Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-01-03

story! And II they did, how could 1t
be connected with the one which we
were trying to decipher? Then, at a
second glance, I saw how in deadly
earnest he was. There could be no
doubling it. He had read into them
some meaning which had failed utter
~ to see.
I sat down in my chair again, my
nerves a-quver: at last we were on
the verge Of success.
"Well, let's hear It." I said.
II intend that you shall-wat till I
get them arranged. I'll build up tina
story as go along, and | want you to
ask any questions or point ont any de-
fects that occur to you. or course il
will be only a study in probabilities,
but between us I think we can get it
pretty straight"
He, got up from the desk with the
clippings in neat little pile and sat
down in the chair facing mine. He
took medtative puff or two before
be began.
We'll have TO start with a few gen
eral observations" he said ut last.
ITS evident that Thompson wouldn't
have carried these clippings around
With him for so long unless they in
some way concerned him. It's evident
that Miss Croydon would never have
dared 10 take them unless she was
pretty certain that they somehow vi
tally concerned her. It's evident that
I'r.A,,
much trouble to look for them unless
he was mighty anxious 10 ind them.
We arrive, then, at our first conclu-
Sion-namely, that these clippings nee
essarlly shed some light upon the trag-
sdy recently enacted In this room and
upon the connection of these people
with each other"
Yes" l agreed: unless oil these
people We're mistaken In their estimate
OF the value of the clippings"
THAT. Of course, is possible, but
don't think It probable. At any rate
let us disregard that suggestion for
the moment and proceed along the 9th
er line. What light is II possible for
these clippings to shed on the murder
of Thompsonf Obviously It must be
only by explaining motives The ma
1ority of them seem to be concerned
with the adventures of FrenChnlan
Who goes under various names, hut
who I am sure, is one and the same
person. He must. then, be either Ire.
maine or Thompson But THOMPSON
was evidently not a Frenchman. and
Tremainc pretty evidently is, though
his contact with the world has served
10 rub away a good many Of the
marks | think were pretty safe.
therefore, in assuming that the
Frenchman Of these clippings Is Ire
maine. As we 20 on I believe We'll
find some internal evidence confirming
This. You agree with me thus farf'
Perfectly" I said, admitting your
drst premise that these clippings are
really concerned with the case"
That, too, l believe, We'll soon be
able to prove by internal evidence. or
course, if they haven't any connection
with it, they'll soon lead us into chaos.
But there's another thing. We mustn't
W
mustn't expect story complete in all
its parts-it's bound to be fragmentary
The wonder is that Thompson succeed
ed in keeping this many links in the
chain Maybe in his more prosperous
days he had mania for clippings. At
best we mustn't be disappointed If
there are long gaps in the story"
Y
dent enough"
Very well. Well begin with the
clippings, then substituting Tremaine's
name for the one used. The first clip
ping Ia merely marriage notice, an
nouncing that on the 23d of August
1893, Tremaine married one Terese
Bertigny at Dieppe. Let me see. IRE
maine was then probably about twenty
years Of age. No doubt he was born
at Dieppe, 20 that the name given here,
Victor Charente, is his real one. You'll
notice that he's retained his first name,
which is bit of corroborative evil
dence."
"Or q mere coincidence" / supple.
mented
"I'll wire our correspondent ut
Dleppe to look up this Charente. Per
haps he can get photograph That
would settle the question"
I nodded. Yes, that would settle it.
for Tremaine at forty was probably not
greatly different from Tremaine at
twenty.
1.-THE second clipping" proceeded
Godfrey, "shows us that our hero soon
wandered from the straight and mar.
row path, and gives us, too, little
light upon his personal history In the
spring following his marriage-Aprll
10, 1884, to be eXact-whlle assistant
manager Of the ship supplies house Of
Briquet Frer0s, he absconds with 10000
francs. He Is believed to have gone to
America, to have been struggled out OF
the harbor by friendly American cap
tain. Surely, 1t is not impossible" he
added, that this friendly American
captain was Thompson"
Every few things nre impossible" !
commented. / began to be impatient
with Godfrey. He was permitting his
prejudice against Tremane to warp
his judgment.
"Well, We'll keep that for n hypothe-
sis, anyhow" And he turned to the
third clipping. This" he continued,
"shows us that he indeed came to
America. 1t Is dated July %, 1885, and