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cARO oLLT 0N
A'
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
BY M . G . i A'VIS : " . 'THE 'SITN' SHIlNES FO1R AIll. PUBI-'ER
...I. _T ....LO PA S OR. SY M H 30 . Y_
VOL.[ III. CITY-OF- C-ARROLLTON,-PARISH-OF -JEFFERSON,_.--- ..........LA., SATURDAY, MARCH. 30),-1861. -NO. 81..
The Guest Chamber at St. Ivos.
A NARRATIVE OF A FRENCit DETECTIVE. n
I received an urgent letter from the it
sub-agent of St. Ives, calling me to I
come and unravel the mystery of many h
murders committed there, to which no s
clue could bb had. Proceeding on the i
journey, I met the sub-agent, Borrot, "
in the diligence, which had to carry n
me to St. Ives. .
The excitement consequent upon I
this alarming state of affairs had can:ued
the sub-agent to decide upon a personal a
investigation of the matter; and when
I encountered him, he had already '!
started for St. Ives, so that our dostina
tion was the same. r
SYou entrapped that rascal, Jaques I
Guichard, so admirably,' M. Berret
remarked, ' that I am led to hope for i
your success in the present case, dark
and doubtful as it looks.'
' At all events,' was the reply, " I
deem it no more than justice to myself 1
to make a strong effort. I must ask
you, however, Monsieur, to give me the 1
entire man;agcment and control of this
matter in every particular.'
'I will do so with pleasure. Frame
whatever plans, and use whatever means
you please. I will be guided by you
in all things pertaining to the busi
ness.' i
'This will be well. But one thing
more, M. Borrot. You must be as 1
secret as the grave. D)o not upon any
consideration, let it be known ill St.
Ives that there is a detective nearer to
them than Paris; and above all, do in.,t
suffer yourself to make inquiry con
corning the murders. Leave me to
ask all questions in my own manner.'
The sub-agent promised full com
pliance with instructions, and in a
few . moments we were rolling through
the darkness and ruin into the villao
of St. Ives. I )urini these few lmo
ments, however, an incident occurred,
which, necessarily, has a very import
ant bearing upon my narrative.
Our conversation had been held, as a
matter of course, in so low a tone as
not to be overheard by the other occu
pants of the diligence ; in fact, I
hardly noticed any of their faces.
But now, as I finished speaking with
Monsieur Berret. and looked up, I dis
covered in the elderly gentleman who
sat directly behind me, Monsieur Lamar,
a wealthy wine seller of iHordeaux,
and with whom I was quite intimate.
Upon recognizing me, lie grected mlo
cordially, and we conversed t1g,tlher
upon passing topics for a moment.
' You stolp at the hIotel do St.. lv.s.
I suppose helie said, changing thie _tl -
ject somewhat abruptly. I consulted
the sub-ag).lnt, and learning that this
was the only I :ee in St. Ives at whichl
heo ver stl,,I-1',l, I lnswerhl, the .tpus
tion il thie afiirinative.
SW ell, I shall stay there ;tiso, it t i
is possible I may not seeo you ag:.i:, as
I intend to leave St. Ives early t1)o-or
row morning. I t1am now on i111y \way ti
Englanld. travelinge, as my li-;
compels ine to, in a roundubout \a wy.
Ctontrary to iny usual ncu In, I h
ilglectled to obtin i ll ttersf Ic:Ne..:;
and have now the stun of ve tli ..,l
francs with me. I'rinit n I '
this over bef o' , - ilint iln - :l I
U lnf rseen Ini-' ir,!! t ' -hill4 d dcle riv1
ini ,f it 1lf~ 1r e. .ig (':11: c y
may certify 1 m.y eri(.(it)rs ai- 1 > 4
the i4 win I m liihnt c unte i 4l (4 it t lii.
rI 'jlij Ii t 44 th,,i l,,c4 I,
'hl' suom was coirret as h1 h:a -u , ,
fiv4 tho4,usand1 fr:1,ji . ' I. H.ri , I
'ilhe dili:4,,nce 4a 4:-n t, a step bi f "
,LA t:ik, n ,,44 r -,i . I . , ,
thi' sub- u4. , 1. i - i . . 4), 4, 1 >
1 i 'i0.5,1 ti4 t. I t , . ,. -
,, i, , . ' I, . ,t
Nothing unusual occurred during tie
night, if I make one exception, which II
it may be well to mention in this place. ab
I had been sleeping for more than two pa
hours, ind was lying.in a half uncnll- di
scious state, wlhen I was awakened by a
heavy, though smothered groan. I gc
was perfectly sure that I had not
mistaken the sound, and mentally to
decided that it was occasioned in somine to
ma.uer in the iext room. 1 sat up and ri
l1:t lti.,l aiti.tly. But I hear,l onmore,
although I plac, d my oar close to the 1.
wall. \Vattx er the straugo sound in
manty ha;v, i,e'mt, it was not repeated. sr
!'p;In a-kintg for the sub-agent the til
next miorning, I was told he had risen m
before me and left the inn.
Thu idea then occurred to me that I vj
might have an opportunity to pass half
an lhour , ith Mons. Lamar; and ad- al
dressing the landlord, a heavy-brewed,
ill-featured man, I asked for him. The al
man elevated his brow in surprise,
and declared the wineo-seller had not
been in the house for a month.
'Pel'haps you do not know M.
Auguste,' said I.
* But I do, Monsieur, perfectly,' he
replied. " You must be mistaken about
seeing him here.'
'He was certainly here-in :this
town-last night.'
- But not in t hitiouse--you'ro P
thinking of some onie else.'
As I walked away, I noticed that he
followed me suspiciously with his eyes.
HIis manner socmed strange to me. It
was in fact rather anxious and over
strango, as though he wished very
much to impress it upon my mind that
M,,ns. Lamar had not beeon in the ho
tell. Upon further reflection, however, d
I was forced to confess that I really
had not seen the wine merchant in the
hotel. True, he did not informme that
he had changed his mind, and .. dis
missed the subject from my thoughts.
Passing into the street, I strolled on
in search of the sub-agent. Iliad con
tinuoed my walk for but a few lbmonts, b
- when upon turning a corner, I came I
I abruptly upon a singular and terrible
scene. A number of persons were
crowded in confusion upon the sidewalk
and among them as it happened, Mans. o
lhFrret. Ilo quickly saw me, iand seiz
ing my arm conducted me forward to
the objct of common attention. It
was, as I had already began to suspect,
another victim of the mysterious assns
iill of St. Ives; the body of a man lay
extended upon the 1pavement, face
lown'rdl, tie back peltrat.d by a
d, ,p ;ha:st-,ly wotu d. I lot mo w". r.
canll dCe elr;l' ey ast,ni.hmn .i l r
rot when oupon tihe face if t bo11 Cy 'ge
being ,.'Xl,,sl, I reognizd my agtld
e ualntl anci l? , .. M. A m ise Lamnar!
,,,,ly t n -il,'e e . MAly rl tittl l 1a h II.
MI. Itcrrett atide,, I whi lc r1,. d :t f. ' -
S" . , , 'r I' . n fl . ,
.,, ,w ,in, i -t r ,i , -, I fti . I l all
1,!" il to -,olvv the icy.t ry :n the
1 .t .--" of th " next t ov~nt -ifour hurs.
I ::ve fthis l,1v ,nv, yed as ,t1ickly
"i ' i n, i 1 -t, o i,, l e i h 'er, t 'I 1
h l - it ,rivit iv, , . 1 1 ,
..I; . .: . f' , - .I" ;
'Yon are right, I fl:tte'r iysolf tlhat j(O
I have not only obtainsd a elit,, but amn en
able to lay my finger upon the guilty I
parties. WVould you like to hear of my oh
discoverihts ?' hi
'Yes-I am all impatience. Please or
go on.' is
The sub-agent drew his chair close I
to mino, and listened eagerly while I ri,
told the facts I had gained .:ilnce my ar
rival. w1
,In the first placeo, thou Monsieur at
Bicrret,' I said, *the discovery of this
morning renuders it certaill that we have ow
selected the right theatre for ourtopera- in
tion. Therdis no question that tliso ti:
mnrdeors' e been committed in this tl
town, sij~ e have seen one of the de
The suba.geont nodded affirmatively, re
and 1 continued- 01
-First, it seems rather remark- I1
able wounds bshould all be si
back. As to the. man- f
I am not preparo"
s o th 'm' vb
b woode
place, does it
1 t every one of
as boon a strange
'Now that I th.i of i
live,' the sub.agent t'p
plied. 'But what do
this fact ?' "
'I will draw qmy infereices in a mo- ft
mont. You will rbmembor the cirouam;, .b
stanoqf M. Lamar counting his mun: a
oy in the diligence in our prpnco ;
we have seen his dead body u
the public streets, rifled of the mon. I a
There is now one question in my mind,
did or did not M. Lamar lodge in this to
house last night?' ti
"The landlord told me did not said
M. l3errot.
'So he told mo-but I prefer to" In
testigato for myself. We had it labt
night from Lamar's own lips that it I
was his intention to stay at this ian
until morning, and I am inclined to the r
belief that he did put up hero last night, 5
notwithstanding that no body appears a
to have soon him within the house. It is "
probable that he retired immediately to f
his room, and communicated with no t
one but the inn-keeper or one of the
servants. Now, Mons. lerret, let mo re- 1
cur to a circumstance which I think es- 3
caped your notice. Just as M. Augusto
was replacoiuug his pocket-'ook, I hap- V
peioed to look behiniiid ue, and tlhen saw
an 'object which attra te(dl ay alt itt i i,.
It a;t:s a !il 11 hl 2nt firvl'., in I at er ia - 1
Ihis face. I s w it ia f l:1 3:, i;'u
it is that of Ant,,ine. twhe i- tlur.'
'his istruiv no in l,,,rtant d:.ee,, .ry.
ri11 i *~' ui, t.
'last this is n ,ot :il l. I ni- , t lI
II,.n:v l : r : :tra in I' (1 ,ani, r n ., 1t I
; , r ! ;l i i h .3 . t !, t
i I ,; 1
1 , 3 .-2,, , I! li ', y- ', h ,;" 't e lt I " I,, 11:,
M1. Au'-,t' I:,i:iar. Ii, alny evut
yeu ( -:I draw 11at vr fit rfu' ic 1s.
It is n ft -,-nl ive , t1t th iufrtuii
a "', e 1 ,! ' ,aI 'I ' 1 ,, I~ ! 11 v til y 11, \t ,
'2V:....
jecturcs of mlly own, which, though pro- I
Itably true in every partictular, wi, ltI, lit
I greatly fear, avail little as proof to in
charge the villainous inn-kteeer nudl 1
his servants-who undoubtedly are the
criminals-with these crimes. Theore P
is now one decisive stop to be taken.-- 0
I propose to pass a night in this mysto- "I
rious cbhamber.' y
Mr. Bcrrot hoard my quietly spoken u
words, and looked perfectly aghast with al
iastoit 1isl ll5nllt lit..
'\'Vhat, Gullot? are you mad '!' he L'
exclaimed. 'Pass tihe night in that "
infernal slaughter house! Why, are you aI
tired of life ? Consider the danger, anid '
the groat loss to the service which your N
death would occasion.' 1
The earnestness with which the last e
remark was made was so perfectly ludi- e
crous that I refrain with difliculty from c
laughing. But I soon succeeded in b
silencing his objections, if not in satis- a
fying his scruples. t
'You have, I believe,' I then said, 'an
sidorablo amount of mony with
Mon Dieu, had this rascally f;
dlord known it last night, I might 1
as cold its poor Lamar ! Ctm't it it
wor you any purpose'' '
a 'A very important onoe. Loud me your t
pocket-book.' a
Still ,holding it in my hand, I E
Adeseonded the stairs, the sub-agent
following. The inn-kooper was sitting i
.behIhdis bar, seemingly half asleep 1
and half awake, but the instant he saw t
the paake.-book, his dull eyes lighted v
upWith an eagorgleam, and he watched C
my lotions with strict attention.
'The amount is correct,' I said alond a
to M. Barret. 'Two thousand francs- I t
this, then, discharges the debt.' t
Then walking up to the by', I said i
to tbo inn-koeepor--'The room which
you have given me does not suit in the
loait; have you not a larger one where
I can lodge ?'
'Yes, Monsier,' the man replied, with i
remarkably alacrity ; 'I should have I
spoken of it myself. 'l'hrec is a large
and pleasant chamber next to the one in
which you slept last night. D)o inc the ,
favor to occupy it as long as you t
please.'
•You had better decline ore it is too
1
nlato,' Ml. Ilorret whisperecd. 'I fear
you will niot occulpy it nire thain onel
night. If you ill,, you will accomplish
- what n, lI rsn has yet. (dlo .'
'Shliw In' tle(' rorn,' hidii I, calmly.
payi g oel attt'ntiol, 1' hl' lLxitsiI
w I,. l Ir : ( ,' tf t11. - hili] lt-j'.i l t.
'l'h lo r ,' y "I..i (,1, 1,,,i l;)), i, ) l,: I'r, ."
t1) t: tlt l . .. . . I I' t'1 1it i ihi I tthitI
S 1.l.(" i. I , , : I s II Il t,. la r . ti u I
i :,ll'' l l l r ' 1. ' Itl i -i' _ lll.l {
l itt ,rl:. 1,-11 1 ally the hiiph Ii i ,',1 b,,n l -
ift he aIk b w 11. h'' h d .
'I a .i..k 11,1 " g ill ,n ,o w ,.r.' 1 saiitio
I ni' lI t;y u 'i ' illp. ILt L yillau'I.o' alt, b t lit r ' "
1 1 i ) ' i I t , , I, . i'. ,,1"111 ab 1 ) -
II
Sy " '
II . . ' I ',. . . I , 1 1 il l t I i
1ndl there await mIy signal. VVhoin you
hear front ine, you will instantly rush
in, andl assist me to secure whoever you
may tind hbro.'
The''lse arr:ongomunts were lt tho pro
per tiho put fully into operation. As
evening drew near, I saw that the suIb
agent and his allies weor properly
secreted, and, firnst elljinin vi;ihlaneo
upon thm, I entlered the mysterious
and flital clualah'r. The lanmp which I
c'rr'ield ,vetol t' ruveal ev(y part of it,
and I jluickly ,t'ecLnle a:waro that there
was lotlhing. unnu;;u:lai l it le appear
ance of1 the rooml. It was very much
such a hod chamber as might be omot
with in almnost every villago inn.
N'evertheless, I imnnemdiatoly commn(ene
ed a systemiatic oxamuinatlion. 1 search
od everywhere-under the bed, in the
closet, and behiiid the window curtains
but my search revealod nothing. I
was certain that no one was hidden ill
the room, and there as certainlly soomed
no plac('Q of ingiress save the door.
I was loginning to hocomi anmxious.
I rothlected that the danger might conic
from an uI expeeted sourco. I sat
dowp, and for an hour I waited---wait(ed
in restloss expectalncy for the appelmr
anco of the assassin--but still I waited
in vain. Looking at my watch, I found
that it was near midnight. My un
accustomed vigil had wearied met, and,
placing my pistols under the pillow, I
ldy down upon the bod without roemoving
my clothes. I was not long in discover
ing that this bed was of somowhat sing~k1
lar conatroction-the formation of the
top belag rather concave than other
wisoe, and so.adjustod that the occupant
could not possibly rest in it iuiy ,thler
way than upon his back in the middlo.
Upon his back. That seomeid rather
a singular discovery to mako just at
that mommint. IlHad not every one of
thel murdered men benl stabbed through
the bIck? Yes; and each ono of
them must have received his death
I wound while in this very bodl, just as 1
Click-click-click.
Throe sharp distinct sounds, aippar
ontly close at hand, intterrupted Imy
rofleootions, I know their miculing ill an
instaint; theose sounds need no inter
protor. I arose 4qulickly aIld silently,
and grasping lily pishtols, twnititl the
next mnoveInl'mmt of tlhe' Uminseenll assasimmL.
Click, click. 'I'That noise again, 1ai4
now the creaking of ai hinge. Next
therei wasa sltulllinilg sound, which maide
fli aiware. that t.h,'re waits at manil undter
the bedl, aitd the next i)noment I saw tlhi
blade of a dagger drivewn up through
the miattrass, in the very place whre
I hauld hbeen lying! I gave n low groan,
I which wais amnisworeid by a clhicklho from
'heneath tihe l, .1.
'An easy diath Ii Now f6,r tLim npoils,'
I hear`)d thi siane voice sny.
At the samle instant I ,h(, h'lead uMd
:b ldehhr., ,, the i i e-k,'pmr w .rl tuhrihst.
1,,it 1, , lt la I uI nL;l i (,. C v 'rilig
I,) . . h 11t. t n ;:.'l ' Ilf y pistoll ,
('iii' jli. , -'ii., ii, l ltd eliver yourself
il, y\' ,,r iiii) 'leitl ! guest is nli other
tl1u at d41t1el iv otlie . I ) iot it -
tellli)t to , aire n j ; I ,.hall certiiinly irme
if you do !'
t l ltt I4) did try :;1l I sul4 lilm y siit. aIt
suceedutd Iy 11 '0 1 li' 'ii", nt
inktAnlly M . It, rr,,1 na:,l I11i+ e I-silnuri (
la i -,dtl iin. AI I.:I. l l'y ..,(4 i II; I ,ll' iii);i
thi la l. iih , l Ili . h, ! 1 ..l rih iI
vvtl el h:v i n ' i iitly tIo I Ii
thll,, , ' 4. i, , t, I( I , 4 1 11h,` w lall. lr , 'r ,n II
w l;i,'! i atti n " 1.lll , " ll | q' "'.
Il ),is i),: lI, n . n -(S rt ! c , ItI', i ,
sI', , -, , l I, , 1" , - , I i , ) :t
I:)ll,,w p m iroili, w lui, I , 4 a.., 4u, 4)i' ntl "I
I hii'
I '1 Ii Ii
wi , L;4 ',d, ee.
S , , t I t it wi
Ii It 11 hWnu
