Charlevoix county herald., 1914-10-17

seemed very hopeful before them,
but whas a. we really doing
81 believe I'm on the right track
this time. See this notebook. | bet
you thousand francs that you can't
guess what is in it."
Something special ?"
I've left my firm to go into part
nership with Calesse."
"Are you crazy?"
81 don't think so, for this note
book contains contract written en-
tirely in Calesse's own handwriting. "
as it possible? But what an
ideap
"You think so. | wanted a few
lines in his own handwriting. The
criminal law maxim says, Two lines
of mans handwriting are suffi-
cient evidence to hang him."
"But your business? How did you
arrange that? ?"
THAT was quite easy. Out of the
twelve months | have four months
vacation. | have taken the firm into
my confidence. | have told them
everything. The chief is a good
friend of mine, and he is allowing
me to tell every one that | am leav-
ing. So have my liberty for the
time being"
"And you are going to profit by it
lesser"
profit by it simply to procure a
contract which shall never sign.
Written on this paper are all the
words hat we found on the victims
receipt"
But how could such a sharper
have fallen into your trap ?"
Because he is a rogue. Rogues
think they alone have wits, but they
are often taken in by their own
tricks. Here we have to deal with
two rogues. Pecheret and Calesse
belong to the scum of Paris. They
are swindlers, and think can
prove that they ire something
worse"
'Be careful"
"Oh, never fear. shall walk gen
t!y. Pecheret is silent partner, and
they are fleeing the Parisians for
all they are worth. If you had
known Jacques Farades, you would
know that che man 'lone could not
have dragged him to the we'll"
and you suspect Pecheret and
Calesse ?"
Pm not sure of anything vet,
but I'm m Calesse's trail. shall
soon know if my suspicious are JUS
tilted. Come to my rooms and we
will examine the papers"
Ten minutes later they were lean
ing over the table with bent heads.
The contract and receipt found by
them after the murder were laid be-
fore them.
Loo, at these words" cried
Jacques excitedly; Three hundred
thousand; received; and this word
deposit. "
Identical" brea'hed Merseins.
And see here: Northern, Met
ropoitan,' 'Grea. Western
Exactly. 1t is the same hand
writing"
"And lastly, see this line: On the
simple presentation of this contract
Here we have the word contract in
stead of receipt like on this
paper"
"There is not the shadow of a
doubt" replied Merseins. We'll
hand them over to NJ. Beaulieu at
once"
mo, we WON'T" said jacques de-
cisively. "These are clues, but not
proofs"
"Not proofs What do you mean ?
Look at the seal and the ink used for
it. 1t is the same as this one on
the receipt
"If Jean Farades's murderer is
Andre Calesse, you may be sure that
he has taken every precaution not to
be fourd ou::. This might not be suf-
ficient even to arrest him."
"But the writing is the same!
What is the good of this receipt and
your contract, them
Ell keep the receipt here under
lock and key. The contract affords
me the opportunity to get more &C
quainted with Calesse. Perhaps in
time | shall find some genuine, con-
vincing proofs, instead of mere
clues"
Continued next week.