upre, "you're not hurt; come with me and see if we can
be of any use."

"I'm afraid of another explosion," groaned the _concierge_.

"Nonsense! There's never a second. Come along."

They found some difficulty in getting outside, and then it was through
a hole in the wall and not through the door. The lower hall was
wrecked.

Dupre expected to find a crowd, but there was no one there. He did not
realise how short a time had elapsed since the disaster. The policeman
was on his hands and knees in the street, slowly getting up, like a man
in a dream. Dupre ran to him, and helped him on his feet.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I don't know," said the policeman, rubbing his head in his
bewilderment.

"How was it done?"

"Oh, don't ask me. All at once there was a clap of thunder, and the
next thing I was on my face in the street."

"Is your comrade inside?"

"Yes; he and M. Sonne and two customers."

"And the _garcon_, wasn't he there?" cried Dupre, with a note of
disappointment in his voice.

The policeman didn't notice the disappointed tone, but answered--

"Oh, the _garcon_, of course."

"Ah," said Dupre, in a satisfied voice, "let us go in, and help them."
Now the people had begun to gather in crowds, but kept at some distance
from the cafe. "Dynamite! dynamite!" they said, in awed voices among
themselves.

A detachment of police came mysteriously from somewhere. They drove the
crowd still further back.

"What is this man doing here?" asked the Chief.

The policeman answered, "He's a friend of ours; he lives in the house."

"Oh," said the Chief.

"I was going in," said Dupre, "to find my friend, the officer, on duty
in the cafe."

"Very well, come with us."

They found the policeman insensible under the _debris_, with a leg
and both arms broken. Dupre helped to carry him out to the ambulance.
M. Sonne was breathing when they found him, but died on the way to the
hospital. The _garcon_ had been blown to pieces.

The Chief thanked Dupre for his assistance.

They arrested many persons, but never discovered who blew up the Cafe
Vernon, although it was surmised that some miscreant had left a bag
containing an infernal machine with either the waiter or the
proprietor.

AN ELECTRICAL SLIP.

Public opinion had been triumphantly vindicated. The insanity plea had
broken down, and Albert Prior was sentenced to be hanged by the neck
until he was dead, and might the Lord have mercy on his soul.