CHAPTER XI.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 223, 20 September 1893, Page 6

CHAPTER XI.

FRESH EVIDENCE

Hazard received, as he expected, a \^st number of letters in answer to .hia fttwbiguoualv worded advortieeinent in the Now York ' Herald.1

It seemed as if the wliolo world wanted to claim the effects of tho ' (ine-loolnng ' young 'man whose body had been so mysteriously found. Mosb of tho writers of tho letters addressed to ' R.H., " Herald" ofiieo,' spemed more anxious about tho ' gold watch, valuable jewellry, and pocket book containing a sum of money,1 than they woro about the deceased yountr man himself.

Hazard felt baliled. Nob ono of theso anxious inquirers said one word about tho mysterious symbol of the black make. All tho people whoso friends v/cro young and fine looking, woro gold watches and valuable jewollry, and had disappeared, must try elsewhero ; for, if this dead body had been the one sought by them, they would certainly have mentioned such a strong and peculiar mark of identification. 'Well.' that sottlos it,' mid Hazard, giving his head such »n unmerciful rub that ho looked likoan enraged cockatoo. ' Tho only conclusion I can now come Co is that this man was a stranger in New York.'

He toro up the letters, and threw them into the waste-basksb. That afternoon he received a letter that somehow impressod him strongly, though it said nothing about the mark of tho black snake. Ib was from the principal of a young ladies' seminary, aiady, and stated that e\\o would like to have an intorview with the advertiser, as a gentleman who had beon employed in her establishment had very suddenly ceased his attendance at his usual class hours. The description tallied, the lady said, with his appearance and stylo of dress. 'I'll ccc this schoolma'am,' said tlio detective. The address was in West Forty-second-streot, and Hazard arrived thereabout halfpast four o'clock, an hour aftor tha recoipt of the lady's letter. Ib was a very large and handsomo house/ The detective rang the boil, and inquired of tho nent and demuru looking girl wlio answered the summons if IVlnrkmo Do Crois was at home, and disengaged. 'I will see. Please walk in, and take a soat.' Hazard handed her a card, on which was inscribed : 'H. R., 'Herald Ofiicc'

For he knew that many ladiea have a sorb of horror of detectives, and lie rightly conjectured that Madame Do Croix was of the number, and would tell him nothing if slio was frightened. A rustlo of silken, drapery and a waft of perfume notified the detoctivo of the approach of cmidam. A tall, stately lady entered. Sho wai a woman of some fifty years, and the shining and abundant hair, go elaborately arranged, was white aa bhow, but hor complexion wm clear arid rosy as that of a girl of sixteen, and hor largo blue eyes wore undimmad by tho hand of time, ti'io was aristocratic in appearance, and dignified in manner. • Yon are the detective who inserted tho advertisement?' pho inquired, with a trlanne nfc tho card she hold in her hand. ' V't'3. madam,' replied tho detective, with a profound bow. "* Be seated. I am uneasy abonfc my French master, Monsieur Fiorio. Ho hug attended my school with the utmost regularity for tho past four years.' Tho old lady did not, add that .°he lovs'l the young teachor like her own eon, but it was ft fact. ' When did the gentleman stop coming?' asked Hazard. 'Twc wooka ago to-day,' replied the lady. 'Do you knoT of any particular or peculiar mark about this gentleman by which he could bo idontitied ?' i 'No. I have never observed any. Ho i was a very aristocratic looking man, and he

confided to mo that, bub for some family trouble, ho would occupy a very diheront position, which I believed tho more readily from the fact that he was a thorough gentleman in every instinct. lam a firm believer in good blood, and am of a noble French family myself.' .... ' So i perceive,' said Hazard, thinking to himsolf: ' You never gebany good of women till you give them a little taffy.' ' Yob Monsieur Florin was a thorough aristocrat. Ho was also a very handsome man, and dressed well, wore handsome diamond ehirt-studs, aud a particularly lino solitaire as a pin.' _ 'Could you identify his watch and jewellery?' Madame hesitated. ' Watches and diamonds aro so much alike,' she'said. 'True. Could yon identify his pocketbook, or have you given him any bills lately ?' 'I could identify his pocket-book, for I gave it to him myself on tho occasion of ! his birthday, the 22nd of November, and I ! could also identify some bills. I paid him his quarter's salary the last time I saw him, and I am old-fashioned euough to take down tho numbers of the bilk that pa«B through my hands.' Hazard's' eyes brightoned ; here was a sensible old lady, and he bolioved ho had found a clue.

' I will call here to-morrow, and bring the effects of the murdered man with me,' he said, rising to go. A terrible, ghastly hue spread over tho lady's face. ' Murdered!' she gasped. ' Oh ! I am sorry to frighten you, madam, bufc if this is the gentleman you knew, you must bo mado awaro of his aad fato sooner or later." ' Bufc who would murder him ?' She had recovered hor composure a little, though tho white hand she raised to her face- still trembled. ' Ho wna murdorod, undor very extraordinary circumstances.' 'Sit down and toll mo the wholo truth— I insist upon ib,' said madam, firmly. ' Don'b you read tho daily papers, madam ?' 'Yes, some portions of thorn.' 'Bub not murders, or suicides, or anything awful ?' ' No, I nover read those things ; they make mo nei'vous.1 'Then you did nob read tho account of tho gontloinan who was found dead in his bed, poisoned, in the Vundeohofi House?' 'Ah! No.' Suddenly a thought flashed through Hazard's mind. Tho written words—madam would, of courso, recognise her teacher's handwriting. Unfortunately ho had loft tho pocket-book containing tho charred paper nt homo, Ho briefly told Madame Do Croix tho story ot the midnight murder, dwelling a j littlo on tho subject of the mysterious und beautiful lady who had on gaged tho room and written the naino ' Iroue Dv Bois' in tho hotel register. 'Irene Dv Bois,' paid madam, thoughtfully. ' No, 1 never heard thab name iv my life.1

' Well, madam, I will call here ad this time tomorrow, and bring the things I spoUe of. Of courso you would recognise Monsieur Ploria'a writing?' 'Cevtainly, fit a glance.' ' Well, I'll bid you good-aftornoon now.' I Whnt'u that ? Oh, I hoar tho young ladies returning from their walk; wait till they got up stairs.' Hazard waited. Tho thought occurred to him that perhaps under this very roof, lie would linn lilio guilty woman wlio had committed this cruel murder. lie heard Lho merry though subdued laughter of the happy bsvy of girls as they pas.sel! up stairs, and wondorod if nhe. could laugh and bo light-hearted with tho stain of this torriblo sin on her aoul. At length tho youn[j ladies were out of tho way, and madaino rang tho boli for tho girl to show the dotoctivo out. Sho was an odd-loo!:ting girl, with lint- { white hair, fair, freckled skin, white eyebrow?, and very dark reddish-brown eyes. ' Where is Julie?' asked madam, for this w'iis not the girl w!<o attended afc tha door. 'Julio is buny with Misa Green. She I;a3 faintod again.' Hsizard sp.w madam shrug her siiouldorß impatiently. II Really, ib is vory strange—why Mi«.s Grtfen should be continually fainting, when tlioi"o is nothing tho matter with her, the doctor sayp.'

Tho question wonb unanswered, for Hazard find followed tho servant into the hall.

As plic opened tho door tho girl flashed her re'i-brown eyea on the dotectivo, and asknd, abruptly :

' Did you co'iio about himI. ' About who?' 'Monmeur Floria.' ' Whatl about him ?' Hazard eyed this odd-looking fomnla very attentively. ' What 6iboub him?' she repeated, in a sort of mocking way, 1 Yae. What about him ? Who ia ho ?' •You don't know?'she asked, staring at him fixedly. ' Know what ?' ' There ! 1 have no time to talk to you. f I thought you cumo about Monsieur Floria, I .but I supposo its only tuning pianos, or mwsionnry taxes, or somo of that—' Ilnzard could nob rjuito catch the Insb word, but it sounded suspiciously like ' ml;,' 1 W7i«i6 do you know of Monsieur Floria ?' asked t'l.o detective. 'Ah! .Nothing. Go long, I can road, and I rea<} tho puparu.' With ■('wz'a words fcho girl slammcJ tlia door in his fiico. Sho could road tho papers ! Siio had road tho ncc'junt oF fcha murder, and iho know Floria, fcho French master, was tho murdered inn 11, Then .sho also know the woman who murdered him. , Site was employed in the school, and could u?e her eyes. Thi? woman would bo a valuablo assistant, and Hazard harl half an idem of ringing the bod and quoationiDK her further; but. he reflected that sho formed annoyed with horpclf for having spoken, and when r>. wmnn.ll ia angry ahe b also obstinate. So, with tho consoling reflection t.bat !ie would Bee her the following day when ho callocl, he walked off. ■ To be Continued.)