Year: 1859

r 7.
der the same circumstances. He was 6
merchant also, and from Nice. Since
then, FIVE or six more have died in tho
same mysterious way; and no marks 0
l-usage have been found upon any o
them but they have all been robbed"


Have most of them stopped in Gas.
tellane ?" l asked.


The Prefect told me that they had
aq" And / suppose they must have pu
up at some mn there ?" / remarked.


"Yes," said the Prefect.


/ then supposed that some Of the land,
lords must be concerned. But my COM
panion informed me that they had been
narrowly watched, and that no shadow
Of evidence rested against them.


But" said l, lis there not some
poison in this matter Some innkeeper
may administer the potion, and then
send an accomplice after the victim"


No." returned the Prefect, with a
shake of the head. Experienced ply
sicians have examined the stomachs OF
several Of the dead men, but no trace oil
poison has been found. 1t is a mysteri-
Gus affair." The sub-Prefect has done
all he could, but without effect and now
we mean to give the whole thing into
your hands. You must go to Castellane
at once, and there you can get such fur
ther information as the sub-Prefect can
give you"


After comforting a while longer with
the Perfect, he let me have a suit of or
dinary tradesman's clothing; and thus
habited, l went to hotel and put up
for the night. In the morning | pro-
cured horse and set out, reaching Cas-
tellane before noon. During the day
pretended to be doing business. l went
to the woolen factory and examined lot
of stuff; and also visited several places
where preserved fruits are put up. ]
learned that most of the people who came
there on business stopped at an inn kept
by man named Juan Fontaix; SO | left
my horse there, and engaged lodgings.


After dark l called upon the Sub Per-
feet. He told me he had used all the
means within his power, but had been
able to find no clue to the guilty party
Most of the murdered victims had been
from Marseilles, and the excitement in
that city was intense. Gendarmes had
been sent out on the roads, and secret po-
lice had also been upon the watch. The
last victim had fallen only four days be-
fore, and the deed was done fifteen min
utes after the policeman had passed the
spot.


! asked the Sub Perfect if he had any
suspicious He had answered that all
the suspicion he had held, was fastened
upon Juan Frontaix, the innkeeper.-
Nearly all the murdered men had stopped
at his house, and he must have known
something of their business.


bade the officer keep perfectly quiet
and not even to let one of his own mer
know Of fmy presence. Then l returned
to the inn, and finally entered into a con.
versat'on with my host upon the subject
of the mysterious deaths. He pronounc.
ed it wonderful. and assured me that il
bad injured him more than he could
tell.


Parbleu p he muttered, +" they'll bt
suspecting me next, if they have no
done SO already. !"


was soon satisfied that Juan Frontaia
knew nothing of the guilty party. HI
was very fearful, and at times blanched
aud trembled at tue thought of being ap
pretended for the crime. Most people
would have seen in this signs of guilt
but l thought differently.


speut all of the next day in the towr
ostensibly engaged in business with the
factories, but in reality hunting after
some clue to the object of my mission
Night came again but l had found
nothing new. was perfectly satisfied
that the murderer had laid his plans SC
deeply that no circumstantial clue could
be found If | would find him, | mus,
catch him with the proof upon him.


had given an assumed name at the
inn, and stated that belonged to Tou
lon. On the next morning called fol
my bill, and informed my host was Of
for home. Then l went to the fruit pre-
servers, and told him the same, stating
that l must confer with my partner be
fore concluded my bargain. After this
| went to the woollen factory, and saw
the business agent. His name was Lou
is Cauzabon, and he had come to Castel