Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-04-10
CHARTER vi.


DIR. Paul Mason found opportunity to
whisper in Charles Van Lith's ear, as he
was led away:
"Do not despair. l will leave no stone
unturned to establish your innocence"
Then, as he wrung his hand, he added,
"Oh, If you would but speak"
Van Lith said nothing in reply. He
was so overcome with the horror Of his
situation that he could barely stammer
out his thanks for the DOCTORS kindness.
Overwhelmed by the magnitude Of the
misfortune which had overtaken him, he
suffered himself to be conducted unresist-
ingly to that sombre vehicle, in which,
closely barred and huddled together like
sheep, prisoners are carried to the dark
and gloomy cells of La Mazas. Paul Ma
son Immediately took a cab to the Rue de
Reverdy, where he ate, though sparingly,
of the breakfast which his housekeeper,
Louise, had long ago prepared against his
coming.
"Well, Madame Roupell was murdered
this morning at the Chateau Villeneuve,"
he said at last.
The old servant, started violently. She
set down the pot from which she was
about to pour fresh cup of coffee for the
doctor, and trembled from head to foot.
els 1t possibleP" she calculated.
"It Is not only possible, but, alas. it is
fact" repeated the doctor; land as
If that was not trouble enough in one
day, my friend Monsieur Charles Van
Lith has been arrested, charged with the
commission of the crime"
At this additional intelligence the old
woman's eyes nearly started out of her
head.
Monsieur Charles! How can he be
guilty of such thing? He, so gay, so
cheerful. so polite to everybody! l will
never believe it."
"He was in the chateau last night, and
positively refuses to tell even me how he
came to be there. But there is a report
of the whole affair in the morning paper
You can read it for yourself"
The old lady put on her glasses, ant
simply devoured the paper which the doc
tor handed her. Suddenly she exclaim
ed:
Monsieur Van Lith's silence has some
thing to do with one of the young ladies
you may depend upon it."
Louise pointed to certain paragraph
in the report of the tragedy, which ha,
already, in the shape of an extra" fount
its way thus early into print:
ut has transpired that light wa
burning in the chamber of Mile. Harrie
Weldon, niece of the murdered woman
at late hour. 1t would not surprise u
to learn that this young lady ultimate
proved to be the woman in the case"
"You give me credit for too muc
+ sharpness, you see" said Louise. ut
| the idea of the reporter, not mine"
"Ah," replied the doctor, those report
ers are very sharp fellows Some of ther
! are as good as trained detectives"
: '4They are good enough in their way.
a remarked the old houSekeeper, as she b,
\ gan to clear away the breakfast dishe
. but could they begin to compete wit
q such men as Marmaud, Bassaud or Attire
a Cassagne-especially Cassagne? Oh,
Is as sharp as a needle; nothing escapt
! him"
A Tell us something more about this A
A fred Cassagne. Why do you mentiC
+ him, particularly
First, because he has a good reput
!. ton, and secondly, because l happen
know something about him, monsieur" I
.. piled the housekeeper, highly gratiied
being thus Intercepted. He is one
/" the most famous detectives in Paris, a.
70 he has no need to be detective at q
- or anything else, for that matter, as
~ has plenty of money to live upon All.
is grand. 1t is passion with him. VIII
y anyone else fails to get to the bottom
N a mystery, they call in Monsieur Ct
"a sagne. and he always succeeds"
'AlwaysT
IA IF he does not it is because the &c