Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-06-29

Jul 0L 0SSdSSlu 3 Dull0C killed MIN.
In an instant Delcasse's face
was composed, and his eyes, be-
hind their immense glasses, as in
scrutable as ever. The president,
so ingenious and child like, must
never suspect the truth!
"True!" Delcasse agreed.
"There was the Maine! Ihad for
gotten that!" and he relapsed in
to thoughtful silence.
Evening came, and still the
train rolled southwark, past
Macon, past Lyons, past Vienne,
everywhere greeted by surging
crowds. At the latter place, Del
casse arose and, with an almost
imperceptible nod to Lepine, en-
tered the last car. The project
followed him, and a few minutes
later, they were closeted together
in a compartment, where, at a
word from his superior, Inspector
Pigot had joined them.
"And now," began Delcasse,
when the door was closed and the
train had started again, "tell me
what you think of this affair, Lee
pine"
The LATHE gray man spread his
hands wide with a gesture Of help
lessness.
cat this moment I know no
more than you, SIR" he answered;
probably not so much. By morn
ing, l shall have a report ready
for you"
"We shall not arrive until after
midnight" the minister pointed
out.
Nevertheless, my report will
be ready, SIR" said Lepine, quick
ly. Between midnight and dawn
there are six hours"
Delcasse looked at him. He
knew that this little man never
made an emptyspromise.
"Did you go through the papers
at the time Of the Jena disaster 9"
he asked.
81 did, sir. 1 assisted the inves-
tigating board"
"You are, then, familiar with
the theories in that easel"
"There were four theories" an
swered Lepine. "The first was
that the ship had been blown up
by treachery; that is always the
first thought! But in the case of
the Jena, it was quickly discov-
cred that treachery was impossi-
BILE, unless it was that of the high
est officers, for only they had ac-
cess to her magazines. That was
unthinkable, for all of them had
served France for many years.
More than half of them were
killed. l myself investigated the
life OF every one Of these men, for
1t was necessary to be absolutely
certain-but not a breath could be
raised against them"
"And the second theory?"
THAT there had been careless
ness of some sort. That, too, was
disproved, for no one had entered
the magazines for many hours
previous to the explosion. It is a
rule Of the service that, except
when in use, the keys of all maya
zines shall be in keeping of the
commander, who is responsible
for them. At the inquiry, the
commander of the Jena testified
that the keys had not left his pos
session during the two days pre-
feeding the accident. There had
tbcen no occasion to enter the mag.
azines during that time. The Jena,
You will remember, was at anchor
lin Toulon harbor, just as the
n,ELiberte was::'
Delcasse glanced at his compan.
ion keenly.
Does that fact suggest moth.
ing to you, lenini" he asked.
T. Nothing, sir" said Lepine
firmly. have thought Of it all
day, and l can see in it nothing ex,
cept coincidence"
Coincidence! Coincidencel !
detest the world do not believ,
in coincidence !" muttered tn,
minister.
"Nor l." agreed Lepine; "bu'
even less do / believe IN vagu,