The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-08-22

Nohing now could prevent the
fulfilment Of his wishes. At II
o'clock in the evening, Nine.
Fauville-to whom no doubt, in
the course Of the day, initiating
Sauverand's handwriting, he had
sent a letter-one Of those letters
which are always torn up at once,
in which Sauverand entreated the
poor woman to grant him an in
~terview at the Ranelagh-Mme.
Fauville would leave the opera,
and, before going to Nine. DER
singers party, would spend an
hour not far from the house.
"Ou the other hand, Sauverand
would be performing his usual
Wednesday pilgrimage less than
half a mile away, in the opposite
direction. During this time the
crime would be committed.
J Both Of them would come un-
der the notice Of the police, either
by M. Fauville's illusions or by
the incident at the Cafe du Pont-
Neuf; both Of them, moreover,
would be incapable either Of prov
ing an alibi or Of explaining their
presence so near the house were
not both of them bound to be ac-
cused and convicted Of the crinci
800 In the most unlikely event
that some chance should protect
them, there was an undeniable
proof lying ready to hand III tie
shape Of the apple containing the
very marks Of Marie Fauville's
teeth And then, q few weeks
later, the last and decisive trick,
the mysterious arrival at intervals
Of 10 days. CT the letters denounc-
ing the pair. SO everything was
settled.
"The smallest details we're fore
seen with Internal c~learness. You
remember, Monster lie l'refe', that
turquorise which dropped out of
my ring and was found in the
safef There were only four per-
sons who could have seen it en-
picked it up. M. Fauville was one
Of them. Well, he was just the
one, whom we all excepted; aid
yet it was he who, to cast sNsp;-
cion upon me and to forestall an
interference which he felt would
be dangerous, seized the oppor-
tunity and placed the turquoise in
the safe
"This time the work was com
pleted. Fate was about to tie full
filled. Between the 'hater' and
his victims there was but the dis.
tancc Of one act. The act was per-
formed. M. Fauville died."
Don Luis ceased. His words
were followed by a long silence;
and he felt certain that the ex-
traordinary story which he had
just finished telling met with the
absolute approval Of his hearers.
They did not discuss, they be-
lieved. And yet it was the most
incredible truth that he was ask
ing them to believe.
M. Desmalions asked one last
question.
"You were in that passage with
Sergeant Mazeroux. There we've
detectives outside the house. Ad-
hitting that NJ. Fauvillc knew
that he was to be killed that night
and at that very hour Of the night
who can have killed him and who
can have killed his sonf There
was NO one within these four
walls"
"There was M. Fauville."
A sudden clamor cf protests
arose. The veil was promptly
torn; and the spectacle revealed
by Don Luis provoked, in addition
to horror, an unforeseen outburst
Of increduulity and a sort Of revolt
against the too kindly attention
which had been accorded to those
explanations. The project Of pc.
lice expressed the general feeling
by exclaiming:
Enough Of words! Enough Of
theories However logical they
may seem, they lead to absurd
conclusions"
absurd in appearance, Mon
sieur lie Prefet; but how do we
know that NJ. Fauville's unheard
Of conduct is not explained by
very natural reasons9 Of course,
no one dies with a light heart for
the mere pleasure of revenge. But
how do we know that M. Fauville,
whose extreme emaciation and
pallor you must have noted as /
did, was not stricken by some
mortal illness and that, knowing
himself doomed"
81 repeat, enough Of words"
cried the project. "You 60 only
by suggestions. What l want is