Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-01-01
The Crime Of ''',;;1s e: :
a e. sss' the Boulevard

woman In black, called on NJ. Ro-
we're.
Some accomplish" thought Bernar-
Diet.
price OF the picture,
Anything you please said the wo-
man, still frightened. Bernardet
smiled.
Come, come! What do you want
for 1t? Fifty francs. Ell? Fifty
Away with your so francs! j place
IL at u disposal for nothing IL you
need it,
Bernardet paid the sum ne had
named. He had always exactly, as II
by principle, a so franc note in his
pocketbook. Very little money a few
white pieces-but always this note in
reserve. One could never tell what
might hinder him in his researches. He
paid, then, this note. adding that in
all probability Nine. Colard would soon
be cited before the examining magis-
trate to tell him about this Charles
Breton.
Il cannot say anything else, for /
do not know anything else said the
huge widow, whose breast heaved 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 had pub
lished his famous article on The Crime
of the Boulevard de Clichy." B~ernardet
left enchanted with his find" and re-
peated over and over 10 himself: 1T
is very precious. 1t is Il tidbit."
Should he keep on toward the pre-
lecture to show this find" to his chief,
or should he go at 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, and that as the
address which Breton had given was
not far away he would go there first.
Rue de la Condamine, 16"-that was
only a short walk TO such a tramper as
he was. He had good feet, a sharp eye
and sturdy legs. He would soon be at
the Batignolles. He had taken some
famous tramps in his time, notably one
night when he had secured Paris in
pursuit OF a m~alefactor. This, he ad-
mltted, had wearied him a little, but
| this walk from the Avenue des Bons-
| Enfants to the Rue de la Condamine
was but a squirt. Would he find that
a false name and a false address had
been given? This was but the infancy
OF art. If. however. he found that
this Charles Breton really did live at
that address and that he had given his
L hG Attthtlts ~ HOhlu PtOphDi1 VIC a. WY
simple matter to obtain all the infor-
nation he desired of Jacques Dantin.
What do j risk? A short walk"
thought Bernardet, "a little fatigue.
That can 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. 1.-THE porter Is on the
staircase" Bernardet fastened up the
stairs, found the man and questioned
him. There was no Charles Breton in
the house: there never had been. The
man who sold the portrait had given
a false name and address. Vainly did
the police officer describe the individ-
ual who had visited Nine. Colard's
shop. The man insisted that he had
never seen anyone who in the least re-
sembled this toreador in the big felt
hat. 1t was useless TO insist. Mime.
Colard had been deceived. And nov
how to find In this immense city of
Paris this bird Of passage who had
CHANGED to enter the bric-a-brac shop.
The old adage OF THE 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 a collaboration who seldom failed
him-chancel 1t was destiny which
had aided him.
Bernardet took am omnibus In his
haste TO return TO his chief. He was
anxious to show his find" TO NJ. Lee
richie. When he reached the prefecture,
he was Immediately received. He UNI
wrapped the portrait and showed 1t TO
NJ. Leriche.
but that is Dartin." cried the
chief.
rs it not?"
without doubt! Dantin when young
err, but assuredly Dantini And where
did you dig this up?"
Bernardet related his conversation
with Nine. Colard and his fruitless
visit to the Rue de la Condamine.
"Oh, never mind said NJ. Leriche.
This discovery is something. The MAJ
who sold this picture and Dantin are
accomplices. Bravo. Bernardet. We
must let NJ. Ginory know
The examining magistrate was, like
the chief and Bernardet. struck with
the resemblance OF h portrait to Dam
tin. His first move would be TO ques-
ton the prisoner about the picture. He
would go at once to Mazas. M. Leriche
and Bernardet might accompany him.
The presence OF the police spy might be
useful, even necessary.
The magistrate and the chief entered
a fiacre, while Bernardet mounted be-
side the driver. Bernardet said moth
ing, although the man tried 10 obtain
some. information from him. After one
or two monosyliabic answers the driver
m%ockingly asked:
Are you going to- the souriciere
(trap) 10 tease some fat rat?"
NJ. 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.
do not let us ak OF the institute"
the magistrate replied. 1T Is like the
beginning OF a hunt to sigh for the
prize that brings unhappiness.
The somber pile, the Mazas. opened
its doors to the three men. They tray
ersed the long corridors. with the heavy
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 bookcase). which served
as an office for the examining magis-
trates when they had to hold any In
terviews with the prisoners.
The guardian in chief walked along
with M. Ginory; M. Leriche followed
them. and Bernardet respectfully
brought up the rear.
Bring I'm Jacques Dantin, M. Gil
nory ordered. He seated himself at the