The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-31
The Crime of s':z; ~: -
a & ! -, the Boulevard
CHAPTER XII.

B~ernardet, without stopping to salute
her. pointed out the portrait and asked
to see II. When he N.eld 1t in his hands,
he found the resemblance still more
startling. 1t was certainly Jacques
Danttn. The painting was signed Up.
shape; h frame was gone; the edge
was marked, scratched, marred. as II
h frame had been roughly torn from
h picture.
"Have you had this portrait a long
tln1e?" he asked Of the shopwoman.
Il put It In the window today for the
first time the huge woman answered.
''Oh, II Is a choice bit! 1t was painted
by a wicked one"
Who brought 1t here"
Some n who wished to sell it-a
passerby. II 1t would interest you to
know his name
Yes. certainly 1t would interest me
to know IT," Bernardet replied.
The shop woman looked at Bernardet
defiantly n asked this question:
DC you know the man whose por-
trait Tat is?"
resembles one OF my relatives. 1t
pleasey me. How much is it2"
"A hundred francs said the big
woma
Bernardet suppressed at the same
time a sudden start and a smile. =
IA hundred francs! Diable! How
fast YOU go! 1t is worth SOUS rather
than francs"
THAT" cried h woman, very in
.digriant. THAT! But look at this ma
terial, this background. 1t Is famous, l
tell you: I took 1t to an expert. At the
public ale 1t might perhaps bring 1000
france. My idea is that 1t is the picture
OF some renowned person, an actor or
y former minister-in fact, some his
toric person.
But one must take ones chance"
Bernardet replied in a jeering tone.
But 100 francs is 100 francs. To
much for me. Who sold you the paint
ing?"
The woman went around behind the
counter INT opened a drawer, from
which h tool n notebook, in which
she kept a daily record of her sales.
She turned e the leaves.
November IL. a small oval painting
bought She readjusted her specta-
cles an IL to better decipher the name.
II did not write the name myself.
The ma wrote. 1t himself," She spelled
out:
"Charles--Chnrles Breton, Rue de la
= COndamtne, 16'- /.
ed. Who lis this Charles Breton? I
would like to know II he painted this
portrait, which seems like a family por-
trait. and a come to sell it,
You know. = Interrupted the wom-
an. that that often happens. 1t is
business. One buys or one sells all in
GOOD time"
And this Breton, how old was he?.
:.Oh, young. About 80 years old.
VsrEy good looking. Dark, with a full
IBID anything about him especially
"Nothing!. the woman shortly re-
n H. &A-.rElAs-. 4f.-a - 49,
questions and looked at the little ma
with a troubled glance.
Bernardet readily understood, and.
assuming a paternai. a beanins air, he
said with his sweet smile:
4 Will not fence any more. ! will
ten YOU the truth. | am a police in
spector. and ! tind that this portrait
strangely resembles a man whom we
have under lock and key. You under
atand that 1t Is very important that 1
should know all that is to be ascertain
cd about this picture"
n,onsleur,.' said the %shopkeerer.
Charles Breton, Rue d la Condamlne
16--that ia the name and address. 1
paid 20 francs for 1T. There is the re-
ceipt. Read 1t. I beg. 1t lis all right.
We keep q good shop. Never have we.
my late husband and !. been mixed
with Saanythtng unlawful. Sometimes the
~ oSAA0N NV aAstAAlNS
q consciences have always been
clean. Ask n one along the street
about the Widow Colard. I owe no one,
n every ONE esteems me-
The Widow Colard would nave gone
on Indefinitely II Bernardet had not
stopped her. She had, at first mention
o. the police. suddenly turned pale, but
now b war very red. and her anger
displayed itself In a torrent of words.
He stemmed the flood OF verbs.
i do no accuse you. Mime. Colard,
n ] have said only what 1 wished to
say. passed by chance your shop. I
saw In the window q portrait which re-
sembled some one / know. L ask you
the price, and L question YOU about it's
advent into your shop. There is nothing
there which concerns o personally. 1
do not suspect you OF receiving stolen
goods. repeat my question. How
much do you want for this picture? ~
Twenty francs. II you please. That
tA what It cost me. do not wish to
have It draw me into anything trouble
some. Take II for nothing. II that
pleases you"
Not at all. I intend to pay you. OF
what ure you thinking, Mme. Colard? =
cot q. certain class. q horror OF the pO-
lic4. The presence of a police inspector
Slngher house seemed at once q dishOnOr
and q menace She felt herself vaguely
under suspicion. and h felt an Inn
pulse to sh0ut aloud her innocence.
Always smiling. the good man, with
Z gesture like that OF a prelate blessing
his people. endeavored to reassure her,
to calm here. But he could do nothing
with her. She would not be appeased.
In the long run this was perhaps as
well, for she Internationally. without
any. Intention Of aiding justice. put
some cleWs into Bernardet's hands
which finally aided him In tracing the
man.
Nine. sColard still rebelled. Did they
sfink she q q spy, an informer? She
had never-no. never-played such a
part. She did not know the young
man. She aid bought the picture as
she bought any number OF things.
And what IL they should cut of hls
head because he had confidence IN en-
tering my shop? I should for
give myself, never"
1T ia not going to bring Charles Bre-
ton TO the scaffold. Not Mt all, not al
all. 1t is only to And out who he Is
and OF whom he obtained this portrait
Once more. did nothing In his face
81 strike you?
v Nothing Mime. Colard responded.
She reflected a m
All. yes. perhaps. The shape of his
that. A felt hat with vide brim, some.
thing like those WQyn IN South Amer.
ten sOr KnreFOaA Y6NNkNOW. the KIND