Evening star., 1925-07-26

L
Villers-en-Amont." He held up the
telegram.
If we expected any collapse of the
prisoner, we were disappointed. He
continued to smile.
'I regret 1 have not the honor OF
her acquaintance.
You persist that you do not know
herr"
II have never heard of her in my
life"
THAT we shall see. And this charge
of numbering Jules Monnier-have you
anything more to say?"
Il have already admitted it. He
had, in fact, admitted it during the
| week. 1T was crime passionnel.
knew his friendship with my wife.
did not know that he was her lover
When 1 discovered 1t 1 killed him
The jury will acquit me-"
Nevertheless, replied the commits
sary, II am impelled to go to Villers
en-Amont and investigate"
''As NJ. Dieulafoy's representative,
should like TO accompany you" said
the chief.
BY all means, NJ. ouayne."
X x
THE next day the chief and I stood
in the little inn at Villers-en-
Amont, waiting for lunch. The com
missary had gone for a few words
with the postmistress. He wanted tc
| make sure whether Mile. Leroux haC
received any correspondence recently
We looked out of the window while
the landlady laid the table.
| The chief engaged her in converse
ton. learning what he could of the
place and its inhabitants.
"Ah, non, monsieur" said the ole
dame, nothing happens in this tomt
| OF place. The chateau is empty
| There is only NJ. Benet, the cure; Mile
Pichon, his niece, and Nile. Leroux
who lives at the white house on the
hill"
Mile. Ieroux?" said Mr.. Quayne
II once knew a Mile. Leroux. Die
this Mile. Leroux ever live at Bor
| deaux?"
mo, monsieur. She came from Ar
cis-sur- -Marne, in the war area She
was telegraphist at the post office
there. Her uncle died and left hel
| his house, and she came to live here
| Mais, there she isr' The hostess
pointed to quiet-looking woman in a
white linen dress who passed in the
glare of the sunshine. "Ah, qu'elle
est flere aves sa robe de Paris!
"A dress from Paris?" said Mr.
| Quayne. But how do you know 1t is
| a dress from Paris?"
"Ah, monsieur, in place like this
one knows everything. Mile. Lerou1
received that dress a week ago. The
receveuse at the post office told me
| 1t came from Paris, for she noticed
| the postmark."
The commissary returned, and we
| sat down to lunch. He shook his hea6
! to our inquiry.
"A little woman of retiring anc
blameless life,'' he said And she ha.
received nothing by post or telegraph
for many months. The postmistress is
| quite sure"
Except dress from Paris" sale
Mr.. Quayne.
| Except a dress from Paris" agreed
| the commissary. But there was ne
| also sure of that, for the string hac
come undone and she had the curl
| osity to look inside. At least, that il
| what the postmistress said. More
probably she united it herself anG
| looked inside for some indication O,
the sender. And for Mile. Leroux tc
receive such a thing was most un
| usual
Was there any indication of the
| sender of the box?" asked Mr.. Quayne
| None. l inquired particularly"
HIN! Well interview Mile. Lerou1
and hear what she has to say"
After lunch we climbed the hill tc
Mile. Leroux's house. Mile. Leroux
| we could guess, was expecting visitors
| in answer to her letter.
She came in a moment later-s
thin. shy-looking little woman with
tragic eyes. She was wearing the
Paris frock. 1t was a simple enough
affair in crisp white linen, with g
spiral design in little blue beads or
| the corsage, and a zigzag design il
similar beads around the hem of the
skirt.
| The commiSSary stated our business
NJ. st. Georges was in prison on the
charge not only of robbery but of muir
| der, and under no circumstances short
of a verdict of acquittal could he bt
released. But if Mile. Leroux had an,
knowledge of the diamonds it was hel
duty to declare the fact. ConceaImen
rendered her liable to prosecution a:
an accessory.
II will only reveal what I know il
Nd. st. Georges is released" she saiC
| firmly.
! "Mademoiselle, that is impossible.
declared the commissary. And it il
lnconceivable that a person of your
character should compromise herseI
by soicitude for such a scoundrel a.
| this NJ. st. Georges-or Henri Dubois
! to give him his real name"
Nevertheless, only on that condi
tion will I speak," she said.
| But why do you take this interes
in Dubois?" persisted the commissary
He is my husband"
Your husbandi But-pardon me
emoiselle-madame- wa,
married to the actress who was shot
Angelo Levasseur."
He married me at Arcis- sur Marn,
in July, 1915" said the little woman
HE was then a telegraphist in tn,
army"
He is then a bigamist-as well a,
O. thlef-and perhaps worse"
Very probably" agreed the woman
But he is my husband. And he ha.
put his trust in me. 1 cannot abus,
1t. 1 can only use 1t to save his life
or at any rate to save him from
prison.
Madame" said the comnissary
this obstinacy will not help you. /,
you know what has become of the oh
jects stolen by Dubois, he must hav,
communicated with you. You will pu
me to the necessity of searching youl
house,
You may search" said Nine. Du
bois. You will find nothing"
How, then, did he communicat,
with you?"
Nine. Dubois shrugged.
"It is useless to question me, NJ. Il
Commissaire," she said. t'You car
even put me in prison, but you vii