Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-09-29

ancient aristocracy q
france rub elbows, so to speak, wit
new hotels and antique shops. On
OF the best known Of these shops wa
kept FOR many years by Leon Gilbert
q whimsical fellow. whose knowledge
OF the value Of works Of art was onl,
exceeded by his inexhaustible fund o
good humor.
Many royalists reside in the Ru,
Madame, and they haunted the shol
OF Monsieur Gilbert, for he possessed
the rare things Of the past-the thing,
tney loved to examine and talk about
even II impaired fortunes prohibited
tnem from purchasing. Even the name
OF the street suggested the glories Of
the past, for Madame was the title
tnat was given at the court OF the
Bourbons to the daughters of the
King and the Kings brothers wife.
Monsieur Gilbert was a royalist al
neart. and he was In his element in
MIS- little shop, filed with all sorts OF
antiquities and visited with great con.
descension by his royalist neighbors
CLOCKS OF all sizes and conditions and
ages were ticking out the moments
tnat lead to eternity. And around
them were mirrors that reflected the
love and the hate and the fear and
the ambition of men. Silver candle
SUCKS and mahogany bureaus all were
there, and Monsieur Gilbert loved them
every one.
One morning the gendarme who
was patrolling that section Of the city
noticed that the door of M. Olbert's
shop was aJar. He entered and found
the old man seated In an armchair
dead. There was look of peace on
mis- face and he clasped a morning
newspaper between his icy fingers.
The physician who examined the body
said that he had probably died from
heart disease
But there was one doubling Thomas.
and he was NJ. Robert, the famous
Partisan detective. M. Robert was
one OF the many men who had often
been attracted to the shop on the Rue
Madame, and he entertained a fond.
ness for the old dealer in antiques. He
felt instinctively that it was the sort
OF place that a professional crook
would like to rob. 1t was different"
and the possibilities of a rich haul
were alluring. He called at the shop
after the death of NJ Gilbert and tried
to ascertain If any of the stock were
missing. But alas, no one could give
the required Information. The old
dealer knew his business by heart, but
ne kept 1t locked up in his own breast
The only catalogue of the stock was
In that quaint old head that would no
longer nod
In the emergency Robert disguised
himself and mingled with the friends
and neighbors of the dead man. For
some days he worked without results.
But one night bit of information was
dropped that illumined the situation
like fash Of lightning. A group of
men were seated about table In the
rear room of the shop, discussing the
good qualities Of the deceased.
I He could tell piece of Chippen
dale at sight" said Robert, by way of
making conversation.
YES" remarked another, "he was
very successful. have no doubt that
he left great fortune"
And the marvellous part of 1t ALL"
chimed in a third, was the fact that
he made his money without knowing
how to read or write"
Robert jumped up with cry of sur
prise. He hurried to the project of
police.
IN. GILBERT" he cried. was muir
dered."
His superior looked at him wonder.
ingly.
How do you know this?" he asked.
because he could not read or
write"
The project was puzzled.
Murdered because he could not
read or writer" he murmured.
No! MOI" cried the detective, with
impatient eagerness. But the posi-
i've knowledge that he could not read
proves that he Is q victim Of foul
play"
.'How?.
He was found dead with a newspa. |
per In his hand"
A light broke in on the projects
mind.
Il see." he said: 81 see."
And indeed the two men yfsuaIized
he scene. They could see the thieves
filling the old man and then nron.
ling him up In the armchair. with
hs newspaper In his cold fingers 10
live the appearance of natural
leath
A second careful medical exanina.
ION proved that the old man had been
trangled to death. Faint blue finger +,
marks were to be seen under the chin ,
nd near the back of the ears. Also. .
was demonstrated that valuable bits :
4 stock had been stolen from the !
hop. Beside this, certain bank notes
emained unaccounted for. Thus, what !
you'd have passed as a natural death !
ad now developed into very mys- !
erious murder. /
~ Robert went at the problem with e
= lis heasi and soul He spread out ! /,
east rcice net that included the s
- Q. T. hut when It was hauled Y
s contain the particr.a-- A-s 6