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HOMEAND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
H
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL.
The Secret of the Night By Gaston Leroux
TIIIULLINO MVSTnilY RTOItV OK ItUSSIAN IXTIUflVn I1Y XOTKD
PHUNCII AUTIIUH.
siNorsts op rnnvioira cuaitkrs.
Younc Joseph Itouletabllle. ostensibly a
reporter lor a Parisian newspaper, but.
fft'fact, a detective of renown. I ealled to
iiuisla by the Csar to save the life of
"?nc. al Trobnasof , (Fcodor Feodorovlich).
"hi has been condemned to death by the
Nihil its. lie Is receive! by the den.
rral's cver-falthful and ever-natcliful wife.
Madam Trcboeiof tMatrena PetraMna).
I lo meet Nntacha. the General's daughter
by a previous marriage The CK-nerol la
nt lilaj villa, surrounded by a few faithful
friends, ltouletablllo Hams of the first two
alt-miits against the life of the loneral
from Madamo Trebassof. One of Itoulet.
ablllo'a fl"t actions la to OlstnU tho secret
ii) lea iiunrdltiK the villa. ltouletablllo
earn of tho fhlid attempt on the Hen
eial's life, by mesne of a clockwork bom.
Ml In ft are of flowers on hla table. It
naa frustrated by Madame Trebassof, who
nu slightly Injured by the explosion The
Selcellvo learns that Nalacha Is In love
ttlth llirla, but also la very friendly to
wards Michael. He learns tho aeeret of
the night tho terrible nightmares that are
experienced by the nred General. Natachn
La suspected of complicity In th plots
ncnlnt tho llfo of tho Oencral. but ltou
tftablllc, stoutly affirms his belief In her
Innocen. e. Though a great warning tells
Itnulrlahllln that his ward, tho General,
n in he dead In 44 hours, the delectlvo sug
gests a promenade by tho sea, unattended,
Natacha absents herself during tho prom
enade on alight raute. Itouletabllle be
oms Interested la hat.ptns. He la eonfl.
dent of a plot against .the General by
nolsolcsi methods and watches tho door of
an unused entrance to the room where the
Drncrnl sleeps ltouletablllo discovers that
entrance can bo forced Into tho General's
room through nn unused door by means
of a bent hot.pln and ho and Madame Tre
bnssof set themselves to natch. A mste
rloits hand la seen to pour a vial of poison
Into tho General's medicine. The owner ot
tho band esearxs.
"M
ADAME," ho commenced. "It Is
Impossible to work with you.
Why In tho world hava you
wept not. two (cot from your stepdaugh
ter's ilor7 You nnd your Kouprlanc,
jou couunenca to mnho me regret tha
.faubourg Polssonlore, you know. Your
,tcp.laughtcr has certainly heard you.
It I lucky that sho nttachos no Importnnco
at all to your noclurtinl phantasmagorias,
and that she has been used to them a long
time. Ehej has moro uonse than you, Ma
demoiselle Natnchit has. She sleeps, or at
least alio protends to sleep, which leaves
everybody in peace. What reply will you
give her It It happens that olio links you
tho reason today for your marching and
counter-inarching up and down tho sitting
room and complains that you kept her
from sleeping?"
Matrcna only shook her old, old head.
"No, no, sho hns not heard me. I was
there like a shadow, llko a shadow of my
self. Him will nover hear mo. No one hears
a shadow."
ltouletablllo felt returning" pity for hor
and spoke moro gently.
"In that case, It Is necessary, you must
understand, that sho could attach no moro
Importance to what you havo done tonight
than to tho things she knows of your do.
IniT other nights. It Is not tho first tlm,
is It, that you have wandered In tho sitting-room?
You understand mo? And to
morrow, madame, cmbraco her as you al
ways have,"
"No, not that," sho moaned. "Never that.
I rould not."
"Why notr
Matienn did not reply. 8he wept. Ho
took her In his arms Uko a child consoling
Its mother.
"Don't cry. Don't cry. All Is not lost.
Someone did leave tho villa this morning"
"Oh, llttl. domovol! How Is that? How
Is that? How did you find that out?"
"Since we didn't find anything Inside, It
was certainly necessary to find something
outside."
"And you havo found it?"
"Certainly.1
"Tho Virgin protect you I"
"Bho Is with us. Bho will not desert us.
I will cvou say that I holleva sho has a
special guntdlunshlp over tho Isles. Bho
w&tehes over thorn from evening to morn
ing." "What nro you saying?"
"Ceitalnly. You don't know what wo
call In France 'tho watchers of tho Vtr
Clnr" "Oli, yes, they nro tho webs that tho dear
llttl beasts of tho cood Clod spin between
the trees and that. . ."
"Kxactly. You understand me nnd you
will understand further when you know
that In tho Harden tho first thine that
struck mo across tho face as I went Into
it was theso watchers of the Virgin spun
Ly the dear little spiders of the Rood Clod.
At first whin I felt them on my faca I
said to myself, Hold on, no one has passed
tliU way' una so I went to search other
places. The webs stopped mo everywhere
Id the garden. But, outside tho garden,
they kept out of the way and let mo pass
undisturbed down a pathway which led to
the Neva. So then I said to myself, 'Now,
has the Virgin by accident overlooked hor
work In this pathway? Surely not. Some
one has ruined it.' I found tho shreds of
them hanging to tho bushes, and so I
reached tho river."
"And you threw yourself Into tho river,
my dear angel. You swim Uko a llttlo
cod."
"And I landed whoro the other landed.
Yes, theio were the reeds all freshly
broken. And I sllnucd in anions the
1 tushes."
. "Where to?"
"lp to tho Villa Krcstowsky, inadnmc
ihere they both live."
An, it was from there somcono pamoi"
There vtas. a silence between them,
Bhe questioned:
"Borhr
"b'omeonn who ciiha from thn villa and
lr.o leturned there. Tinrls or Michael, or
I Mother. Th.y went" and refturiicd through'
i,. ?f,,s But ,n cfnlnir thy used a
boat; they returned by swimming."
gol"0r CUstorn'H"y agitation reasserted It
Sho demanded ardently:
."iVPi? ,y?u .arw 8Ure lhat ho cam hero
ami that he left here?"
"Yes, I am sure of It"
"How?"
"By the sitting-room window."
It Is Impossible, for we found It locked."
It is possible, If someone, closed It be
hind him."
"A hi"
Bho commenced to tremble again, and.
falling back Into her .nightmarish horror,
sho no longer wasted fond ixplctlvcs on
her domovol as on a dtar little angel who
had Just rendered a service ten limes more
precious to her than life. While ho listened
patiently, she said brutally:
"Why did you keep me from throwing
myself on him, from ruxhlnt; upon him as
ho opened tho door? Ah. I would have, I
would have. , . we would know."
"No At tho least nols he would have
closed tho door. A turn of the key and
ho would have escaped forever. And he
would have been warned."
"Careless boy! Why then. If you knew
ho was going to come, didn't you leave me
In tho bedroom and you watch below
yourself?"
"Bccauso so long as I was below he
would not havo come. Ho only comes
when there Is no ono downstnlrs."
"Alt, Saints Peter and Paul, pity n poor
woman! Who do you think It Is, then?
Who do you think It Is? I can't think any
more. Tell me, tell mo that. You ought
to know you know everything. Come
who? I demand tho truth. Who? Still
homo agent of the Committer, of the Central
Committee? Still tho Nihilists?"
"If It was only thatf said Itouletabllle
quietly.
"You havo sworn to drive mo mad! What
do you mean by your 'If It was only that?" "
Itouletabllle, Imperturbable), did not reply.
"What have you dono with tho potion?"
said he.
"The potion? Tho glass of the crime! I
havo locked It In my room, In tho cup.
hoard safe, safe!
"Ah, but madsmo, It Is necessary to re
place It where you took It from.1
"Whatl"
"Yes, after having poured the poison Into
n phial, to wash the glass nnd fill It with
another potion."
"You aio right. You think of everything.
If tha general wakes and wnnts his potion,
he must not be suspicious of anything, and
ho must bo able to have his drink,"
"It Is not necessary that ho should
drink."
"Welt. then, why havo tho drinlc there?"
"So that tho person can be sure, madame,
that if he has not drnnlr It Is simply be
cause he liai not wished to, A pure chance,
madame, that he Is not poisoned. You
understand mo this time?"
"Yes, yes. O Chi 1st I nut how now, it
the general wakes and wishes to drink his
narcotic?"
"Tell him I forbid It. And here is an
other thing you must do. When Someono
comos Into tho general's chamber. In tho
morning, you mmt quite openly and
nnturnlly throw out tho potion, useless and
vupld, you see, and so Someone wilt have
no right to bo astonished that the general
continues to enjoy excellent health."
"Yes, yes, llttlo one: you ar wiser than
King Solomon. And what will I do with
thn phial of poison.?"
"Bring It to me."
"Illght away."
She went for It and returned five minutes
later.
"Ho Is still asleep. I have put the glass,
on tho tabic, out ot his reach. He will
call me."
"Very good. Then push tho door to, close
itj wo have to talk things over."
"nut If somcono goes back up tho serv
ants' staircase?"
"Bo easy about that. They think tho
general Is poisoned already. It Is the first
carc-freo moment I havo been able to en
Joy In this house."
"When will you stop making me shako
with horror little demon! You keep your
secret well, I must sny. The general If
sleeping better than If he really wero
poisoned. But what shall we do about Na
tacha? I dare ask you that you and you
alone."
"Nothing at all."
"How nothing?"
"We will wntch her . . ."
"Ah. yes. yes."
"Still. Matrtna, you let me watch her by
myself."
"Yes, yes. I promlso you. I will not pay
any attention to her. That Is promised.
That la promised. Do as you please. Why,
just now, when I spoke of tho Nlhlllsto to
ou, did you say, 'If It were only that?
you believe, then, that she is not a Nihi
list? Sho read such things things Uko
on tha barricades. . .
"Madame, madame. you think of nothing
but Natacha. You havo promised me not
to watch her; ptomlse me not to think
about her." ,.
"Why, why did you say, 'If It was only
thatl'?"
"Because, If there were only Nihilists In
jcur affair, dear madume. It would bo too
simple, or. rather It would have been more
simple. Can you possibly believe, madame,
tint simply Nihilist, a Nihilist who was
only a Nihilist, would take palrls that his
bomb exploded from a. vase of flowers?
Hut It wou'd have mattered where, so long
ns It overwhelmed tho general? Do you
Imagine that the bomb would have had less
f;oct behind tho door than In front of It?
And tho llttU cavity under the floor, do
you bellevo that a genuine revolutionary,
iiuch an you havo here In Russia, would
amuse himself by penetrating to the villa
only to draw out two nails from a board,
when ono happens to gjve him tlnio be
tween two visits to the dlnlng-roora? Do
you supposo that n revolutionary who
Wished to avenge the dead of Moscow and
who could succeed In getting so far as the
door behind which General Trebassof slept
would oniUBo himself by making a little
hole with a pin In order to draw back the
bolt and nmuso himself by pouring poison
into n. glass? Why, In such n case, ho
would havo thrown his bomb outright,
whether It blew him up along with tho
villa, or ho was arrested on the spot, or
had to submit to the martyrdom of tho
dungeons In .ho Tortress of SS. Peter nnd
, i' T "0.l'i"iB at Bchlussclbiirg. Isn't
that what ulwnys happens? That Is tho
way. .?. "'""d hftvo dono nnd not havo
acted like n hotel-rat! Now, there Is some
one In jour home (or who comes to your
home) who acts like a hotel-rat because he
loss not wish to bo seen, because ho does
not wish to bo discovered, because ho doei
net wish to h taken In tho act. Now, tho
moment ho fears nothing, bo much as to
bo taken In tho act. so that ho plays nil
these tricks of legerdemain, It Is certain
that his object lies beyond the net Itself,
beyond the bomb, beyond the poison. Why
all this necessity for bombs of deferred
explosions, far clockwork placed whero It
will be confused with other things, and
not on a bare staircase forbidden to every
body, though you visit It 20 times n day?"
"But this man comes In as ho pleases
by day and by night? You don't answer.
Ion don't know who he Is, perhaps?
"I know him, perhaps, but I am not sure
who It Is yet."
"You nro not curious, little domovol
doukh! A friend of tho house, certainly,
und who enters the house as he wishes,
by night, because someone opens the win
dow for him. And who comes from tho
Krcstowsky Vllln. Boris or Mlchaell Ah,
poor mlserablo Matrcna! Why don't they
kill poor Mntreiia? Their genorntt Thtlr
general! And they are soldiers soldiers
who come at night to hill their gcnoralt
Aided by by whom? Do you believe that?
You? Light of my eyca! you believe that! No
no, that Is not possible! I wnnt you to
understand, monsieur le domovol, that I am
not able to believe anything so horrible.
No, no, by Jesus Christ, who died on the
cross, and who searches our hearts, I do
not believe that Boris who, however, has
very advanced ideas. I admit It Is neces
sary not to forget that; very advanced;
nnd who composes ery advanced verses
nlso, an I have always told him T wilt
not believe that Boris is capablo of such
a fearful crime-. As to Michael, he Is an
honest man, and my daughter, my Natacha,
Is an honest girl. Kverythlug looks very
bad. truly, but I do not suspect cither
Michael or Borl? or my puro and beloved
Natacha (even though she has mado a
translation into French of very advanced
verses, certainly most Improper for the
daughter of a general.) That Is what lies
at the bottom of my mind, tho bottom nt
my heart you have understood me per
fectly, llttle-angel nf paradise? Ah, It Is
you tho general owes his life to, that Ma
trcna owes her life. Without you this house
wc uld already be a coffin. How shall I
ever reward you? You wish for nathlngl
I annoy you! You don't even listen to met
A coffin we would all be In our coffins!
Tell me what you desire. All that I have
belongs lo you!"
"I desire to smoke a pipe."
"Ah, a pipe! Do you wnnt some yellow
perfumed tobacco that I receive every
month from Constantinople, a treat right
from tho harem? I will get enough for
ion, If you like it, to smoko ten thousand
pipes full."
"I prefer caporal." replied noulctabllle.
"But you are tight. It Is not wise to sus
ptet anybody. See, watch, wait. Thcro
Is always time, once the gamo Is caught,
'to say whether It Is a bare or a wild boar,
I.lstim to me, then, my good minimi. Wo
must know first what is in the phlaL Whero
is It?"
"litre It is."
Kho drew It from her sleeve. He stowed
It in hli pocket.
"You wish thn general a good nppctlte,
for me. t am Kolng out. I will bo back
In two hours at the, latest. And. above
all, don't let the general know anything.
I bra going to ne.i ono of my friends who
lives, in the AptUkarskl pcreolck."
"Depend on me and get buck quickly for
I've of me. My blood clogs In my heart
'The little street it the apothe-arlf s
when jou nro not heru dear soivnnt ot
Ood."
Sho mounted to tho general's room nnd
rame down at least 10 times to seo It
HouUtubllle had not returned. Two hours
later he was around thw villa, ns ho had
promised. She could not keep herself fiom
tunning to meet him, for which shu wan
scolded.
"Bo calm. Be calm. Do you know what
was In the phial?"
"No."
"Arsenate of soda, enough to kill ten
People."
Holy Mary!"
"Be quiet, llo upstairs to tho general."
Ieodor Feodorovltch was In charming,
himor. It wm his first good night slnco
the death of tho youth of Moscow. Ho at
tributed tc his not having touched tho
narcotic nnd resolved, onco more, to glvo
up the narcotic, n resolve Roulelnblllo and
M tlrlna encouraged. During tho conversa
tion thero was a knack at tho door of Ma
trena's chamber.
ITn n Continued V
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
.1 rolnnln devnted to those who limit to
liny, nell or exchange. Hate, -I rents per
word.
80 ACIti:.? flvo miles from Molalln, Or.: 15
acres has been cultivated, 15 moro has
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WR HAVE tha beat dairy farm on Pnlumbln
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H. N. Steelo (owner), 204 Hallway Ex
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l0-ACnK WHKAT FAflM, SOO In wheat;
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IVW-ACHt: WHKAT FAIIM, must be
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it? Board of Trade. Portland.
PINKST sheep proposition In the North
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land. Oregon.
KXPKlliKN(i;i) farm band. 40 years. Bin.
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porting mother references. J, It. II :
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( isis JT.JT iivi. Judge cngture j
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