The Washington herald., 1910-07-16
Copyright 1850.
D, Appleton & Co
CHAPTER XII.

Next morning. by daylight, the whole
region was aroused Count Delorme had
been found dead. robbed and murdered.
in the park of the Chateau Bernard. The
police appeared in swarms No one had
seen him at the chateau, and old Nine.
Bernard had tainted when told OF the
murdered man being found in the park.
and had taken TO her bed very III. so
she could not be disturbed. Delorme,s
Identity was easily established, and ii
was surmised that he was on his way
TO the chateau when he had met his fate
Il Toni listened, with blanched face, TO
all the excited talk and colloquy that
went on among the villagers as well as
the circus people about the strange muir
der Suspicion al once fell on the circus
people, bat Pierre and Nicholas we're old
hand at the business and knew how to
manage such little affairs They had
promptly proceeded, the first thing next
morning, 20 try for an advance of money
from the manager Of the circus. and be-
ing refused, they had tried 10 borrow
money from several OF their fellow -enl-
ployes TO disguise the fact that their
ment with Delormes money. Toni had
never thought Of this subterfuge. and did
not attempt 10 borrow a franc. He spent
the day in one long spasm of terror. and
in the evening, when the performance
was over and be was going back to his
lodging, his two friends Joined him.
Toni" said Nicolas. with a laughing
devil in his eye as ne spoke, ''you must
be very careful. for suspicion might fall
on you for the part you took in our little
+, escapade. You struck the blow, you
know"
Toni stopped. stared, and threw his
arms up above his head in a wild pas
sion OF despair.
I did nOt-I did not-I did not" he
cried.
Then Nicolas. slipping his hand in
Toni's pocket. drew out a twenty franc
gold piece. a coin which Toni had sell
dom in his lie owned.
This was what you took out OF the
mans pocket" said Pierre II was too
much for Toni They were walking
along the highway toward the vii
lage. in the soft May evening. Toni,
quite unsteady on bis legs. sat down
| by the roadside. lie was so stunned
and dazed that he could neither
move nor think nor speak. Pierre and
/ Nicolas walked of laughing. Pierre
meanwhile. having put the twenty-franc
piece IN TOMS pocket When Toni felt
/ this. he threw the money after them
/ frantically, and il fell IN the road behind
them, but they did not see it. Toni
without knowing this at the time. there
by accomplished a stroke Of Justice 10
these wretohes.
/ He sat there a long time after his two
/ friends had left him. Presently the
! he said to himself:
Toni, here Is another terrible secret
| for you to carry-heavier than any yet
that you have carried--too heavy for you
TO carry alone Toni. you are a coward.
II you were not, you would have got
away from Nicolas and Pierre a long
time ago. Now sec what they have led
| you into. Toni. you must go 60 Paul
Verney and make a clean breast OF It.
otherwise you will live to be gunlouned.
He had no friend TO whom he could go
Verney. He took Jacques out of his
pocket. and Jacques looked az him In a
friendly way and agreed with him as he
always did. saying:
Toni unless you take some steps you
viii certainly be guillotined or sent to
prison for life; so make up your mind
to find Paul Verney and tell him all
about Il"
Toni took this resolution, but the couy-
age which inspired him to make it did
not inspire him. at once. to carry II into
effect. He meant to do It the first thing
next day. but when the next morning
came he put Il of until the afternoon.
and when the afternoon came he again
delayed A secret like that is frightful
10 keep, and more frightful to tell And
then suddenly their week was up at
Beaupre-
After leaving Beaupre. they gave per
formances in the small towns round
about Interest in the murder Of De-
lorme had by no means died out, but
rather increased as time passed on and
no elew to the murderers was discov-
cred. Toni had an instructive feeling
that the police were watching the cir
Gus people He felt that every one OF
them was under suspicion, but he had
no tangible proof Of this. It made
him long. however, 10 get away from the
circus. He knew that he was of an age
when his army service might begin at any
moment. as his twentieth birthday was
close az hand. He had, in fact, already
been served with notice. He could have
got of, being the only son of q widowed
mother, but II had occurred 20 him that
by serving his time In the army he might
get rid, for a while. OF his two friends.
Nicolas and Pierre. A dream came TO
him that after his service he would get a
place as teacher IN a riding school Then
he would still have horses for HIS friends
and companions. but there would be moth
ing Of Nicholas and Pierre In his life.
The dream grew brighter the more he
dwelt on It. He would go back to Bien-
vile and ask his mothers pardon. which
he had done In every letter that he had
written her. and then she would forgive
him. And he would make her ask for the
hand of Denise for his wife.
Oh. how happy he could be If only ne
had not this terrible secret about Count
Delorme to carry. which stayed with
him day and night. II he could ger away
from the circus. he thought this secret
might then be less terrible TO bear. The
first step toward this was soon to be ac-
complished by the strong arm OF the law.
because Toni found himself. one June
morning. drawn In the CONSUMPTION. He
had no thought Of getting Off because he