The Monmouth inquirer., 1918-02-07
The Little
Fortune
BY ArneId FredsFleks.
Sopyright.-The frank A.
Munsey Co.
BY Arnold Frsdsrleka.

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"They also opened the package and
took out the franc piece for which
they had gone to all this trouble.
When / tell you that its value is not
less than a million francs you will
understand the object they had in
view.
"A million francs!" exclaimed Mr.
Germaine His words were echoed
by the others in the room.
Exactly. But to continue. They
had first, so Vernon states in his
confession, planned to throw the
body overheard, but later had dis
carded this as too dangerous. The
sound of the body striking the water
would, they feared, be heard by some
one on deck.
after a great deaf of thought they
had decided, before leaving Havre, on
another plan, and one which but for
a curious and, on their part unfortu-
nate mistake, would have been entire
ly successful.
"They had decided to replace the
package in Musset's pocket, substitu-
ting for the franc piece another of the
same period, and which would be. for
all any one could tell, precisely like
IT. They then proposed TO throw the
body into the forward hold, where it
would not be discovered until the
cargo was removed in New York.
''They knew that the body, after
lying in the hold for nearly week,
would be practically unrecognizable.
They calculated on Vernon's clothes,
papers, etc, as well as the package
containing the coin and letter IN the
dead mans pocket, proving sufficient
evidence that the body was that of
Vernon himself This would end all
pursuit. Vernon dead. the package
found, there would be no further
cause for investigation.
"They realized that Mile. Mercier
would probably discover that the let
ter from her father was forgery, but
they expected by this time to be safe
" out of the way.
'1n order TO carry oft this plan
they had to shave off Musset's black
beard. Vernon, meanwhile. had as
sumed false black beard, and had
built out his nose to disguise his
features. There vas no necessity for
him to resemble Musset, except in a
very general way. No one had OBJ
tanned a good look at Reinhardt's
invalid companion since he came on
board
Having completed their prepara-
tons, they walked with Musset,
eather dead or under the influence of
drug, to the forward hatch, and
threw him into the hold. Doubtless
they also calculated that the force of
the fall upon the heavy machinery
with which the vessel was loaded
would render the body still further
nnsecognizable. The results proved
that In this they were entirely cor
rect.
When the body was found no one
suspected it of being other than Yer
mons The latter had ever placed
lingering he habitually wore upon
the dead mans finger.
81 have said that but for one mis-
take the perpetrators OF the crime
would never have been captured.
should say but for two. One of these
consisted in overlooking a gold locket
which hung about Musset's neck. The
other, and most unfortunate one, from
their standpoint, consisted in the fact
that they got the two franc pieces, alb
soIutely identical in outward appear
ances, mixed. They put the one be-
longing to Mile. MERCER into the dead
mans pocket and retained the worth
less one themselves.
They made this discovery the fol
lowing day, but they were then
powerless. The forward hatch had
been closed. not to be opened again
until the vessel reached New York.
Instead. therefore. of being able to
st once make off with their plunder,
Vernon and Reinhardt were obliged
to 60 to the Hotel Rochambeau, know
ing that within a short time Mr. Nor
ris would deliver to Mile. Mercier the
coin they were after.
That very afternoon Vernon and
Reinhardt got into bitter quarrel
concerning the latter's responsibility
for retaining the wrong coin. Rein
hardt had made the mistake, Vernon
taunted him with it. Reinhard at
tackled him. and Vernon killed him
Nith his knife. The coin. the cause