The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-30

uon was to be continued and that he
would be brought before the same Judge
whom he had previously confronted.
ttut me van Tum0led on longer this
tln-e' an he wondered where they were
tsthtng hin- re tried to peer through
the Stats that constituted the walls OF
THIS Ferambulating prison, but the Stats
were 50 inclined that he could see only
narrow ribbon OF gray sky when he
looked out At last the wagon stopped.
Inc door was flung open and he step
Pea otIt. He was haTredly led irto
Dulloihg' but not 50 hurTfedly that he
80 Tot ufoe 80 see the Seine siuggishIy
loWllg past and TO recognize the build
Ing as the mOrgIe.
The thought of a spectacle that made
. even hardened criminals shudder with
tIlgnt dld not disturb him To be sure.
iJ would not De pleasant TO gaze uDOn
murdered EOrget's face again, but then,
ne would not be terrified. He would look
upon the corpse fesrlessly for the third
time Nevertheless, when he found him
self IN the white-waiied hail with the
nlSh windows, through which the light
stEeaIned IN long shafts on the marble
slabs, he shuddered in spite Of himself.
An odOr OF carbOlic acid and essence Of
my IIle-the combined door OF pgar-
macy and a cemetery-pe rvaded the
moist air he gazed about him eagerly,
compelling himself to memOriZe the
slightest details, so that ne might be
able 70 recall them when the time came
70 write his sensational article.
Finally they took him 10 a room in
which a sheeted form lay or a table
The sheet was thrown back. Although
he was prepared for the sight, he re-
cglled Involuntary he did not recOg-
nlze the corpse at least. not at the first
glance After he had gaZed on the dead
man some time a voice said.
There lies your victim
He turned around 1t was the Judge
who had conducted the inquest Barton
flashed back a reply.
Again must protest against any
man have never known him
To every question that was hurled at
him ne. steadfastly answered; I do not
know"
As proof was heaped upon proof and
detail was linked 70 detail. the judge
asked.
What have you 20 say 10 thatY''
Barton simply raised bis hands and
muttered- 7 10 not understand this
cannot explain"
When the examination was over. Bar
ton was led back 10 the prison van and
20 his cell
The examination was long and search
ing. but II unearthed nothing new
Witnesses by the score were questioned
Il was Impossible 20 break down the
wall that Forget had erected about
his personality No one knew him. no
one could throw ray. OF light on his
solitary life. II vas impossible TO ind
II Barton's past any forgotten OIense
that might imply the existence Of Grim
inal instincts IN hiu- Inasmuch as no
the house G. Boulevard Iannes the
judge concluded that he must have cIev-
erlv concealed his visits To be sure,
there was 10 apparent motive for the
crime The most rigorous investigation
failed 70 reveal more than the simple
facts that Barton lived within his
means. that he paid his rent promptly,
that he was not eXtravagaut, that he
lad no secret love affairs and that no
one knew exactly what had been stolen
from the house
AT the end Of three months. despite
the zeal Of the secret service, despite the
investigations conducted by al the sen
EatlOual newspapers Of Paris. no more
was known Of old Forget, Of Barton, or
o. the stolen articles than on the first
dav The only formidable evidence
q against Barton consisted OF the scraps
Of paper and the broken sleeve Ink
found IN the murdered mans room
There was aiSo the presumption OF flight
raised by his sudden departure from the
Planet. by his having kept himself con
Cealed for three days and By register
iuC himself under assumed names IN
three different hotels His attempt 10
resist arrest, proved by the revolver
that the police tore from his hands. and
his secret return 20 his lodgings lent
color TO the charge OF murder
The examination resulted IN the find
ing that the murder was Committed By
Victor Barton An Indictment was
lodged against him and the trial was
assigned for the April session OF the
criminal court