Year: 1859

that it hurt his shoulder, and he'begged
of me to lift it on alone.


professed to be willing to comply,
and stopped down for that purpose, keep
ing my head in such position that l
could watch him by sidelong glance.
AS l bent over and took hold of the sack,
l saw him carry his hand to his bosom.
and draw something out. l saw his dark
eye flash, and heard his quick, eager
breathing. In an instant seized his
wrist, and bent it upwards, and as l did
so, l heard sharp report, like the ex-
plosion of a percussion cap, and saw a
tiny wreath of smoke curl up from the
hand l held. He struggled to free him.
self from my grasp, but | held him with
a grip of iron and fastened my gaze up
on him. "Tve found you, have l % |
said, drawing one ofmy pistols and cock
ing it. 81 will simply inform you that
l am an officer of the Prefecture, and
that l have been hunting for you. Just
offer particle more of resistance, and a
bullet goes through your brain /! Now
give me that weapon"


The boy was frightened, and trembled
violently.


at is only tobacco-pipe." he said,
as he handed it to me.


And certainly, it looked like nothing
more but / had seen enough of it to
know there was evil in it. 1t appeared
to be an ordinary meerschaum pipe. the
bowl being colored as though by long
use-only the amber mouth piece was
missing. l did not stop to examine it
then, but turned my attention to the
owner l saw that he was still trembling
with fear, and knew that now would be
the time to work upon him.


$50 you are selling your soul to Mon
sieur Louis Cazaubon ?" 1 remarked, by
way of letting him know that was thor
oughly informed.


He started, and / saw very plainly
that he knew just what meant but he
tried to recover himself, and clumsily
asserted that he did not know anything
about the individual | had named.


!" You needn't lie to me" | sternly re-
piled, {" for l know all about it. Louis
Cazanbon has been watched by me when
he didn't dream of such thing. He
thought l was a tradesman. But you
are young, and l would save you. Con-
fess everything to me, and I promise you
that your life shall be spared"


l saw that the boy wavered, and fol-
lowed up my advantage and ere long l
had him bent to my wishes. l made him
understand that l held his life in my
hands that l could protect him from
the vengeance of any one whom he light
criminate and that he had every thing
to gain, and nothing to lose, by full
confession. He came to it gradually and
reluctantly; but my wit finally triumph
ed, and gained the secret.


His name, be said, was Henry Dupin.
He was born in Paris, but never knew
who his parents were. He went to live
with Cazaubon when quite young, and
had been with him ever since. He said
Cazaubon used to be a chemist, and did
some business in that line and it was in
Paris he invented the Internal machine,
which he had since used with such fatal
effect. About two years previous to the
present time they left Paris together, and
spent nearly year in travelling over the
kingdom, numbering and robbing for a
living. Finally they came to Castellane,
where the master obtained his present
situation, while the boy went into mill
close at hand. Cazaubon marked the
victims that were to be robbed, and the
boy then did the work. He used various
articles in carrying out his plan, but the
usual one was the same he had tried up
on me.


The boy then explained to me the Sc
cret of the pipe. Only the outer surface
is of meerschaum. Within it was pis-
tol Of the finest steel, and of most ex-
quisite workmanship. The stem was the
barrel, and the lock was concealed with
in the bowl, and covered with tobacco
A thin plate of metal protected the GU
riously contrived lock, and upon this the
tobacco rested. A pressure of the thumb
or finger upon this place discharged the
weapon. In order to cock it, the plate
had to be removed. And now comes
the Internal feature of tho contrivance.
! The powder used in the little barrel
was Cazaubon's own manufacture, and
very powerful. For wad piece Of
felt was used, and on the top of this was