-Cloud. For month
this inexpilcable crime had been the
talk OF Paris.
NJ. Bermutier, the dominant figure
of the group. standing with his back
10 the fireplace. talked about 1t, dis
eussed the various opinions, but came
10 no definite conclusions about the
matter.
Many women had risen and come
nearer, remaining standing, with eyes
fixed upon the smooth-shayen face OF
the magistrate. They shivered and
vibrated. through their curious fear,
which tortured them like a hunger.
One of them, paler than the others,
after silence. said:
cit Is frightful. 1t touches the SUI
pernatural. We shall never know any
thing about It,"
The magistrate turned toward her,
saying:
lit is probable, madame, that we
never shall know anything about II ;
but for the word supernatural when
you come to use that, II has no place
here. We are In the presence of a
crime sl;illfully conceived, very skill
fully executed. and so well enveloped
In mystery that we can not separate
the battling circumstances which sur
round it. Still, once in my life, l had
to follow an affair which seemed truly
to be mixed up with something very
unusual. However, it was necessary to
give 1t up, as there was no means OF
explaining It."
Many of the ladies' called out at the
same time, SO quickly that their voices
sounded as one:
"Oh. tell us about it."
NJ. Bermutier smiled gravely, a:
judges should, and replied:
"You must not suppose, for an in
slant, that |, at least, believed there
was anything superhuman in the al
venture. believe only in norma
causes. And, IL In place of using the
word supernatural to express wha
we can not comprehend, we SHOULD
simply use the word 'inexplicable,' l
would be much better. In any case
the surrounding circumstances in tn,
affair l will relate to you have af
fected me much.
The Vendetta.
81 was Judge of Instruction a
little town lying OH TIN
border of beautiful gulf that was sur
rounded ON all sides by high noun
tains."
"Yes," echoed the listeners.
"What l particularly had to lool
after there was the affairs of the ven
delta. Some of them were remark
able; as dramatic as possible, Zero
ciOus and heroic. We found there til,
most wonderful subjects Of vengeance
that one could dream of, hatred ;
century old, appeased for moment
but never extinguished, abominabl
plots, assassinatlons becoming massa
= cres and almost glorious battles. Fo
two years l heard of nothing but tn
price of blood, of the terribly preju
diced COrsican who Is bound to aveng
all injury upon the person Of him VIII
IL the cause of 1t, or upon his neares
descendants. saw old men and in
fants, relatives, with their threats cut
and my head was full of these stories
"One day we learned that an En-
glishman had rented for some years
little villa Mt the end of the Gulf. II
had brought with him a French serN
ant.
"SOon everybody was occupied wit
this singular person, who lived alon
in his house, only going out to hun
and fish. lie spoke to no one, neve
came to the town, and every mOrnin
practiced shooting with pistol and
rifle for an hour or two. He was II
puted dead shot.
"SOme legends about him wer
abroad; that he was high persOnas
fed from his own country for politics
reasons; and that he was eoncealin
himself after having committed
frightful crime. Some particular
horrible details were even recited.
an my capacity of judge, l wishe
to get some information about thi
man. But it was impossible to lear
anything. He called himself Sir job
-Rowell. ----
II contented myself with watchin
him closely; although, in realit.