The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-31
The Crime Of '''E; s:s = \
q III, the Boulevard

0""h sooSn, NohSh - ~ ~
Some accomplice," thought Bernar-
Diet.
He again asked Nine. Colard the
price OF the picture.
Anything you please" said the wo-
man, still frightened. Bernardet
Come. comet what do you went
for it, Fifty francs. Ell? Fifty?"
Away with your so francsi i place
II at your disposal Tor nothing IL you
need IT,
Bernardet paid the sum he had
named He had always exactly, as IL
by principle, a so franc note in his
pocketbook. Very little money a few
white pieces-but always his note in
reserve. One could never tell what
might hinder him in his researches. He
all probability Nine. Colard would soon
be cited before the examining magis-
trate to tell him about this Charles
| Breton.
II cannot say anything else, for /
do not know anything else" said the
huge widow. whose breast eaved with
emotion.
She wrapped up the picture In a piece
of silk paper, then in a piece of news-
paper. which CHANGED to be the very
one In which Paul Revere a pub
lished his famous article on THE Crime
OF the Boulevard de Clichy." Bernardet
left enchanted with his find and re-
peated over n over TO himself: 1T
is very precious. 1t is a tidbit."
Should he keep on toward the pre-,
lecture to show this find to his chief,
or should he go al once to hunt up
Charles Breton at the address he had
given?
Bernardet hesitated a moment: then
he said to himself that in a case like
this moments were precious; an hour
lost was time wasted, n that as the
address which breton had given was
not far away he would go there first.
Rue de la Condamine, l6'-that was
only a short walk to such a tramper as
he was. He mad good feet, a sharp eye
and sturdy legs. He would soon be at
the B~atignoiles. He had taken some
famous tramps in his time, notably nj
night when he had secured Paris In
pursuit of a malefactor. This. he adj
omitted, had wearied him a little, but
his walk from the Avenue des Bons-
Enfants to the Rue de la Condamine
1 was but a squirt. Would he find that
a false name and q false address a
been given? This was but the infancy
OF art. If, however, he found that
this Charles Breton really did live at
hat address and that he a given his
true name. it would probably be a very
simple matter to obtain all the infor-
nation he desired OF Jacques Dantin.
what do I risk? A short walk"
thought Bernardet, "a little fatigue.
That "A be charged UP to profit and
loss"
He hurried toward the street and
number given. 1t was a large house,
several stories high. The concierge was
sweeping the stairs, having left q card
bearing this inscription tackled on the
front door: THE porter Is on the
staircase" Bernardet FASTENED up the
i 80 a tru rs fn,.nH Tho \ - a nd Ertfamffnna6
him. There was no Charles Breton in
the house; there never had been. The
man who sold the portrait had given
q false name and address. Vainly did
the police officer describe the individ-
uai who had visited Nine. Colard's
shop. The man insisted that he had
never seen anyone who in the least re-
sembled this toreador I'm the big felt
hat. 1t was useless to insist! Nine.
CosarJ had been deceived. And now
how 70 find In this immense city of
II Paris this bird OF passage who had
chancsd to enter the bric-a-brac shop.
The old afage OF { needle In the
haystack' came to Bernardet's mind
and greatly irritated him. But, after
all. there had been others whom he had
looked for. there had been others whom
he had found. and probably he might
still be able to find another's trail. He
had 4 collaboration who seldom failed
Il L 49, " ~ ~ " AAASAA
had aided him.
Bernardet took an omnibus IN his
haste 10 return TO his chief, He was
anxious to show his ''iud" to M, Lee
richie, When he reached the prefecture,
he was immediately received. He UNI
wrapped the portrait n showed IT TO
M. Leriche.
But that is Dantia!" cried the
chief.
els x not?s
Without dGubt. Dantin when young
err. but assuredly Dantin! And where
did you dig this up?'
Bernardet related his. conversation
with Nine. Colard and his fruitless
visit to the Rue de la Condamine.
ooh, never mind" said M. Leriche.
This discovery Is something. The la
who SOLD this picture and Dantin are
accomplices, Bravo. Bcrnardet! We
must let NJ. Ginory know"
The examining magistrate was, like
the chief and Bcrnardet, struck with
the resemblance of the portrait to DAN
tin. His first move would be to ques-
tion the prisoner about the picture. He
would go at once TO Mazas. NJ. Leriche
and Bernardet might accompany him.
The presence OF the police spy might be
useful, ever necessary, 81
The magistrate and the chief entered
a fiacre. while Bernardet mounted be-
side the driver. Bernardet said moth
ing, although the man tried to obtain
some information from him. After one
or two m~onosyilabic answer the driver
mockingly asked:
Are you going to the souriciere
(trap) 10 tease some fat rat?"
M. Ginory and M. Leriche talked to-
gether OF the Valkyrie, of Baireuth,
and the chief asked, through polite
ness, for news about his candidature to
the Academy OF Moral and Political
Sciences.
! 10 not let us talk of the Institute"
the magistrate replied. ut is like the
beginning of a hunt to sigh for the
, prize h a brings unhappiness."
81 The somber pile, the Mazas, opened
Its doors TO he three men. They trav-
: ersed the long corridors, with the heavy
I air which pervaded them in spite of all
efforts to the contrary, TO a small room,
. sparsely furnished Ca table, a few
chairs, a glass bockcase), which served
as an office for the examining magis-
trates when they had to hold any in
teryiews with the prisoners.