Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-05-31

ly did not ma III.
AS they were descending the gang
plank Mr.. Morris joined them.
"I am going to deliver this package
to Miss Mercier at once," he said.
what is the address?" asked
Duvall.
Hotel Rochambeau. It is small
French hotel on Twenty-Second
Street. / understand that Mercier's
daughter is employed there as a maid.
Would you gentlemen care to go
along? We might learn something
about this curious affair. 1 confess l
am by no means satisfied with the
outcome of It,"
"Nor l." remarked Duvall grimly.
"a very clever and mysterious crime
has been committed on board the
Richelieu, and we know no more about
1t now than we did at the start. Both
M. Lefevre and myself will be glad
to accompany you, but first we must
60 TO our hotel.
my wife is expecting us there at
fve o'clock" He glanced at his watch.
why not go there first and then go
on to the Rochambeau? Mrs. Duvall
has been making some investigations
that may prove of value"
Mr.. Morris agreed. He seemed to
take a deep interest in the affair. In
twenty minutes they had reached the
hotel on Forty-Second Street where
the Duvalls were stopping.
Mrs. Duvall had not yet appeared.
After seeing the prefect comfortably
installed in an adjoining suite, the
whole party gathered in the parlor of
Duvalls apartment to await Grace's
return.
AS they waited Duvall explained to
Mr.. Morris, much to the latter's sur
prise, the discoveries he had made on
board the ship.
1.-THE purser, Vernon" he said in
conclusion, was in Haussman's room
that night. The presence Of his scarf
pin under the berth, the blood-stains
on the door to my mind prove it.
believe that he did not fall into the
hold accidentally, but was thrown
there. Why, l cannot imagine. Furth-
er, l believe that the package you
have in your pocket was opened, for
some reason, either in the purser's
Office or in. Haussman's room before
1t was placed in Vernon's pocket. He
could have had no reason to have it
there himself. Why should the pur
ser take an apparently valueiess pack
age from the safe, put it in his pocket,
and then go and fail into the hold? 1t
Is absurd"
Highly So" assented Mr.. Norris.
But whether the package was opened
purposely, or the seal broken by acci-
dent in Vernon's fall will probably
never be known"
"On the contrary" said Duvall,
drawing from his pocket the three lit
| tie envelopes of dust which he had
removed from the floors of the three
| few minutes
| How" asked the banker, regard
| ing him with surprise. r.
MAY / look at the package you
have in your pocket?" asked Duvall.
Certainly" Mr.. Morris handed over
| to him the crumpled envelope.
Duvall pointed to the seal. 1t had
originally been about the size of a
half-dollar, and quite thick, with the
imprint of the bankers seal-ring in
the center. This imprint had been
broken squarely across, but not other
| wise greatly damaged. A considera-
BILE portion of the outer part Of the
| seal, however, had faxed off and was
| missing.
| II see" said the banker; "but
doubtless the remainder of the wax is
to be found in the purser's pocket"
| mo-" replied Duvall. Il looked"
| Then he opened the three packages of
dust, spread each out carefully on a
sheet of paper, and began to examine
them with a powerful magnifying-
| glass.
Suddenly he gave an exclamation of
satisfaction. Look he said, hand
ing the glass to Lefevre and Mr.. Nor.
ris in turn. There, clearly visible
under the glass, were dozen or more
fakes of the same green sealing-wax
| which was to He seen on the package
Mr.. Morris held in his hand.
Which room did they come from?'
asked the prefect eagerly.
| Prom Haussman's, as I expected.
The man was in his berth almost con.
tinuously throughout the trip. He.
practically never left his room. To
that fact we owe the preservation OF
these bits of evidence. The room was
not swept" -
And why do you think the fellow
remained in his room so closely?''
asked Mr.. Morris.
Because" said Mr.. Duvall. "he, is
undoubtedly criminal well known to
the police. His long beard, his rheu-
matism,fI believe to be merely dis
guise. This morning found oa q
piece of shaving paper in his room q
quantity of black hairs, mixed with
soap. He had been shaving. 1t must
| have been him, for his companion