Year: 1859

SF----
heart would be apt to do. But still l
had, thus far, been able to find nothing
against him. On the present occasion l
told him, as had told the others, that l
must return to Toulon.


elf you have not the ready money
with you, we can give you credit" he
said.


I told him had plenty of money, but
I was not fully prepared to pay the prices
he had demanded. He said every
well ;" and added, that he would be hap
py to sell to me when came again. l
bade him good-day, and then departed.
AS soon as l was alone, I began to sus-
pect Monsieur Louis Cazaubon in earnest.
When told him that l had money, but
did not purchase because he charged me
too much. why didn't be banter me p
Simply because he wished me to leave
town with the money in my pocket. AT
least SO it appeared to me. This was
sufficient ground for me to work upon,
and l resolved to watch the man little
while; so ! rode to an out-of- the way
place, and left my horse, and then re-
turned and concealed myself in a posi-
ton where could see the movements
of Louis Cazaubon. In few minutes
he came out from his factory and walked
away. His step was hurried and eager.
| felt sure he was not the man who did
the direct work of death. The plot was
deeper than that, or he would have been
discovered ere this. So / resolved to
wait while and see if he returned. l
would have followed him, if could have
done so with safety; but he might have
detected me, and that would not do
However, in less than Is minutes he
came. He walked now with a sober, in
nocent air. 1t seemed to say" Oh l
haven't been up to any mischief, as you
can see p


saw Cazaubon at his desk again, and
then returned to my horse. l knew l
had risk to run now, but I was ready
for it. If the factory agent was at the
bottom of the crime, and meant to have
me robbed, he had already set his ma
chinery in motion, and the next develop
ment was upon the road. examined
my pistols and then left the town, TAX
ing the road along the river, towards
Aups.


AT the end of half an hour came to
the slopes Of the Barjols mountains, and
soon afterwards entered the woods. l
row began to be very careful and keep
my eyes about me. will not say l was
wholly without fear for the mysterious
manner in which the murders had been,
done, verged so closely upon the marvel
lous, that a sort of superstitious dread at
tached to it. Had the victims been shot,
or run through with sword, or their
throats cut, should have felt no sort OF
dread. But this was new ground. Death
had come here nobody knew how. 1t
might have come from an invisible hand
and in dead silence. Yet, when 1 rea
soned upon the substance, felt sure that
the murderer must approach very near
to his victim ere the blow was struck,
since it must be some direct and power
full agent that could cause death in SO
strange manner.


had crossed the little cascade of st
Esprit, and was descending a short. steep
hillside, when | saw boy by the road
side, at the foot of the descent, engaged
in whipping mule. He was slightly
built fellow. not more than fifteen years
of age, and his coarse garments were COW
cred with meal. knew there was mill
upon branch of the Verdon, not far
back, and l supposed he might be the
miller's boy. AS came nearer saw a
large sack upon the ground, close by
where the mule stood.


What's the matter my boy ?" asked
as drew up near him.


This ugly mule has thrown both me
and my bag of corn from his back" the
boy answered.


care you hurt ?" confined.


"My left shoulder is hurt" he said,
"and l can't lift this sack again. II
Monsieur would help me, would be very
grateful"


Until this moment the idea Of suspect
ing the boy had not entered my head
but the suspicion flashed upon me now.
He was altogether too keen a looking fel-
low for miller's apprentice. He gave
me glance from pair of quick, sharp
eyes, that meant more than he had spok
en-. And then, if l had not been much
mistaken, l had seen him holding bis