Widnes Examiner. — 1909-05-15 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

PUIBERTON  CHAPTER XXX. (Continued)  [Jules rarman s'.nds to Henry Gastonard some account of his stewardship.]  It is true, Monsieur, that the crime itself gives no clue to such Ft study of intention. At the fiist blush I might argue that the disappearance of Madame, who, I do not doubt, has been forcibly abducted from your house, _points_ to thfact _that _blackmail_ is the issue; but we arc not to forget that an alternative presents itseif, and that these men having committed this crime, must for very safety's 'sake also silence the solitary witness of it. So they abduct Madame, and held her as a hostage either until they gain a place of safety or have purchased her silence in another way.  Of ,these alternatives, it is my sincere hope that the former approximates to the truth rather than to the latter. Men whose one desire is gain will resort to extreme measures reluctantly. I should fear lea from the avowed criminals of Paris, who have a precious secret to sell, than from others whose projects may be more daring. such evidence as. I can collect helps me to the belief that it is with the criminals of Paris that I have to deal.  Permit me to recapitulate this evidence as briefly ad may be.  And firstly, that of your neighbour, Captain Esmond, the officer of Marine who witnessed the Count's arrival at your house. This he declares to have been within ten minutes of your departure—so proving that the Count was aware of your absence and de sired immediately to avail himself of an unexpected opportunity. Secondly, the evidence of the cabman Williams, who testifies that a sniall coveredmotor-car waited the third part of an hour or more at the corner of the street near by the great house, Bell Moor, and passed him later on near Swiss Cottage station, going at a great pace in the direction of Regent's Park Thirdly, the evidence of the boy, Ham Carter, who- spoke to the driver of the car and obtained' an answer—he believes in the French tongue, but is unable to. say; so ignorant of any other tongue is he. Fourthly, the evidence of the servant girl, Cecily Rayner, who declares that she saw a man climbing over the garden wall of No. 4 about the hour of this crime, and that shr mentioned the matter to her mistress, who immediately went out to the garden but di, covered the house to be in darkness and hear( no sound of any kind.  This, Monsieur, is our evidence. To -me th, conclusions are very natural I—That the Count was murdered almos4. immediately he entered your -house. 2—That the assassin entered by way of thei garden, passed through your sitting-room and struck the unhappy roan while he wal actually in conversation with Mpdame.  3—That this crime was so- swift, so brutal, and so renforseless that your wife fell in a faint—and so tying was carried immediately to the carriage without being able to offer any resistance whatever. 4—That the assassin was either in the ser vice of the Count, or so situated as to be ir possesaion of his plans and intentions, 'fine thus able to forestall. them. _  Such, Monsieur; is the result of the work I have had the honour to do for you. I co, fess with regret that we have dug but a poor foundation, and that the corner-stone of our house is yet to be laid. This task must be accomplished not in London ,but in .Paris. I leave to-night by the boat train from Charing Cross and beg yo tt to accompany me. For in Paris alone, --Monsieur, shall we discover why the Count il'Antoine visited Madame Gastonard, and what was the secret, so precious to hint and to others, which he could disclose to her alone. I have the honour to be, Monsieur, Your obedient servant, • JULES lIENRY