Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-11-06

detective was followed by two men
and stabbed, but, fortunately, not
killed. Lecoq, thinking he recognized
the count and Raoul, decided that
they realized that the police suspected
them of robbing the bank, and also
that there must be an even greater
mystery to unravel that had caused
them to become would-be assassins,
Records were looked up and an amaz
ing story came to light.
Lecoq discovered that years ago
Nine. Fauvel, then Valentine de Yer
berie, had been engaged to the counts
brother, CASTOR. In defending her
name at a country inn, CASTOR had
| killed a man and fed to America, al
though he was thought to have been
drowned while escaping. A son was
born to Valentine and given away by
her mother. Later she had married
Fauvel, who was told nothing.
The story was never unearthed I'M
til Count Louis had squandered the
family money and by mere chance had
heard of the child's existence from an
old nurse. He made inquiries. Not
long after this, the count introduced a
young man to Nine. Fauvel as her. son,
to serve his own ends and to extract
hush-money. This young man was
called her nephew and proved to be
Raoul Layers.
The situation became even more
complicated. CASTOR returned from
America immensely rich, not knowing
Of the existence of his son, but deter
mined to see his old love Valentine
once more. Louis, however, realized
that for his own ends, CASTOR and
Nine. Fauvel must never meet. He
joined CASTOR in the south of France
and got into his good graces. CASTOR
made a WILL leaving everything to
Louis; then poor CASTOR became
mysteriously Ill and died. Louis re-
turned to Paris rich.
Madeleine seemed to wish to delay
her marriage. The count feared she
still loved Prosper, so he promised
Raoul large sum if he would in some
way ruin the cashiers reputation,
thinking thus to hasten his own mar
riage. as he really was in love with
Madeleine. The moment came when
Raoul overheard Prosper telling Gypsy
he constantly thought of heI at the
bank. He then went to his mother
and said he would shoot himself if he
did not have large sum of money
that very night to pay gambling
debt She got for him the key to the
safe. The poor lady had already given
him all her money and jewels and had
nothing left to bestow. AT the last
moment she tried to stop him. hence
the scratch that was discovered later.
When she inquired how he knew the
word that made up the combination,
Raoul said that Prosper had given 1t
to him and they were to divide the
money between themselves.
Owing to the anonymous letter, M.
Fauvel intercepted his wife's mail, and
one day found letter from Raoul ask
ing her to go to his villa. NJ. Fauvel
followed. and on entering and seeing
| his wife in the arms of the young man,
pulled out his pistol to shoot, but for
tunately it did not go off, as Gypsy,
who had become Medicines maid, un-
der LecoQ's Instructions in order to
watch the house, had taken out the
bullets. At this point the great detec-
| tive appeared and told the banker the
whole story. He then demanded the
$4,000 francs which had been stolen
| and Raoul returned the money; and
what was more remarkable still, Lecoq
| showed them papers that proved
Raoul was not Nine. Fauvels son
after all-her son had died-and the
by the count to play the part so as to
secure money from Nine. Fauvel at
| the time when the count was poor.
| before CASTOR had died.
During the conversation Raoul had
made his escape. but no one cared. for
the Fauvels naturally wished to keep
| the story secret. and it ended happily
for NJ. Fauvel forgave his wife her
early indiscretions. Lecoq was just
| about TO arrest the count for his many
crimes when the wicked old man went
insane and kept repeating constantly
that his brother CASTOR was poisoning
| him. Strange to relate. the great Lee
cog married pretty Nine. Gypsy, whom
| he had known and loved for years.
Prosper. of course, married Madeleine
| and M. Fauvel retired from the bank
The firm is now called Prosper Ber-
| tony & 10 This amazinp rooord Of
crime still remains in the police court
| in Paris and can be found in file No.
11Se
Copyright. 1919 by the Post Publishing Co.
| {The Boston Post0