The Roupell Mystery
By A u
t y n
CHAPTER XVIII.
Alfred Cubsagne remained In earnest
conversation with lime. Cresson for up
ward of two houn. During that period
the young woman several times retired
to the privacy of her bed chamber and as
many times emerged therefrom, reappear
ing upon the last occasion dressed in full
treet costume, and having her dark hair
entirely concealed with a profusion of
cionoe, nurry ringlets. .
She had on a rather loud, plaid dress,
traveling cape of Scotch woolen, and
a bonnet very plainly trimmed. Plain
gold earrings were In her ears, and in
her hand she carried a silk umbrella and
a small traveling bag. On her feet were
paid of broad, large-heeled shoes and
over those white gaiters which twinkled
in and out from under her petticoats as
he walked up and down the room. Ce
leste looked on wonderingly and ate her
bon-bons. M. Cassagne examined her
mother with the eye of a critic.
"You'll do," he said presently, "all but
the gaiters. I don't think those white
gaiters have reached London yet."
"Oh, monsieur Is mistaken, I am sure,"
replied Mme. Cresson, with enthusiasm.
"I was on Regent street not two weeks
ago. You know I went over there on the
Peter Robinson case. They were very
generally worn."
"You are wrong, all the same. I was
vr tW Tny!? lat!y. Quite wr
worn, It is true, but In much darker
hades. London is always six months
behind Paris, and New York six months
behind London in such matters. Now,
don't contradict me, child. The English
ladies are not yet wearing them."
Mme. Cresson urged the point no fur
them. Turning to her maid, she said :
"Bring me my dark gray gaiters. Na
tion ; they are a year, at least, out of
fashion in Paris, monsieur. I hope they
will satisfy you."
"You think I am very hard to please,"
remarked Cassagne. "I may be so. t
know the kind of man I have to deal with
in. Victor Lablanche, the prefect of po
lice. I will call for you to-morrow at
ten o'clock. In the meantime I have
quite a deal to attend to."
He took his hat, kissed little Celeste
good-by, and, descending by the stairway,
opened the black door and passed out on
to the street.
"I love. Papa Cassagne," cried little
Celeste, as she stood by the . window
watching the retreating form of the gen
tleman' who bought the bon-bons. Then
looking op at her mother, she added :
"You love him, too, don't you,
mamma 7"
"Celeste is a goose," said Mme. Cres
son, her charming cheek tinged with
color, "and geese mustn't ask foolish
questions."
M. Cassagne pursued his way still fjir
them into the Intricacies of the Latin
Quarter. At last he stopped before a
mail shop, pushed up the latch of the
door and entered. A large, stout man,
. with a pen behind his ear, was seated at
a high desk, with a pile of proof in front
of him. He nodded familiarly to the de
tective, got off his stool and at once con
ducted him Into a private office.
"Ha I Monsieur Cassagne,' 'he exclaim
ed. "What can I do for you to-day?"
"I have two small jobs for you. It's
Imply to set two lines of type,' and print
me half a dozen sheets of note paper ; also
a couple of cards. I will pay you well
for It Can you do it personally, so that
ao one else will know what you are do
ing? and can you do it right away?"
"I can. Write out what vou wish
printed. Here Is a pen and some rmner.
"I want you to set up this," said Cas
sagne, as he banded his copy to the
printer. "Set It up in English type, and
strike it off on English paper. I will
wait here for it"
Twenty minutes later M. Cassagne
was on the street. In his pocket, neatly
packed between sheets of tissue paper to
prevent their "setting off," were six
sheets or not paper, and on the top
right-hand corner of each was printed
the words, in bold English type:
"Office of
"SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
"Scotland Yard,
"London, W. C,"
He also bore two cards which read t
"MR. GEORGE RUSSELL,
"36 Eaton Square."
Casagne jumped Into a cab and drove
iome. Arrived there he took off his hat
and coat and washed his hands carefully.
Then he took down from an upper shelf
an old letter Sle, and turning to the
letter "H," drew out a letter addressed to
himself, which was written In a large
English hand. Next be took from the
pocket of his coat the six sheets of paper
and the two cards. The latter he put
Into a card case by themnelves; the for
mer he put on the table.
Then he got a pen and some Ink and
went to work, laboriously but skillfully.
After spoiling three sheets of paper he
produced something he was satisfied with.
Taking the letter to the window he held
It to the light, as If admiring his own
handiwork, and read as follow :
"Offlc of
"SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE,
"Scotland Yard,
"London, W. O, July 6, 18
"Victor Lablanche, Esq., Prefect of Po
lice, Paris, France:
i "Dear Sir Thl will Introduce to you
Mr. George Russell, a friend of' mine,
who with hi wife Intends making a
pleasure trip on the continent
"Any coast that you can xtnd to
a n v 1 1 1
Mr. Russell during his visit in Pari will
be highly appreciated by me.
"Yours very truly, '
"JAMES. T. HENDERSON,
"Supt Police."
Thaf about perfect," soliloquised the
detective, "because K transgresses every
known rule of French letter writing, and
that alone stamps It as English. The
'Esquire' Is particularly good. English
men, even of education, are perpetually
making that mistake when addressing
letter to this country. 'Paris, France,'
also is not bad. M. Henderson would
doubtless be careful lest his friend Mr.
Russell should present It at Parts, Ken
tucky, or Paris, Texas." '
The prefect of police had hardly rime
to place himself In the dignified attitude
in which it was his custom to receive his
caller next morning, when the door
swung open, and a gentleman, unmistak
ably English and carrying in his gloved
hands a tall silk hat, and the inevitable
umbrella of the rain-afflicted Briton, en
tered the apartment II was accom
panied by a lady whose grace of carriage,
and really handsome face, accentuated if
anything In the eyes of the Frenchman
the villainous fit of all her garments.
"There should be a law passed to com
pel suoh people to employ Parisian dress
makers. But even then they would never
look Ilk our women," was bis inward
comment, as he arose, and with the po
liteness of his race bowed low a he re
ceived his visitors.
"Monsieur le prefect, I presume," said
the gentleman, in French which was slm
pry execrable. "I have the honor of ad
dressing Monsieur Lablanche, the prefect
of the Parisian police?"
"I am he, monsieur."
"Permit me to present you to my wife,
Madame Russell Monsieur Victor La
blanche."
The Frenchman bowed more gallantly
than ever. Really, notwithstanding their
gaucheries, these English women were
quite charming. In fact, the prefect was
agreeably surprised with his visitor. The
t-.ngnsaman s manner was perfect. With
his native dignity was blended a delight
ful air of deference and politeness. Not
withstanding his villainous pronouncla-
tion of the French language, he managed
to make himself clearly understood. The
evident cordiality of his manner thawed
whatever reserve the prefect had sought
to hedge himself in . with. His heart
quite wanned to the intelligent Lon
doner.
"I have the great fortune to be the
bearer of a letter to you, monsieur," he
said, "from the superintendent of police
at Scotland lard, our mutual friend,
Mr. James T. Henderson."
"I am delighted to see anyone who
comes to. me introduced by Monsieur Hen
derson," replied the prefect.
He scarcely glanced at the letter, ne
was afraid he had but little to show them
after the magnificent department of his
friend, M. Henderson, in London. ' Still
he should be happy to place himself at
their disposal. What would they like to
see first?
"Oh, the rogues' gallery, by all means,"
suggested Mme. Russell, enthusiastically,
"Or your splendid Bert 1 lion system of
measurement for prisoners, which you
have brought to such perfection In Paris,"
added her husband,
It was a telling compliment, because
It was true. M. Lablanche had been In
deed the first to adopt the Bertillon sys
tem, and under his supervision it had
attained a marvelous degree of accuracy
and perfection. He had taken the raw
theory of a prison reformer, and reduced
it to a practical science.
"Our rogues' gallery is not as exten
sive as It used to be," he explained
Since the adoption of the system of
measurements we have not photographed
any out the moat notorious criminals. You
can probably see more pictures in Lon
don. However, I will show you some of
the most important.
He led the way Into a square, hlc-h
ceiled chamber, lighted from the roof only,
the walls of which were literally covered
with portrait of the desperadoes of
France.
"You see we have them arranged al-
pnaoetlcany, and here Is an index book
on the table for instant reference. Oppo
site eacn name, you see, I have placed
the Bertillon measurement of all those
prisoners who have come here since the.
adoption of that system. There they are,
men and women, from all classes of so
ciety, and of every degree of crime and
misfortune."
The fair English woman seemed
strangely moved.
"Poor creatures," she murmured, soft
ly, as her little hand rested Involuntarily
on the offlter's coat sleeve.
The prefect regarded her admiringly.
Tear of genuine pity were In her bright,
laughing eye.
"But it is strangely Interesting," she
added. "Oh! monsieur, please show me
one or two of the most desperate and
relate their history." ,
The prefect, turned to M. Russell. The
Englishman was evidently deeply engross
ed In the Index, hunting up the charac
ters for himself, In hi independent Eng
lish fashion.
"No, I don't wont to hear the his
tories," be said, looking up from the book,
with a cordial smile. "I'm perfectly
happy. But Mrs. Russell Is an enthn.
slast on criminal heroes. She would ba
for raising a monument to Jack Shen-
pard and Dick Turpin, If I would allow
ner.
It 1 a sad thing to have a hmt.l
husband," cried madams, with a pretty
pout, as ah went acroM tha room on the I
Q r
nn of the prefect. "Let ns tear trim
lo bis own devices, monsieur, sio-c be
ay he is happy, and amuse ourselves."
The susceptible M. Lablanche was in
the eventh heaven, ne was entirely at
the service of madams. So he proceeded
to regale her with short sketches of his
favorite malefactors, and madame looked
on and laughed or became sad, just a
the proper time.
They had completed the circuit of the
room and were near the door again. M.
Russell was still investigating on his own
account. Mme. Russell, the pressure of
her little hand still upon the arm of her
gallant conductor, looked up Imploringly
at him with those fatal eyes.
"Oh ! monsieur," she said, "do show m
some of the prisoners."
"It 1 not a pleasing sight for mad
ame," feebly protested the prefect It
was a rule of his' never to leave a stran
ger alone in the rogues' gallery. Pic
ture had been abstracted before now by
reic hunter. Still a friend of the Loo
don superintendent of police, and a mas
so evidently to be trusted; It would be
all right Besides It would give bin an
other five minutes of the society of mad
ame. As many another man in his place
would have done, he took Mme. Russell
to see the prisoner. n minutes later,
with a thousand than) . the cordial Eng
lishman and his wife Kk their leave.
CHAPTER XIX.
"A comparison of this portrait with
the miniature in the locket," remarked
M. Cassagne, "now convince me beyond
a doubt that Philip La Seur and Philip
Graham are one and the same person.
His Bertillon measurements, which I
have carefully noted down, are at pres
ent of but little use to us, but as a mean
of Identification should we hereafter suc
ceed In running him to esrth, they mj
prove Invaluable. Beyond any question
whatever, we may now assume that Philip
Graham Is In some way connected with
' the murder of Madame Roupell."
Charles D'Auburon stared at his friend
in speechless surprise as he uttered these
words.
"I think your experience of yesterday
must have -turned your head," he said,
at last. "There has been no commuta
tion of Philip La Seur' sentence. Being
still a prisoner at Toulon, bow Is It pos
sible for him to have been connected with
the mystery of Vlleneuve? My dear
friend, I beg of you not to think any
more of thiscase to-day. You need a
rest. You have been taxing your brain
too much."
"And you, my dear Charles," retorted
Cassagne, "have been taxing your brain
too little. You think that because there
Is no commutation of sentence recorded In
the case of this Philip La Seur that he
is still in the custody of the prison offi
cial at Toulon?"
"Most decidedly."
"Well. Philip La Seur broka prison
nearly five years ago, and be has never
yet been retaken."
"Impossible, escape from Toulon pris
on ! I will not believe if It 1 the most
strongly fortified of any penal establish
ment In France."
'Perhaps; but here la a convincing
proof of it Look at this foot note, copied
from tne register of Monsieur Lablanche
'Escaped from Toulon,' and under it ev
ery year since Is marked : This prisoner
is still at large.' Beside that," added
M. Cassagne, laughing, "the prefect re
lated the history of this particular prli
oner to my supposed wife, Madame Ores
son, as one of 'the most daring escapes
on record."
"Well, of course that settles It," ex
claimed D Auburon. "No, I don't want
any more proof. You overwhelm me a
it Is. But what Is the next step which
you propose to take?"
"I now intend to find," replied M,
lasnagne, with the utmost deliberation,
"Philip La Seur, alias Philip Graham.
late of Toulon, and who may be, while
we are talking, at the present moment in
Paris, and only waiting for this murder
to blow over to come forward and claim
his share of his aunt's fortune."
"But who," remarked D'Auburon, "may
not be in Paris at all ; but may perhaps
be In Rio Janeiro, for all we know to the
contrary, lou must not forget that in
these days of lightning express trains,
and ocean greyhounds, one can travel a
good way In three weeks especially if
one nas money in one s pocket"
"Philip Graham never left Paris." an
swered the detective, "of that I feel con
vinced. A man who could escape from
Toulon Is too smart a fellow not to
know he Is safest when he remains rleht
at home. Besides, when he committed
thi murder he was in a condition of
financial desperation. He did not have
plenty of money, as you seem to suppose."
now do you know that?"
"It has since transpired that Madame
Konpell bad, besides the loose bank
note found in her escretoire, a consid
erable sum of money in her chamber.
That sum of money disappeared on the
night of the murder. I believe that mur
derer was Philip Graham. I believe he
took thats money. I believe, If we wait
long enough, he will come forward and
declare himself, for the purpose of claim
ing his share of Madame Roupell' tror
erty." r
"Well, why not wait a bit and giva him
chance?"
"Because, simpleton, Justice won'
wait. If we don't prove she's altogether
wrong, she'll have Charles Van Llth's
head under the ax of her guillotine be
fore two more months are passed. It
would be a poor satisfaction for hi.
friends if we failed to avert such a calam
ity, and brought In our evidence In tlm
only to prove that the government had
killed an innocent man. The next step
will be to call on Madame La Seur. It
Is not unlikely that Philip Graham, after
hi escape from Toulon, went to ee her."
(To be continued.)
The war to ba af la never
secure, Franca,
SCENES IN EUROPE.
President of Washington State School
Telia Hi Experience.
Following ie the address delivered by
President E. A. Bryan, of the etate col
lege, to the wheatgrowers of Washing
ton at their recent meeting in' Pullman,
In which be recited various observa
tions he had made during his recently
completed trip abroad:
"Tne one thing that impressed me
while ia Europe was the fact that we
Americans do not fully realize the
greatness of our own land, and its op
portunities, and the greatness and op
portunities of our own people as com
pared with our brethen in Europe. The
opportunity for the average man Is so
much greater that we can hardly con
ceive the difference. In Europe a man
is born in a cla?s from where he cannot
escape, and he accordingly fits bimeelf
for that clases. There is stratification
after stratification, and it is practically
impossible for an Individual to pass
from class to class ; and think that the
freuaom of the American people is one
of the greatest things which we have
here.
"In Italy the poverty and distress
were very interesting, although it ex
cited the greatest pity. It seemed as
if there were no end of beggars. They
begged In almost every way imagina
ble. Whole families could be seen
begging together by means of musical
instruments. In one case I noticed a
woman holding an umbrella upside
down to catch the coppers, while the
father played the guitar, and the child
ren each played some sort of musical
instrument, and all were begging. Sev
eral husky looking fellows dived into
the sea to get coppers worth about a
half cent, and b'agged the people to
throw the coppers In. It seemed as if
one-half of tie population lived off the
ether half.
"I was very much interested in the
horses. The average horse in Paris for
the heavy draft work is a very good an
imal indeed. There were great num
bers of magnificent stallions that would
have sold in this market for from two
thcusand to three thousand dollars,
and they were all of a very high type.
One thing that impressed roe both in
London and Paris was that the average
coach horse was a much larger fellow
than we have been accustomed to see
for that work. I think that we people
here In America should look toward
breeding a larger animal that we have
in the past, and unless we watch our
selves, we will be inclined to breed
down. In Naples there were many cab
horses, and about ninety per cent of the
cab horses driven were stallions. One
thing that was very interesting to me
was that they do not use the bit; They
use an Instrument that fits over the
nose, and above the nostril is apiece
wnicn extends out about three inches,
and when pulling a horse to Stop, they
pun on tne nose. ,
"In going up the liber river north
of Kome, almost every wazon that I
met was being drawn by oxen, either
Dy tandem, or with a yoke. The oxen
were all very strong fellows, quite
large, well Duilt, and had huge home
rising above their heads. There did
not seem to be the beef type of cattle
nor was there any milk type. I sun
pose their cows, were, of course, used
for milking purposes, but they were
not apparently bred to either tvDe. but
rather to the ox type.
loe poorer class of Italians do not
know what it is ti have meat in any
quantity. The avenge man is.too poor
io do aoie to buy Deal, as thev wou d
have to pay not less than twenty-two
cents a pound for It. Kids are used for
nesu there a great deal. The swine
there were very large, and rather more
of the type of the bacon hog than like
our Berkshirea or Poland Chinas. They
use goaw milk a great deal, and es
pecially in Naples. In the raornina
you would see women and men driving
gonts around from place to place, as
tne customer has the privilege of hav
ing the operation of milking performed
in his presence. The goat selected is
mimed, and in many caseB you will see
a goat being taken up in an elevator, or
up a stairway, wherever the customer
may be, and then milked in his pres
ence.
In Italy the tillage is of a very in
tensified kind. There, many of the
Italians have their own vegetable gar
den, and raise their own vegetables.
Here we pay twelve or fifteen cents a
head for cauliflower, and in Italy you
can buy a dozen heads of cauliflower
for six cents, and that will make it
clear why the Italian is able to live on
a vegetable diet so well. The people
train their vineyards upon trees, and
in many cases there is hardly any ton
to the trees, as they had been cut down
lo stumps for the vines to climb on. I
did not get a decent apple to eat until
I was on board the ship, and had some
Oregon apples served to me."
Ef Baked la Taiaatoca.
Sslect round, smooth tomato of nap
form size. Out a thin illco from th
top of each and with a teaspoon scoop
out enough of tb pulp to admit aa
egg. Season th cavities with salt and
pepper and a tiny pinch of onion 04
parsley. Drop an egg Into each. Set
th tomatoes Into a well-buttered pan,
to which a vry little water has been
added and bake about fifteen mlnutea.
Season with butter and serve each to
mato on alios of delicately brown
The humming bird in Australia, no
loss than man, protects Its habitation
with a lightning tod. The humming
bird, before a devastating thunder
storm bursts, prudently covers the out
side of its little nest with cobweb.
Silk is a non-conductor of electricity,
and since cobweb is silk the humming
bird's nest Is thereby rendered light-nlng-proof.
In a recent article In the Street Rali
way Journal on "Transportation Fa
cilities In South America" It is stated
that transportation Is so difficult over
the mountains that the coal Imported
Into Bolivia for the railway's own use '
costs about $30 per ton. At La Pai
abundant timber grows within fifty
miles from the mountains, but trans
portation is so dlllleult that trolley
poles and lumber for building opera
tions are brought from Oregon, a dis
tance of thousands of miles.
A sanitary garbage wagon used lu
Berlin, says Popular Mechanics, Is com
pletely covered by a large hood of sheet
metal, with a sort of chute or funnel,
which elongated upon the roof of the
hood curves downward at the back end,
where It Is open to receive the refuse.
The garbage is placed upon a movablo
platform under the mouth of the chute
and raised by chains Into the Interior.
A trap door opens by the turning of a
lever and the box diverts its contents
Into the body of the wagon, odor and
U.
The British Admiralty has Instruct
ed the commanders of all ships of war
furnished with wireless telegraph ap
paratus to telegraph to meteorological
stations with which they may be in
communication full details concerning
the weather at sea. This new branch
of the English meteorological service
has already proved valuable, and It Is
believed that Its importance will con
tinually Increase. Weather Information
from the sea Is of speolol value In the
British Isles, because the great storms
generally approach acroHs the ocean,
and not, as In the eastern half of
the United States, across a broad con
tinent netted with telegruphs.
By crossing and selection, a new vs.
rlety of cattle, known as the Bordelalae
race, has been developed In Southwest
ern France. The two parent varieties
are the Holland and the Breton cattle,
the one famous for the abundance of
their milk, the other for their pro
vision of butter. The Bordelulse race,
whose first herd book appeared In 1880,
Is said to combine the excellences of
Its two progenitors. Its most charac
teristic external mark Is the black-and-white
tiger pnttern covering the body.
In the pure breed the head Is entirely
black.' The name comes from the city
of Bordeaux, the metropolis of the re
gion where the new race Is bred. 1
It Is a matter of common observation
thnt grass does not grow so well close
to trees as In the open. The same Is
true of grain Experiments In Eng
land and In this country have shown
that the deleterious effects of the near
neighborhood of grass nnd trees are
mutual. The trees suffer as well as
the grass and grain. This Is especially
true of fruit trees. The cause is as
cribed to the excretion by the trees,
on the one hund, of substances poison
ous to the grass, nnd by the grass, on
the other hand, of substances itolson
ous to the trees. It thus appears1 that
the failure of gruss to grow well near
trees should not be ascribed to too
much shade, nor to the exhaustion by
the tree roots of the food supply need
ed by the grass.
A Stumbling Block.
Since coming to America," said thb
young Englishman In bis most trans-
Atlantic accent, "I have purposely tak
en to pronouncing one word wrong. I
don't say 'Grieg' any more. I say
Greg.' Before making the change I
said to several persons I happened to
be talking with, 'I say, do you know
Grieg?' and always they answered: No,
they did not know Greek, and for good
ness sake don't ask If they know Latin
because they've forgotten all of that
they ever did know. They thought,
you see, that I was asking If they
knew Greek. So finally I took to say
ing Greg, which Is enough to ninke the
poor old Norweglnn shout out a cor
rection from his grave, but It pre
'cuts further misunderstanding."
The Church Falr.a
None but the brave deserve the fair.
Aye! None but the brave a fair would
dare ;
For when the "fair" ladles begin their
advances
Sure, every man present hus got to
take chances.
The Catholic Standard and Times.
It Is an easy matter to accomplish
some great things, otherwise the av
erage man wouldn't even have a look-in.
. It Is better
worked. .
to work than to ba
)