Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-02-14

did not utter a cry. He simply
muttered:
"Oh, is it possible -"
By the pale CLEAN Of light that
entered through a ground glass
window they saw the body Of a
man lying on the floor.
"The inspectorl Inspector Yer
ot!" gasped the office messenger,
running forward.
He and the secretary raised the
body and placed it in an armchair
in the projects office.
Inspector Verot was still alive,
but so little alive that they could
scarcely hear the beating of his
heart. A drop Of saliva trickled
from the corner of his mouth. His
eyes were devoid of all expression.
However, certain muscles of the
face kept moving, perhaps with
the effort of a will that seemed to
linger almost beyond life.
Don Luis muttered:
"Look, Monsieur lie Prefet-the
brown patches!'
The same dread unnerved all.
They began to ring bells and open
doors and call for help.
"Send for the doctor!" ordered
M. Desmalions. "Tell them to
bring a doctor, the first that comes
and a priest. We can't let the
poor man."
Don Luis raised his arm to de-
mand silence.
"There is nothing more to be
DONE" he said. eve shall do bet
ter to make the most of these last
moments. Have I your permission,
Monsieur lie Prefet7"
He bent over the dying man, laid
the swaying head against the back
Of the chair, and, in a very gentle
voice, whispered:
"Verot, it's Monsieur lie Prefet
speaking to you. We should like
a few particulars about what is to
take place tonight. Do you hear
me, Verot? If you hear me, close
your eyelids?"
The eyelids were lowered. But
was it not merely chance? Don
Luis went On.
"You have found the heirs Of
the Roussel sisters, that much we
know and it is two of those heirs
who are threatened with death.
The double murder is to be com
mitted tonight. But what we do
not know is the name of those
heirs, who are doubtless not called
Roussel. You must tell us the
name.
"Listen to me: you wrote on a
memorandum pad three letters
which eel to form the syllable
Eau Am I right? Is this the
first syllable Of a name? Which
is the next letter after those threeY
Close your eyes when | mention
the right letter. Is it Big Is it
But there was now not a flicker
IN the inspectors paid face. The
head dropped heavily on the chest.
Verot gave two or three signs, his
frame shook with one great shiver,
and he moved no more.
He was dead.
The tragic scene had been en-
acted sc swiftly that the men who
We're its shnddering spectators re-
manned for a moment COMPOUNDED.
The solicitor made the sign of the
cross and went down on his knees.
The project murmured:
Poor Verot! He was a
good man, who thought only Of
the service, Of his duty. Instead
of going and getting himself seen
to-and who knows7 Perhaps he
might have been saved-he came
back here in the hope Of COM
municating his secret. Poor
Verot -"
Was he married7 Are there
any children2" asked Don Luis.
"He leaves a wife and three
children" replied the project.
II will look after them" said
Don Luis simply.
Then, when they brought a doc
tor and when NJ. Desmalions gave
orders for the corpse to be carried
to another room, Don Luis took
the doctor aside and said:
There is no doubt that Inspec-
tor Verot was poisoned. Look at
his wrist: you will see the mark of
a puncture with a ring Of inflam-
nation round it."
"Then he was pricked in that
tplacei"
eyes, with a pin or the point Of
a pen and not as violently as they
may have wished, because death
did not ensure until some hours
later"
The messengers removed the
aoNn,rn. oo5 .~o AI~~.