Year: 1859

seized his wrist and bent it upward, and as
| did so, heard sharp report, like the ex,
plosion of a percussion cap, and saw tiny
wreath of smoke curl up from the hand |
held.


He struggled to free himself from nv
grasp, but held him with grip Of iron,
and fastened my gaze upon him. ..


I've found you, have p said, drawing
one ofmy pistols and cooking it. Il will
simply inform you that am an officer Of the
Prefecture, and that have-5een hunting
for you. Just offer particle of resistance,
and bullet goes through your brain. Now
give me that weapon


The boy was frightened, and trembled
violently.


1T 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 that
evil was in it. 1t appeared to me to be an
ordinary meerschaum pipe, the bowl being
colored as though by long use-only the
amber mouth piece was missing. did not
stop to examine it then, but turned my at
tention to its owner | saw that he was
still trembling with fear, and knew that
now would be the time to work upon him.
so you are selling yonr soul to Monsieur
Louis Cazaubon?' remarked by way of
letting him know that was thoroughly in
| formed l.


He started, and I saw very plainly that
he knew Just what meant; bu. he tried to
recover himself, and clumsily asserted that
he did not know anything about the midi
vidual had named.


You needn't lie to me- sternly replied,
for know all about it. Louis Cazaubon
has been watched by me when he didn't
dream of such thing. He thought I was
a tradesman. But you are young and !
will save you. Confess everything to me, and
| promise you that your life shall be spared.
saw that the boy waverel and follow
ed up my advantage; and ere long had
him bent to my wishes. made him under
stand that ] had his life in my hands; that |
could protect him from the vengence of any
one whom he might climinate; and that he
had everything to gain, and nothing to lose,
by a full confession. He came to it gradu-
ally and reluctantly; but my wit finally
triumphed, and gained the secret.


His name, he said, was Henry Dupin.-
He was born in Paris, hut never know who
! his parents were He went to live with
Cazallbon when quite young, and had been
| with him ever since He said Cazaubon
in that line; and it was in Paris that he in
vented this internal machine, which they
had since used with such fatal effect About
| two years previous to the present time they
left Paris together, and spent nearly yeal
in travelling over the kingdom, numbering
and robbing for living. Finally they came tC
Castellane, where his master obtained his
present situation, while the boy went into a
millclose at hand. Cazaubon marked the vic,
| tins that were to be robbed, and the boy did
the work He used various ar.ifices in carry
ing out his plan, but the usual one was the
same he had tried upon Inc. ...


The boy then explained the secret of the
pipe. Only the outer surface was of meers-
chaum Within it was pistol of the finest
steel, and of the most exquisite workmanship
The stem was the barrel, and the lock wa.
concealed within the bowl, and covered will
tobacco. A thin plate ofmetal protected tn,
curiously contrived lock, and upon this tn,
tobacco rested. A pressure of the thumb o.
finger upon this plate discharged the weapon
In order to cock it, the plate had to be re-
moved And now comesthe Internal feature
of the contrivance. The powder used in tn,
little barrel was Cazaubon's own manufacture,
and very powerful. For wad a piece o
felt was used, and on the top of this wa.
placed the missile that did the mischief
The boy had two of them with him, stitches
up in the lining of his cap. He took then
out and showed them to me. This prciectil
was tiny arrow, not larger than cambri
needle, with one end sharp, and the othe
bent down to feather 1t was fine steel
but coated with greenish- yellow lookinl
substance which was the most virulent an,
speedy poison that the chemists art coul,
concoct. That needle once within the cours
of the blood, and death was already at tn
heart It's wound no mortal eye could detec,
1t punctured the skin not so palpable a
the prick ola pin. He who sent it on it
fatal errand made sure of It's aim, generall
striking the neck, and the victim would "a
into insensibility ere he could comprehen
what had hurt him.


returned to Castellane with the boy, an
having left him in charge of the Sub Prelect
took gendarme along with me, and wen
to the factory. Monsieur Cazaubon was su,
prised when asked him to take wal
with me; and when called in the gendarmc
and bade him to put the handouts upon tn
agent, he was ready to sink TO the floor W
had him secured before he had sense enoug
to resist, and he was conveyed to the offic
of the Sub Project without trouble. At frs
he denied everything; but when he foun'