Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-25

contents of this secretaire.
~ i
| \ IKE a fash Gustave had gone the
- length of the Rue de la Harpe,
driven ever by his terror of the
| consequences of his deed But as he
! neared the corner of the Cordeliers,
he was brought suddenly to a halt
| by the measured tread OF approach
/ ing steps.
He knew it at once for the march
of patrol, and his consciousness of
4 what he had done made him fearful
lof meeting these servants of the law,
l.who might challenge him and demand
to know whence he was and whittier
he went at such an hour-for the
new reign Of universal liberty had
himposed stern limitations upon indi-
| vidual freedom. i
! He vanished into the darkness of a
| doorway, and crouched there to wait
until these footsteps should have
faded again into the distance. And IT
was in those moments as he leaned
there, painting, that his fiendishly
wick ed notion first assaiIed him. He
| gloom one might have caught the
| CLEAN of his teeth as he smiled
evilly to himself.
| He was his cousins heir. Could he
| but fasten the guilt OF that murder
upon the thief ne had left so callously
at work in the very room where the
| body lay, then never again need he
know want. And the thief, being a
| thief, deserved no less.
| He had no doubt at all that the
| fellow would never have hesitated to
do the murder had 1t been forced
upon him by circumstances. He re-
| Elected further, and realized how aptly
| set was the stage for such a comedy
as he had in mind. Had not that
| fool compelled him to drop the very
weapon with which the deputy S
| skull had been smashed?
| No single link was missing in the
| main chain of complete evidence
against the thief, Gustave realized
| that here was a chance sent him by
! friendly fortune. Tomorrow it would
| be too late. In seeking his cousin s
| murderer, the authorities would as
| certain that he was the one man who
stood to profit by the citizen repre-
sentative's death, and, having dis
| covered that, they would compel him
| to render an account OF his move
ments that night. They would cross
| question and confeund him, seeing
| that he could give no such account
as they would demand
He was resolved. He would act at
| once Not three minutes had sped
| since he had left that house. and IL
| was impossible that in the meantime
the thief could have done his work
and taken his departure.
< r r
A ND so upon that fell resolve he
~ flung out of his concealment
and ran on up the street toward the
Cordeliers to meet the advancing
patrol. shouting as he went; STOP
thief! Stop thiefF'
He heard the patrol quickening
their steps in response to his cry
and presently he found himself face
to face with four men of the National
Guard, who, as It CHANGED, were &C
companied by an agent of the section
In civilian dress and scarf OF once.
Down there" he cried, pointing
back down the street. "a thief has
broken into the house of my cousin
nv cousin the Citizen Representative
Clairvaux" He gathered Importance,
he knew, from this proclamation OF
mis- relationship with one of the
great ones of the convention.
However. the agent of the section
paused to question him why ala
you not follow him, citizenT
II am without weapons, and 1 be-
armed Besides, l heard you APP
preaching in the distance, and l
thought Il best to run to summon
YOU. and thus we may make sure OF
taking him"
The agent considered him, his white
face-seen in the light of the lantern
carried by the patroi-his shaking
limbs and gasping speech, and con-
cluded that he had to deal with an
arrant coward, nor troubled TO con-
ceai his contempt.
'sIn the name of Jove," he growled.
And meantime the citizen represent
alive may have been murdered in mis-
bed"
81 pray mott On, I pray not!' Gus
tave cried pantingly. Quickly. citi-
zens, quickly! Terrible things may
happen while we stand here"
They went down the street at run
to the house of Clairvaux, whose door
they found open as Gustave had left 1t
when he departed.
where did he break in2' asked
one of the guards.
by the door" said Gustave. He
had keys, l think. oh, quickr'
In the passage he perceived faint
CLEAN of light to assure him that the
thief was still at work. He swung
round to them, and raised a hand.
Quietly" he whispered. Quietiy'
so that we do not disturb him.
The patrol thrust forward. and en-
tered the house in his wake. He led
them straight toward the half-open
door of the study, from which the light
was issuing, as ii to guide them. he
flung wide the door and entered,
while the men crowding after him
came to sudden halt upon the
threshold in sheer amazement at
what they beheld.
AT their feet lay the body of the
"a Citizen Representative Clairvaux
in a raiment that in itself seemed to
proclaim how hastily he had risen
from his bed to deal with this mid
night intruder: and there at the
secretaire, now open, Its drawers
broken and their contents scattered
all about the floor, sat Duroc, white
faced, his beady rats eyes consid-
ering them.
Gustave broke into lamentations at
sight of his cousins body. I'VE are
too late! Mon Dieu, we are too late!
He is dead--dead. And look here
is the weapon with which he was
slain! And there sits the murderer
caught in the very act Seize him!
All, scoundrelp' he ragged, shaking his
fist In the thief's white. startled face.
You shall be made to pay for this"
"Comediani" said Duroc.
Seize him; seize him. cried
Gustave in a frenzy.
The guards sprang across the room,
and laid hands upon Duroc to prevent
his having recourse to any weapons.