Show hr v i i ft fc f rr s y 1 THE achievement or t M ja y aw TW or A af IR n m w n 71 POLICE duning rh OF TH SECOND 11 alb IN OF III 0 0 0 0 F mtr PUBLISHED for afe FIRST 0 0 N the night 0 january 14 1858 the opera house brilliant with lights held within its walls the elite 0 the city of paris gathered to witness a perform ance of marle tudor la which the celebrated ame mme restore was appearing but t was not altogether the play or the actress although both were excellent la their way that ac counted tor the numbers and quality of the audience in the morning the dally papers announced that the cm geror napoleon III and his consort would be present at the performance an added attraction which had result ed in the assembling of a tremendous crowd that filled the house to its ut most capacity outside the theater an immense throng of people also awaited the coming of their emperor suddenly as the last carriage ar rived in front of the opera house the strident cheers of the populace were ellen ced by the crash of a terrible A shower of bombs had burst upon the pavement scattering death and destruction in their wake and extinguishing the gas lamps with the shock of their detonations deto nations there followed a scorching rain of iron and flame upon the imperial carriage that reeled under the bombardment and must assuredly have been shattered to pieces were it not for the resist nce offered by the steel plates with which its body was lined M claude was one of the first spec gators of the tragedy to recover his celt possession dashing forward he fought his way through the crowd to where the wreck of the imperial carriage stood A glance assured him that the emperor and empress who had already gained the pavement with the assistance of the lieutenant in command ot their body guard had escaped with but trifling injuries less fortunate had been the luckless ones who had stood in close proximity to the carriage the death dealing projectiles jec tiles had torn wide gaps through their ranks and shattered and lifeless bodies lay in twisted attitudes of agony on all sides As the chief stood with compressed lips viewing the als mat scene bis glance fell upon the figure of a man sitting by the edge of the roadway and looking about him with a dazed expression on his face are you an italian queried M claude noting the swarthy hue of his complexion the stranger whose faculties seemed to be clearing replied with a nod of assent and turned to go As he did ao he slipped in a pool of blood that had collected in the gutter and bled against his inquisitor who be came conscious of the bulging outline of some hard substance in the side pocket of the blouse worn by the dark man A metallic jingle proceeding from the same source still further excited the BUS of the chief that the stranger might prove to be one of the authors of the outrage walt a moment monsieur he ejaculated grasping the italian s shoulder but the other wrenching free sprang into the roadway toward the mass of people that restrained by tha officers from approaching the scene of the explosion still swayed tumultuously hither and thither M claude saw that his quarry s object was to lose his identity in the crowd and went swiftly in pursuit before the fleeing man had covered three yards of ground M claudes iron hand descended his der and the fugitive realizing the tu of resistance made no further attempt to escape but contented him self with uttering voluble alons of innocence couched in broken french an inspector now making his ap bearance pe arance the chief directed him to search the prisoner the order was at once carried out with the result that there came to light among other things a five revolver a dag ger and a small packet of papers M claude thrust the papers into the breast of his coat and after asking the prisoner a few questions ordered his subordinate to remove him to sate quarters and place him under a strong guard farly the following morning M claude having obtained a private au alence with his sovereign found him self alone with thyi emperor then sid napoleon III you believe M claude that this murderous attempt upon our lives Is the result of a bourbon conspiracy 1 I do sire replied the chief al though the actual perpetrators of the crime were foreigners chosen with a view of concealing bourbon complicity you are probably correct in your surmise M claude said the emperor thoughtfully of what nationality say you the man Is whom you your self arrested italian sire rejoined the chief ills rightful name Is flerl and from papers found in his possession I 1 am enabled to state that he either was or Is a member of the carbonari at the mention of the dreaded italian society with whom he had been affiliated for several years prior to his ascension to the throne of france napoleon started and changed color I 1 believe however resumed M claude that in this instance the of heads of the carbonari did not sanction the outrage committed by their disciples but the bourbons cun selected as their instruments of vengeance this man alert and three accomplices all of whom are foreign ers and members of the carbonari in order that suspicion may be directed against the italian organization the other three men gomez and dudlo are also under arrest having been captured within an hour follow ing the tragedy your report does you credit M claude said the emperor gracious 1 but on what grounds do you ac cuse the bourbons of complicity in the crime on grounds that cannot be disputed sire responded the chief it will per haps surprise our majesty to learn that the arch conspirator in the affair although he took no personal part in the attack on the imperial carriage is none other than the marquis baldano DAl dano yai speak as though the marquis commands your admiration M claude said napoleon sharply As a courageous man yes sire returned the chief but as an enemy of your majesty I 1 regard him as one to be crushed by tha employment of any means in my power 1 I commend your frankness M claude said the emperor condescend angly would that the many echem era who make the chateau the center of their plots and intrigues might tate your example you at least I 1 can trust have you succeeded in tracing the whereabouts of gaidano DA Idano at the present time sire said the chief placidly the marquis is alone in the rue saint sauveur which is sur rounded roua ded by my men he has been in paris for three days during which time I 1 kept him under surveillance the emperor seated himself and supporting hlll chin on his hand fleeced fleeted tor a few moments hark you M C aude he eald earnestly I 1 desire lou to apprehend this zion yourself youre elf and make his ar rest ab private as there are reasons of state way such a policy must be followed go now to the house in the hue saint saveur and report to me when you have secured the prisoner M claude and went forth on his mission while the emperor left to remained lu a deep reverie napoleon U crafty unscrupulous and a diplomat of no mean talent was keenly alive to the dangerous trend of the adverse political currents that agitated the country during this period of his reign hla ambition had achieved marvelous results in the au dailous stroke which transformed the republic into an empire and placed him upon the throne of france the marquis gaidano sat in soil tary state in a large sparely furnished apartment of the house in tho rue saint sauveur he was a tall well formed man of aristocratic bearing and haughty demeanor who had not yet attained his thirty sixth year on the table beside him stood a goblet halt filled with wine and surrounded by a litter of papers which the mccu pant of the room bad just finished perusing hending his gize on the faintly glowing embers of a scanty fire burn ing listlessly in an open grate the marquis mused silently a melancholy smile lingering on his pale stern face A passing car rattling noisily along the stony street outside awoke him from his reverie and turning he swept bis hand across the table securing the mattered papers which he thrust in a bundle into a fire the languid flames sprang swiftly into renewed life and devoured the sacrifice breedt ly then the fiery tongues their mission accomplished died away into oblivion and D aldano watching saw that naught remained of the docu ments save a pile of gray ashes an emblem of human hopes aad ambitions he murmured aloud A momentary burst of enthusiasm the splendid light of a false beacon that glows fitfully on the royal road to ruin then darkness oblivion death well come what may the agents of napoleon will find nothing here to reward their curious zeal saving yonder dull heap of ashes and myself the sound of a heavy footstep in the corridor interrupted his musings and starting erect he listened intent ly there followed a knock on the door and baldano bidding the apall cant enter it swung open to admit the square athletic form of M claude be seated M claude responded the nobleman waving hla hand with airy grace 1 I expected this visit though I 1 did not anticipate that you would do me the honor of waiting upon me personally the chief bowed and seated him self at the opposite side of the table then he said 1 I presume that you are aware of the object with which I 1 have called upon you the marquis nodded a coo assent there need be no concealment bd tween us M claude he replied 1 I know that 5 our duty requires boj to arrest me and I 1 do not complain I 1 have played tor high stakes and itice were our positions reversed I 1 am sure you would meet misfortune as calmly as I 1 do myself I 1 have always lecog nihed you as a brave man and gallant foe qualities in which most of the members of your party are sadly de focient including the grim puppet whom fate has seen fit to make ruler of our poor france I 1 thank ou for the compliment returned the chief but I 1 must beg of you not to exercise too much 11 cense in speaking of my imperial mas ter words idle words my dear claude replied the marquis smiling disdainfully I 1 will not provoke ou further but surely you can make some allowance for the bitter ances of one who has thrown the dice for the last time in an unlucky gamec M claude was silent and the mar auls continued before I 1 accompany you I 1 have one final request to make that may prove somewhat of a strain upon your courtesy cou tesy anything that Is in my power and does not conflict with my official du ties I 1 am willing to do was the chiefs response baldano laughed softly platitudes are unworthy of you M claude he said ironically I 1 am ad dressing you now as a man not a napoleonic agent understand I 1 am not proposing that you should allow me to escape I 1 know that this house Is surrounded and one blast on the whistle you carry would bring a score of allies to your side therefore before I 1 make my proposition I 1 will take dua precautions to insure us from any intrusion of the kind A shade of menace in the tenor of his companions light jesting tones grated on the chiefs ear and he was about to rise when baldano s right band which had hitherto lingered un der the caver of the table came into TW grasping a silver mounted pistol the muzzle of which was leveled in a direct line with M claudes heart M claude leaned back and shrugged his shoulders philosophically 1 I think you are acting very tool ashly most noble marquis he said coolly there can be but one end to this as tar as you are concerned whatever fate may have in store tor me you may change your opinion when I 1 inform you of my desire responded D aidana sternly hark ye M claude whether I 1 am guilty or not in your estimation of attempting the death of the aspiring parvenu who now usurps the throne of the bour bons you will at least admit that the word of a baldano once given a sacred my honor has never and never will be doubted the chief bent his head in token of assent and the marquis continued very well I 1 wish to inform you that I 1 have sworn never to be held a prisoner at the mercy of a common ad like your present master to yield to him would only mean a shameful death in the end if not at the hands of the public executioner then a fate like that of a dog by poison or knife stab in the dungeons of paris ah M claude it la not necessary tor me to tell you who know the secrets of the chateau how many black foul murders have taken place in the past when victims of napoleons power gasped their last breaths in the dread silence of the night helpless and the marquis voice faltered and he paused for an instant but the hand that gasped his pistol did not tremble and a light of unflinching aloa shone steadily in his eyes for those hapless ones who per ishad in last nights tragedy I 1 hae naught but pity in my heart the guilt of bloodshed weighs not upon my shoulders but rather on those of the man whom the adherents of the rightful sovereign of france sought to destroy and whose baneful exist ence made such a catastrophe pos elble As tor you M claude you are but a machine owned and operated by a tyrant also our reputation proclaims you a model of honest and strength of purpose and for tha reason I 1 am minded to bestow upon you aa honor that will be valued posterity it not by yourself first of all will you give me your word that you will submit to my proposition which involves no question of my es cape if bot I 1 will reluctantly be obliged to dhoot you and then turn this weapon on myself era your men can gain ih stairway M claudo shrugged his shoulders again you leive me scant choice he said calmyn and I 1 am willing to confess that I 1 am not desirous of being dispatched post haste to para alse with the aid of a ball from your I 1 agree laid down his pistol and a handsomely chased gold acuff box inhaled a pinch of the mix ture therein with extreme zest he passed the box to the chief who tol lowed his example and bowed in ac know of the courtesy now said the marquis gayly 1 I intend to entrust you with a secret which will prove that instead of seek ing to avoid I 1 am indeed courting death removing als coat he bared his forearm exposing to view a bluish red puncture about halt an inch in length just above the wrist which stood out in bold relief against the white skin that mark he said tapping the scar gently with his forefinger Is my passport to another world M claude the chief stared uncomprehending ly and the marquis dropped back into his chair with a light laugh A few hours ago he said when I 1 realized that all avenues of escape from paris were closed to me I 1 resolved to adopt a measure which would insure an early death by my own hand should the boon of dying as befits one of my race be denied it would have been simpler as well as less painful to have blown out my brains but I 1 clung to the hope of tailing by the sword of a worthy toeman if such a consummation could be brought about do you understand 1 I begin to perceive the drift of your argument returned the chief but may I 1 ask what means you sum boned to your assistance in escaping the hand of the executioner certainly assented the marquis A man worthy of crossing swords with me Is also deserving of my conal dence and you shall have it in full the wound in my arm insignificant though it may appear is none the less deadly it was caused by the prick of a dagger the point of which had been tipped with poison taken from the diseased bone of a putrid human body its extreme virulence would not be made manifest for several hours to come but I 1 have the author ity of one of france s most eminent physicians for stating that such a pots on Is absolutely sure in its effects true one would labor under the tri fling inconvenience of enduring in tense agony at the final climax but that Is a mere matter of detail with which I 1 am not concerned besides your fame as a swordsman leads me to imagine that I 1 may perchance ex alre in an easier and more gentle manly fashion I 1 think I 1 am not mis taken when I 1 inter that you are one of the best wl elders of a |