Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-01-01
A XII.

he ound the resemblance still more
startling. IL was certainly Jacques
Dantin. The painting was signed "P.
b. Bordeaux, 1871" 1t was oval In
shape; the frame was gone: the edge
wa marked, scratched, MARRIED, as If
the frame had been roughly torn from
the picture.
Have you had this portrait a long
timer he asked of the -shopwoman,
II put il I'm the window today for the
first time the huge woman answered.
"0h, II is a choice bit! II was painted
by q wicked one.'
who brought It hereg'
some one Who wished TO sell it-a
passcrby. II 1t would interest o TO
know his name"
yes, certainly II would interest me
20 know It," Bernardet replied.
The shop woman looked at Bernardet
defiantIy and asked this question:
DO you know the man whose por-
trait that is?"
mo, / do not know him. But this
resembles n OF my relatives. 1t
pleases me. How much is it?"
"A hundred francs" said the big
woman.
Bernardet suppressed at the same
time a sudden start and Il smile.
"a hundred francs! Diable! How
fast you go! II is worth sous rather
than francs"
That cried the woman, very In
dignant. THAT! But look at this ma
terial. this background. 1t is famous, /
tell you l took 1t to an expert. At the
public sale IL might perhaps bring 1000
france, My idea Is that it Is the picture
of some renowned person. an actor or
q former minister-in fact, some his
toric person"
But one must take ones chance"
Bernardet replied in q jeering tone.
efLgiff 10n ~ ramos iG ION france FOO
much for me. Who sold you the paint
ing?"
The woman went around behind the
counter and opened a drawer. from
which she took a notebook, in which
she kept a daily record of her sales.
She turned over the leaves.
November IL, a small oval painting
bought She readJusted her specta-
cles as II to better decipher the name.
Il did not write the name myself.
The man wrote IL himself" She spelled
out
"Charies-Charles Breton, Rue de la
C~ondamine, 16"- -.
Charles Breton" Bernardet repeat
ed. "Who is his Charles Breton? /
would like TO know IL he painted this
portrait, which seems like a family por-
trait, and has come to sell it,
You know. 7" interrupted the wom-
an, that that often happens. II Is
business. One buys or one sells all In
good time"
And this Breton, how old was hep"
"Oh, young. About 80 years old.
Very good looking. Dark. with a full
beard"
Did anything about him especially
strike your"
"N%othingl" the woman shortly re-
piled. She had become tired OF these
questions and looked at the little man
with a troubles glance.
Bernardet readily understood, and,
assuming q paternal. a beaming air, he
said with his sweet smile:
Il viii not fence any more. j Will
tell you he truth. / am n police in
spector, and I And that this portrait
strangely resembles a man whom we
have under lock and key. You under
stand that 1t Is very Important that l
should know all that IS to be ascertain
ed about this picture
But / nave told you all / know.
monsieur" said the shopkeeper.
~'Charies Breton, Rue de la Condamine
16-that Is the name and address. /
paid 30 francs for ID. There Is the re-
sceipt. Read II. I beg. IL Is all right.
We keep a good shop. Never lave we,
anN late husband and |, been mixed
with anything unlawful. Sometimes the
lbri -a-brac Is soiled, but our hands
and consciences have always been
clean. Ask any one along the street
about the Widow Colard. / owe no one.
any every one esteems me-
the Widow colard would have gone
on indefinitely IL Bernardet had not
stopped her. She had. at first mention
OF the police. suddenly turned pale, but
now she was very red, and her anger
displayed Itself In a torrent OF words.
He stemmed the hood of verbs.
II do not accuse you, Mime. Colard,
and I have said only what i wished TO
say. l passed by chance your shop. /
saw in the window a portrait which re-
sembled some one / know. ] ask you
the price. and / question you about It's
advent into your shop. There Is nothing
there which concerns you personally. l
do not suspect you or receiving stolen
goods. / repeat my question. How
rrsuca do you want for this ~picture?n
Twenty francs. IL o please. That
IS what II cost me. do not wish to
have IL draw me into anything trouble
some. Take IL for nothing, Ii that
pieases YOU"
mot at all. / intend TO pay you. OF
what are you thinking, Nine. Colardg"
The shopwoman had. like all people
OF a certain class, a horror of the po-
LICE. The presence of a police Inspector
IN her house seemed at NICE a dishonor
and a menace She felt herself vaguely
under suspicion, n h felt an Ina
pulse 10 shout aloud her Innocence.
Always smiling. the good man, with
q 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 unconsciously. without
my intention of aiding justice. put
some clews into Bernardet's and
which finally aided him In tracing the
man.
Nine. coiard still rebelled. Did they
hink she was 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 II they should cut OFF his
head because he had confidence In en-
tering my shop2 l should never for
give myself. never"
1T is not going 70 bring Charles Bre-
ton to the scaffold, Not at all. not at
all. II is only to find out who he Is,
and OF whom he obtained this portrait.
Once more. did nothing in his face
strike o 2"
NOTHING. Nine. Colard responded.
She reflected a moment.
*sAh, yes. perhaps. The shape OF his
hat. A felt hat with wide brim, some
thing like those worn IN South Amer
Zen or Kareros. You know, the kind
they cali sombrero. b only thing !