The evening world., 1914-02-09


DE no longer dared finger on
Dads. whore wsll-to-do peasants
1ag from the big markets Of
Daon and Theirs had been at.
BY masked highwaymen and
y to part with all their money
basr to save their lives. A num-
ef bursiaries. marked BY extraor-
~ boldnsss and perpetrated un-
tAs noses Of the owners. who did
ars protest. had formed the start
point Of police inquiries which
slackly conducted and led 70 no
ous result.
the worst Of Il was that, side BY
y with awful acts OF violence. came
practical jokes
1ch were ss terrifying ~ An at
npted murder.
lsspectabie business men walking
IN the Rue Neuve at nightfall had
|1eived great slaps IN the face with
= being able to say whore the blow
- from.
Dood old DR.. Honorat opened his
= one morning to ind his chest Of
we're and his cupboard gone from
bedroom. True. he slept with his
low open. He did not inform the
zee. kept his fright to himself. and
1sly mentioned the strange phenom-
- TO his friend. NJ. Jules, the
tos. who advised him TO shut his
Now In future whom he went to
astly. no one dared 20 through the
)st whore more things happened
were ever told.
ea1ly. these hardAhips ought to
b been sufficient. What new ter.
now was making the poor people
4he Csrdogne country run down the
PLY deserted thoroughfare OF the
Neuve?
As cause Of all the fuss was an
hrently commonplace thing. Q rail.
accident. More correctly speak.
however. Il was an attempt upon
lives Of the passengers on the lit.
local railway that connects the
e-Etabls and the Moulins lines. on
borders Of the Bourbonnais.
omShal hands had torn up the rails
he mouth Of the tunnel which Is
on the Cerdogne, and n the train
nh had to cross the water by .
phod the spot at q greatly reduced
q catastrophe could not have
avoided. A. 1t was, the train hal
arrow escape. The baggage car
Dos was destroyed.
humber. they suffered more from
tement than anything else. They
across tho fields to Saint-Martin-
DOS. spreading Consideration
ooh the village. which had already
~ and bolted Its doors for the
~ the exception OF two or three
~ homes were In the v!llags, all OF
went 70 the Roubions. VIVA keep
known as the Black Sun at the
OF the Place de la Mair.e and
be Neuve. Here confusion was
height. While some called for
or at least a bed. a mattress,
Exchanged frensied notes on the
which they had run.
Nine. Roubion tried to please
Ddy. but found the greatest DIFF
In doing 30. Ono mattress was
torn to pieces. And when every
last Was more or less comfort
oused. yet another traveller APP
with his head wrapped In Q
y. He was :he only one IN
ly. NJ. Patrice' Arc you hurt7"
Nine Roubian solicitously. hold.
q her hand to the newcomer.
bas q young man o. twenty-four
n:y-Hve. with a plea SAINT. gentle
pair Of hne blue eyes, and a
fair mustache. carefully twisted
tips.
tie only q ,cra.ch." he said.
hg serious. II won't show to-
Have you room for me?"
om. N. Patrice? You can have
ard table; yes"
take the billiard table" replied
bng man. smiling.
4upon Nine. Roubio,. went to
inter- NJ. Gustave Blondel, a
~ for one OF the principal linen
- at Clermont- rerTand. who was
y making his bed on the table In the
nnlry and threatening TO kill the land
~ = she did not bring him bolster
- and there.
0Gaanwhile n. Jules. the Mayor. ap-
I'd, accompanied by good old DR..
Ut. They came from the station,
~ they had received evidence from
eo1De OF the railway ofhcials. leaving
Vl WuatoNcT IN " tio VI
OoGrage. They both looked ~ pale
Shsir lives had been in danger.
peher calamity. monsieur 10
said Roubion.
y replied N. Jules. n . shaking
Fortunately there have been no
for US to regret"
lords were received with an Icy
And. suddenly. . voice sx-
what about the murdsrsrs:
are they to be arrested?"
came an outburst. Words OF
and encouragement were hung
speaker: but he-a peasant
oaid what he had to say and re-
Slnsd silent. His face was crimson
n AAs eyes avoided the Mayors.
The police were here. II you know
sths murderers are. Borel. why
you give ue their namesY' asked
yor.
orel was as clever as most peo-
49, had his answer ready.
y4k nothing to say to the police"
Wled. TIN no detective. nor .
". either. Every one to his trade!"
urmur OF assent and few nasty
les followed. and all. now nudging
0nother. stared at a newcomer who
forward while the others made
arfsy, him with astonishing unaui-
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