Year: 1872

I heard next day. from one of the keep
ers, that the friend who had left his wallis,
with me had been captured at La Forge
near Rouen, where he had made desper
ate resistance, but had been overpowered


l spoke to the tall agent, and asked


him to recommend me good lawyer. He


did so, and | sent for him. In the mean.


time the agent said that the other prisoner


was very like me, with the exception that


he wore mopstache, while had a beard.


| remarked SHe had beard, too, when


[ saw him last" 'Oh. we know all that"


said the agent. ''When we entered the


hotel. he saw his game was up, so be put


his valise in your room, cut off his beard


trimmed his moustache, went straight to


our carriage. which was waiting, and told
the driver coolly to drive him to another
hotel; then paid and discharged him. Of
course, the driver never suspected any,
thing, as he thought the murderer was
one of my party. But the coolest part of
the business was, that he came on as far
as Rouen, on the same train with ourselves,
at least, SO he himself says. In his room
at the hotel. we found large clasp-knife
with the blood dried in the interstices
also the hair be had cut off,"


The agent then told me the prisoner
had confessed; and in his confession had
stated that he had followed me from Rouen
to Dieppe, to shift the murder on me, as
l looked so much like him, and as he had
seen me leave the gambling house he Law
in wait for the murdered man, and as he
knew the detectives were on his track.


What singular stroke of luck it would
have been in his favor, the fact of my
having the watch, had chance not fixed
it otherwise


Next day. through the kindness of the
agent and the efforts of my lawyer, was
released on bail. appeared at the trial.
which was very long, and was called Sc
veral times to the stand.


The clue the detectives discovered the
murderer by, was the fact that they had
found two letters on the murdered man
from Mariette Gaudoin to Claude Belin.
By means of these they found Mariette,
and from her obtained information that
Claude had been in the habit of gambling. |
Then they bad found he had been in the |
house at which | met him. Twas at once
suspected- and an AGENT startad- aftAs- -aaA.-
he had scar over his right eve.


The detectives then got on my track !
and it SO happened the murderer saw me
at Rouen, where his keen eyes soon re-
me, and he determined to throw
his guilt over -me, thinking, no doubt,
any personal resemblance to him would /
help considerably to that end. Little |
thought he, however, that the agents de
police were following so closely in my
footsteps, and that he was making his own |
capture the more easy. .... /


The trial was at length over, and as L
stood there, while the Judge sentenced
him to death, I shuddered when thought |
of the quiet game of cards he and | play |
ed together at the dead hour of midnight
in his own room, where he might easily
have murdered me. had he felt so inclin- |
ed, as I never carried any arms. Ishud-
dered again and hoped be would be for
given.


He saw me and better smile fitted a.
cross his face. He beekoned me to come
to him. I went over, and he whispered
hoarsely in my ear "Do you forgive me ?
I played my last hand with you, and did
not cheat. Adieu."


I felt his cold hand in mine; and be
pressed it, and said: Gambling has
brought me here! Beware! FAREWELL"