The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-31

He quickly held the picture before
Dantin's eyes, wishing to scrutintze his
face to see what sudden emotion It
would display. Seeing the portrait.
Dantin shivered and said in a short
tone. ut is a picture which I gave to
Rovere."
"Ah," said NJ. Ginory, you recoE-
nize 1t. them"
TT is my portrait" Jacques Dantin
declared. 1T was nae a long time
ago Revere kept 1t in his salon. How
did It come here?"
All" again aid the magistrate.
Explain that to met
M. Ginory seemed to wish to be a
little ironical. But Dantin roughly
said:
IN. lie Juse. 1 have nothing to ex-
plain to you. I understand nothing, I
know nothing. Or, rather, / know that
IN your error-an error which you will
bitterly regret some day or other, I am
sure-you have arrested me. shut me
up IN Mazas. but that which 1 can as
sure you of is that I have had nothing
90 with the murder of my friend, and
1 protest with all my powers against
your processes"
u comprehend that" NJ. Ginory
coldly replied. "Oh, I understand all
the disagreeableness of being shut up
NH AouA walls. ouI lnen III ~ very
simple. In order to go out one has only
70 give to the n who has a right to
Know the explanations which are ask
ed. DO o still persist in your sys-
tenn! Do o still insist on keeping I
Know not what secret, which you will
lot reveaA to us?"
II Shall keep 1t. monsieur. have
renected." said Dantin. Yes, I have
reflected. INC in the solitude to which
you nave forced me / have examined
my conscience" He spoke with firm
ness, less Violently than at the Palais
de Justice. and Be%rnardct's penetrating
little eyes never left his face: neither
did the magistrates nor the chiefs.
II am persuaded" Dantln continued
That thismiserable mistake cannot last
long, ana you will recognize the truth,
l shall go out, at least from here, with,
u having abused a confidence which,
n has placed in me and which + in.i
tend to preserve" q
Yes" said NJ. Ginory. perfectly;
/! know your system. You will hold to
that?" .
1T is mine.." WV
BY whom do you think it was posi-
slple that 1T could have been sold in the,
bric-a-brac shop where it was found?'s
- Know nothing about it. Probablyi
by the n who found it or stole it from,
NJ. Rovere's apartment and who is
probably. without the least doubt, his,
assassin"
That seems very simple to you?" i
IT seems very logical" !:
that this should be the ex-l
act truth. that does not detract from,
the presumption which duplicates you1
from Nine. M%oniche's dispositions
which charges you !,
Yes. yes, l know-the open safe,i
the papers spread out, the tete-a-tetei,
with Revere, when. the concierge en-l
tered the room-that signifies nothing. ID
For you. perhaps. For justice It hasi
a tragic Specification. But let us return
to the portrait. It was you, 1 supposed
who gave it to Rovere?" y
Y it was L." Dantin responded,
"Rovere was an amateur In art: more.
over. my intimate friend. 1 had no fam;
lily. I had an old friend, a companion!
OF my youth whom I thought would
highly prize that painting. It is a fine,
one-it Is by Paul Baudry."
"Ah!" said NJ. emory. ~. B.,
those are Baudry's initials?"
certainly. After the war. when I,
mad done my duty like others-I saw
this without n intention of defendine1
myself-Paul Baudry was at Bordeaux
he was painting some portraits onl
panels. after Holbein-Edmond About'sl
among others. He made mine. IT ia this'
which I gave Rovere-the one Won,
hold In your hands,"
Tho magistrate looked at the small
oval painting. and NJ. Leriche put on
his eyeglasses to examine the quality.
OF the painting. A Baudry!
What are these scratches around the;
edge as if nails had been drawn across
the places" NJ. Ginory asked, He heldl
out the portrait to Dantin.
u do not know. Probably where the!
frame was taken on"
No. nc! They are rough marks. I,
Pln goa that eNEo ,>;~k,,-- ~ 49, 81
orally torn from the frame. You ought,
to know how this panel was framed..'
Very simply when l gave it to Ro-.
we're. A narrow gilt frame, nothing
more"
Had Revere changed the frame?" ;,
IL 90 not know; 1 do not remember
When I was at his apartment the last
few times. I dot remember to have;
seen the Baudry. 1 have thought Of Il.
but | have no recollection of IT." /
"Ihen YOU mo furnish any in,
formation about the man who sold this;
portrait?"
None whatever" o ,
w might bring vol face to face.
with that woman"
so be it! She certainly would mott
recognize me-" 49,
IN any case. she will tell us about
the man who brought the portrait to-
her" ~
n might describe him to me accu-;
rately. and ever paint him for me -,
said Dantin quickly. She can neither
insinuate that l know him nor prove to-
you tina I am his accomplice. I do not,
know who he is or from where he'
comes. 1 was eve ignorant of his ex-,
istence myself a quarter Of an hour
ago."
tconti.usd Next Week,
The Simple Life.
From the Lamar. No.. Democrat.