The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-24
CHAPTER XIII.

II do not know" thought Bernardet
ms he returned home. What one knows
very well indeed, what one cannot deny.
oh. that would be impossible. Is that
on the retina of the dead mans eye. re-
Elected there at the supreme moment OF
the agony? Is there found the image of
this Dantin, his face. his features--this
man., In a word, denounced by this wit
ness which Is worth all other witnesses
in the world? This assasslnated man
cast a last look upon his murderer as he
called for aida last Cry for help In
Che death rattle. And this man says,'I
do not know But the dead man knew,
and the kodak knows also. It has no
passion. no anger. without hate, because
IL registers what passes; flxes that
which is iieeting."
Bernardet was obstinate in his con-
viction, He was perfectely rooted in 1T.
What liz he had not persisted In be-
lieving that photography would reveal
the TRUTH What weighty reason. what
even acceptable one. was there which
Obliged Dantin TO remain silent In the
presence OF the examining magistrate
and his registraF--in the secret inter-
view of an examination-when in order
to escape a prison, an accusation, he
had only to speak two words? But if
Dantin said nothing IA 1t because he
had nothing to sayg II he had given
n0 explanation, was It because he had
none to give2 An innocent man does
not remain silent. X at the instant
when M. Ginory pressed the ivory but
ton the other day the man had been
able to defend, himself would he not
have done it? One knew the secret rea-
son OF criminals for keeping silent.
Their best reason is their guilt.
Only II seemed now certain that Dam
tin. although guilty. had an accomplice
N-xfau xuithnatf .daHKhta fha mao xvifh fhn
sombrero, the seller of the portrait.
Where could he now be in hiding?
Not easy" Bernardet repeated the
words, mot easy; 20, no easy at all
to run him out OF his rabbit hutch"
TIE woman IN LARK, the visitor,
vrtlld be another iir.ns'.ant clew, on
xhfs side the situation : med a simple
one. Or was this won4aa also an ac-
complete. and would she remain silent,
hidden in the province? Or would the
death OF Revere draw her to Paris,
where she might be recognized and be-
come q Witness for Justice?
But the days passed. What wac called
the mystery OF the Boulevard de Clichy
continued TO interest and excite the
public. Violent and perplexing parlia-
mentaSy discussions could not distract
attention from a crime committed in
broad daylight, almost, as one might
say, In the street, and which made one
doubt the security OF the city, the eff
cheney OF the police. The fall of a min
istry. predicted each morning and an
ticipated In advance, could o thrust
aside morbid interest In this murder.
The death Of the ex-counsel was a
grand ~actuality.
Jacques Dantin thus became a dra-
matte parsonage. The reporters created
legends about him. Some declared him
guilty and brought up In support Of
their conviction some anecdotes, some
tales from the clubs, given as proofs:
others asked II the suggestions We're
sufficiently well based TO accuse a man
In advance OF trial, and these latter
ardently took up his defense. Paul Ro-
der had even, with much dexterity and
eloquence, automatically written two
articles, n on either side OF the ques-
ton.
1T Isl he said to himself, "the sure
way OF having told the truth on one
eide OF the other
instant the hope of inding the man who
had sold the picture. 1t was not the
first time that he had picked the needle
from q cartful OF hay. Paris is large.
but this human sea has its particular
currents, as the ocean has special tides.
and the police officer knew IL well.
Here or there some day he would meet
hAS hh~Ah N0sN W W NhS oEfcSt ike "A
Waif.
First OF all, the man was probably a
stranger from some foreign land. Wear
ing a hat like a Spaniard. he had not
had time to change the style Of dress OF
the country from which he had come
IN search OF adventures. Bernardet
haunted the hotels, searched the regis
ters. made conversation with the lodg-
erS. He found poo persons who had
come from foreign countries, but whose
motives Tor coming to Paris were ali
right. Bernardet never stopped search
ing q moment. He went everywhere,
curious and prying, and 1t pleased him,
when he found q leisure evening. to go
10 some of the strange wineshops or
aiehouses (called carbets) to find SUBJ
3ects for observation. These carabets
are very numerous or the outskirts OF
MOntmarte, In the streets and boule-
wards at the foot of the Butte. bizarre
Inventions, original and disagreeable
creations where the ingenuity OF the
enterprisers sometimes made them
hideous In order 20 attract. to cater 70
the idle and to hold lhe loungers from
among the higher classes carabets
born Of the need for novelty which
might stimulate the blase, the demand
Tor something eccratr1c almost to NOR