Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-03-21
undeniably to her. to her alone.

ting before them was the mother
of Edmond Fauville. NJ. Desma-
lions had his eyes on Don Luis
Perenna, who wrote a few words
on a card and handed it to the pre-
feet.
NJ. Desmalions, who was gradu-
ally resuming toward Don Luis his
courteous attitude of the day be-
fore, read it, reflected a moment,
and put this question to Nine.
Fauville:
"What was your son Edmond's
age?"
Seventeen"
"You look so young"
edmond was not my son, but
my stepson, the son Of my hus-
band by his first wife, who died"
"Ah! SO Edmond Fauville-"
muttered the project, without fin
ishing his sentence.
In two minutes the whole situa.
ton had changed. In the eyes Of
the magistrates, Nine. Fauville
was no longer the widow and
mother who must on no account be
attacked. She had suddenly be.
come a woman whom circum.
stances compelled them to cross
examine. However prejudiced
they might be in her favor, how.
ever charmed by the seductive
qualities of her beauty, they were
inevitably bound to ask them
selves, whether for some reason Oh
other, for instance, in order to ba
alone in the enjoyment of the
enormous fortune, she had not had
the madness to kill her husband
and to kill the boy who was only
her husbands son. In any case,
the question was there, calling fol
a solution.
The project of police contin
ued:
EDO you know this turquoise?',
She took the stone which he
held out to her and examined il
without the least sign Of confu,
sion.
"No," she said. IT have an OLD
fashioned turquoise necklace,
which Inever wear, but the stones
are larger and none Of them hal
this irregular shape"
eve found this one in thu
safe," said M. Desmalions. ct
forms part of a ring belonging I'd
a person whom we know"
"Well," she said eagerly, "yoS
must find that person."
HE is here" said the project
pointing to Don Luis, who had
been standing some way off and
who had not been noticed by Nine
Fauville.
She started at the sight of Per-
emma and cried, very excitedly:
"But that gentleman was here
yesterday evening! He was talk
ing to my husband--and so was
that other gentleman" she said
referring to Sergeant Mazeroux,
"You must question them, find
out why they were here. You un
derstand that, if the turquoise be
longed to one Of them"
The insinuation was direct, bu>
clumsy; and it lent the greatest
weight to Perenna's unspoker
argument:
"The turquoise was picked un
by some one who saw me yester.
day, and who wishes to compro
mise me. Apart from NJ. Fauvilla
and the detective sergeant, only
two people saw me: S~ilvestre, thu
manservant, and Nine. Fauville
Consequently, az Silvestre is out.
side the question, I accuse Nine,
Fauville Of putting the turquoise
in the safe"
M. Desmalions asked:
will you let me see the neck.
lace, madame?"
Certainly. It is with my Other
jewels, in my wardrobe. I will go
for it."
"Pray don't trouble, madame,
Does your maid know the neck-
lacef"
"Quite well.'
I'm that case, Sergeant Mazer-
oux will tell her what is wanted"
Not a word was spoken during
the few minutes for which Mazer-
oux was absent. Mime. Fauville
seemed absorbed in her grief. NJ,
Desmalions kept his eyes fixed on
her.
The sergeant returned, carry
ing a very large box containing q
number of jewel cases and loose
ornaments.
M. Desmalions found the neck
lace, examined it, and realized, in
fact, that the stones did not re-
semble the TURQUOISE and that