Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1901-02-15 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

XVIII., "this affair seisms to me to! have a decided connection with that which occupies our attention; and the death of' Cameral Quesnelerill, perhaps, pat its no tho dirreit track of a great internal conspiracy." At the name of General Quetinel Villefort trembled. "All combines, sir," said the minister of police, "to insure the probability that this death is not the retult of a suicide, as we at first believed, but of an assassination. General Qumnel had quitted, US it appears. a Bonapartist club when he disappeared. An unknown perion had been with him in the Rue Saint Jacques; unfortunately. the getterak's yalet-declismbre. who was stressing his hair at the moment when the stranger entered, heard the. atreet mentioned, but did not catch the number." As the neliee minister misted this to the, king, Villefort,,who seemed as if his very exist-, knee hung on Ile lips, turned alternately red: and pale. The king looked towards him. "Do you not think with me, M 0 de Villefort,: that General :Quesnel, ss hom they believed attached to the usurper. hut vim was really entirely devoted to me, has perished the victim of I a Bonapartist ambush?" "It is probable, sire," replied Villefort. "But is this,ll that is known?" "They are on the traces of the man who appointed the meeting with him." "On his tracm?" said Villefort. "Yes, the servant his given his description. 1 He is a Mail of from fifty to fifty-two years of age. br,,wn. with black eyes, covered with shaggy eyebrows, and a thick moustache. He: was dressed in a blue 'Lock coat, buttoned up to the and won at his buttonhole the rosette if an ottieer iff the Legion of Honour. Yesterday an indiyideral was followed exactly corresponding with thin description, but he was lost sight of at the corner of the Rue de la Jussienne :net the Rae Coq Heron." Villefort leaned on the litek of an urns-chair; for in proportion as the minister of police spoke, he felt his legs bend under him; but when he learnt that tht unknown had escaped the vigilance of the avert who followed him, he breathed again. "Continue to seek for this man, sir," said the king to the minister of police; "for if, as all conspires to convince me, General Quesnel, who would have been so useful to us at this moment, has been murdered, his assassins, Bomapartists or not, shall be cruelly punished." It rewired all VilleferCs "sang frost" not to betray the terror witg which this declaration of the king inspired him. "How strange," continued the king. with some asperity; "the police think all is said when it says, 'A murder -has been committed.' and particularly when it adds 'And we are on the trace of the guilty persons.'" "Sire, your majesty will, I trust, be amply satiafied on this paint at least." "We shall see; I a-ill no longer detain you, banes:. M. de Villefort, you must be fatigued after so long a journey, go and repose yourself. Of course you stopped at your father's." A faintness came over Villefort. "No. sire." he replied. "I alighted at the Iktel de Madrid, in the Rue de Tournon." "But you ham seen him?" "Sire. I went straight to M. Is Comte de Maces."  "But you will s.ee him, then:" "I think not, sire." "Ah. I forgot." said Louis, smiling in a manner which proved that all these questions -were oat made witbeat a motive; "I forgot you and M. Noirtier are not on the best terms possible, and that this is another sacrifice made to the naval cause. and for which you should be recompensed." "Sire, the kindness yinir majesty deigns to evince towards me is a recompense which so far surpasses my utmost ambition that I have nothing more to request." "Never mind, sir, we will not forget you; make your mind easy. In the meanwhile (the king here detached the Cross of the Legion of Honour lie usually wore over his blue coat, near the Cross of St Louis, above the order of Notre-Dante-du-Mont Carmel and St Laaare, and gave it to Villefort)—"in the meanwhile take this cross." "Sire," said Villefort. "your majesty mis.l takes; this cress is that of an officer.' "Ma foi." said Louis