Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-12-04
-
Y.

Between the examining magistrate
who questioned and the man cited to
appear before him who replied Ii was
a duel, a close game, rapid and tragic,
In which each feint might make a NOR
tai wound, in which each parry and
thrust might be decisive. Nc one in the
world has the power of the man who.
In q word. can change to a prisoner the
one who enters the palais as q passerby.
Behind this inquisitor of the law the
prison stands, the tribunal In it's red
robes appears, the beams of the scaffold
cast their sinister shadows. and The
magistrates cold chamber already
seems to have the lugubrious humidity
OF the dungeons where the condemned
await their fate.
jacques Dantin arrived at the palaiS
in answer to the magistrates citation
with the apparent alacrity OF a man
who, regretting a friend tr~agically put
out of the world, wishes to aid in
avenging him. He did not hesitate a
second, and Bernadet, who saw him en-
ter the carriage, was struck with the
seeming eagerness n haste with
which he responded to the magistrates
order. When M. Ginory was Informed
that jacques Dantin had arrived, he
allowed an involuntary "Ah!" to es-
cape him. This "Ah!r seemed to ex-
press the satisfaction of an impatient
spectator when the signal is given
which that the curtain Is
about to be raised. For the examining
magistrate the drama in which he was
about TO unravel the mystery was to
begin. He kept his eyes fixed upon the
door, a~ttributing, correctly, a great inn
portance TO the first impression the
conner would make upon him as he en-
tered he room. NJ. Ginory found that
he was much excited. This was to him
n nnNrnl hSne hx,f 49, ~
strong will he succeeded in mastering
the emotion. and his face and manner
showed no trace of 1t.
In the open door M. jacques Dantin
appeared. The first view, for the magis-
trate, vas favorable. The man was tall.
well built; he bowed with grace. and
looked straight before him. But at the
same time M. Ginory was struck by
the strange resemblance of his haughty
a to that image obtained by means
OF Bernadet's kodak. 1t seemed to him
that this image had the same stature,
the same form as that man surrounded
by rhe hazy clouds. Upon a second ex-
animation IL seemed to the magistrate
that the face betrayed a restrained yio-
lence. g latent brutality. The eyes were
stern, under their bristling brows. the
pointed beard. quite thin on the cheeks,
showed the heavy jaws, and under the
gray mustache the under lip protruded
like the lips OF certain Spanish cavaliers
painted by velasquez.
'Prognathous," thought M. Ginory
as he noticed this characteristic. with
n gesture he motioned M. Dantin to q
chair. The man was there before tbs
Judge. who. with crossed hands. his ell
bows leaning o n his papers, seemed
ready to talk of insignificant things
while the registrars BALD head was
bent over his black table as he RAPIDLY
o notes. The interview took on .
grave tone, but as between two men
who. meeting In a salon. speak of the
morning or of the premiere of the even.
Ing before, and M. Ginory asked M
Dantin for some information In regard
TO NJ. Revere.
did you know him Intimately"
Yes. M. lie Juge.'
For how many years?r
For more than 40. We were com.
rades ut a school in Bordeaux"
You are a Bordelais?'
Like Revere, YES" Dantin replied
o late have you seen M. Revere frs.
quently?"
~ beg your pardon, M. lie Juge. bur
what do you NEAR by of late?"
M. Ginory believed that he had dis
covered In this question put by a mar
who was himself being interrogated-
4 tactic-a means OF finding before re
plying time for reflection. He vas &C
customcd 70 these maneuyers OF tn,
accused. go
When ! say OF late" he replied, {.
days which preceded the murder~i
that suits you.
II saw him often--in fact. even on
ener b formerly"