The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-04-21
THE WIDOW
LEROUCE
CHAPTER XXI.

LnAF AAlA.
&c." resumed NJ. Dnburon, -yvu
INST absolutely no one who can affirm
Aat he saw you? You did not speak
- living soul? You entered no
eaace, not even cafe, or a theater,
or tobacconist's to light one OF your
eanorite trabucos?"
mo. SIR"
Well it Is a great misfortune for
you. yes. very great misfortune; for
I must inform you, that it was pre-
esely during this Tuesday evening,
between eight O'Clock and midnight,
that Widow Lerouge was assassinated
Justice can point out the exact hour
Again. sir. in your own interest,
recommend you to refect--to make a
strong appeal to your memory"
This pointing out of the exact day
and hour of the murder seemed to
sstound Albert. He raised his hand
70 his forehead with a despa ring ges
eure. However, he replied in a calm
voice:
II am very unfortunate. sir: but J
can reCOlIecL nOrn1ng.'
The magistrate slowly raised one
~ one, the large pieces OF paper that
covered the articles seized in Albert's
rooms.
I've will pass" he continued, Ito
sAe examination of the charges which
weigh against you. Will you please
come nearer? Do you recognize these
articles as belonging to yourself?"
Yes, sir; they are all mine"
Well. take this foil. Who broke
H7''
II. cir, in fencing with NJ. de Court.
tvois, who can bear witness to it,
He will be heard. Where is the
broken end?'
II do not know. You must ask Lu.
BIN, my valet"
Exactly. He declares that he has
hunted for it, and cannot find it.
must tell you that the victim received
the fatal blow from the sharpened END
1t a broken foil. This piece of stuff
On which the assassin wiped his weap.
en-. is proof of what l state.'
II beseech you, sir, to order most
minute search to be made. 1t is i'm
1ossible that the other half OF the fol-
Is not to be found"
Orders shall be given to that eff.
eect. Look. here is the exact imprin'
ef the murderer's foot traced on thi,
Aheet Of paper. I will place one o.
-. t1o n.
you perceive fits the tracing with tn.
utmost precision. This plaster wa:
poured into the hollow left by tn,
heel; you observe that it is in all re
spects similar in shape to the heel.
at your own boots. I perceive, too
the mark of a peg, which appears il
10th"
1t is Unexpectedly true"
That is So" continued M. Dabu
gun: yet listen further, before at
tempting to defend yourself TIL,
criminal had an umbrella. The enc
sf this umbrella sank in the clayey
coil; the round of wood which il
placed at the end of the silk, wa:
found nodded in the clay. Look a
this clod of clay, raised with the ut
most care; and now look at your UNI
brella. Compare the rounds. Ar
they alike, or not?'
'"These things, sir" attempted Al
uert, ARE manufactured in larg
quantities.
We'll, we will pass over that proof
Look at this cigar end, found OH tn
scene of the crime, and tell me 0
what brand it is, and how it wa
smoked"
"It is trabucos. and was smoked
N cigar-holder."
Like these?' persisted the magis
trate, pointing to the cigars and th
amber and meerschaum-holders foun'
tn the viscount's library.
EYES," murmured Albert, ut Is ,
eatality-a strange coincidence"
Patience; that is nothing as yet
The assassin wore gloves. The victim
IN the death-struggle, seized hi
hands; and some pieces of kid re
manned in her nails. These have beel
PVOStIFcu, duu dIc Icy dl T. "
q lavender color, are they not? Now
here are the gloves which you wore o.
Tuesday. They, too, are lavender
xnd they are frayed. Compare thes
pieces Of kid with your own gloves
DO they not correspond? Are the
not of the same color, the same skin?
Albert was terrified. A cold per
epiration bathed his temples, AM
glided, drop by drop, down his cheeks
IN choking voice he kept repeating
"rt is horrible. horrihle!
FINALLY" pursued the inexorab'
magistra e, "here are the trousers yc
wore on the evening Of the murde
1t is plain that not long ago they we4
very wet: and, besides the mud o
them, there are traces OF earth. b
sides thai, they are torn at the knee
We will admit, TO the mo. lcnt. thu
you might not remember where 20
went on that evening; but who woul
believe that you 6 not know whe1
you tore your trousers and how yo