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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 1908)
The Roupell Mystery By Austyn Granvi'lle CHAPTER V. (Continued.) The magistrate paused, and bit his Hps. An ominous hum of voices filled the room and the clerk laid down his pen, seized his gavel and rapped (or si lence, gazing indignantly around him in the universal manner of court function aries, as if a sacrilege had been com mitted. "Dave you any statement which you wish to make?" resumed the magistrate. "Tea, I have. I was not in the room at the time of the commission of the murder. I was not even the first to enter the room. I entered the room al most simultaneously with another person. Monsieur Jules Chabot" "Take this diagram In your hands. There is Madame Roupell's chamber. This to her sitting room. Where were yon at the time the shot was fired?" "I was just about to enter the sitting room from the room beyond, which had been my own apartment during my for mer visits to the chateau. It still con tained some things of mine which I bad not sent for. I recollect a case of pis tols, particularly, which was lying on the toilette table." "Look at the pistol shown you, and say If It is your pistol?" "It Is. It Is one I brought from Amer ica. I used this pistol for gallery prac tice, of which I am fond." "Whn did yon last see it?" "About six weeks ago. It was then in the pistol case already referred to. "Monsieur Jules Chabot, you say, was already In Madame Roupell's apartment when 70a entered. Where was he standing?" "We entered simultaneously. He was over by the other door." "Would It have been possible for Mon aleur Chabot to have taken that pistol from your case without your knowledge?' "I cannot tell. It depends. He may bare done so, but he would have had to enter the apartment by way of Madame Roupell's sitting room, because the other door was locked." "Who locked It?" Van Lith hesitated for a barely per ceptible InRtant of time ere he replied : "I locked it myself, so as to be secure from Interruption." "Why did you wish to be secure from interruption?" "Because I did not wish It known that I was in the chateau." "Why did you not wish It known?" "That is one of the questions I must decline to answer." The prefect and the judge exchanged significant glances. The latter had no ticed the prisoner's hesitation when stat ing that It was he himself who had locked the door. "That Is the first lie he has told," thought M. Bertrand, "and it is told to shield someone. He has an ac complice, evidently." Then he said out loud : "I have no more questions to ask. The examination of the prisoner is concluded. You will retain him in the closest cus tody, and allow no one but his counsel or physician to see him under any pretext whatsoever." Jules Chabot was the next witness to tie examined. His testimony was substan tially the same as contained in the pre fect's report. He swore positively enough to finding Van Lith in Mme. Roupell's chamber immediately after hearing the re port of the pistol. He also swore that Mme. Roupell and Van Lith were on bad terms, and gave, though with a well assumed show of reluctance, a pretty full recapitulation of the facts which had brought about the final quarrel between them. At this stage of the examination, the prefect was seen to whisper something to the judge, and the latter then asked : "You testify that nearly an hour elapsed between the time when you were shown to your room and the firing of the pistol. The condition of your bed proves that you had not slept in it, and when you reached Madame Roupell's chamber you were fullf dressed. Why did you not retire to rest?" "Simply because I was not sleepy," re plied M. Chabot, coloring somewhat, and fingering his long mustache nervously. "I was busy writing." "What were you writing?" M. Chabot hesitated and stammered. "If you do not immediately answer my question, I shall have no alternative but to commit you, monsieur," said the judge, in a stern voice. , Jules Chabot hesitated no longer. Draw. Ing a letter from his pocket, he handed it up to the bench. "It is a confidential communication ad dressed to a lady," he said, "and I trust you will respect it." M. Bertrand could but with difficulty repress a smile as he ran his eyes rap Idly over the letter, which was nothing less than the draft of a written proposi tion of marriage to Miss Harriet Weldon. It had evidently been the subject of much are, as the frequent erasures and inter lineations showed. It was couched in flowery and high-flown language, and full of the most extravagant expressions of edoratlon. The most peculiar thing about it was the writer had evidently been un certain as to which of the two young ladles he should ask for, 'as the words "Mile. Harriet Weldon" had been first written and then scratched out, as If he thought there was no hope for him in that direction, and "Mile. Emily Weldon" )ut in their stead. Victor Lablanche Jiere again whispered In the ear of the judge of instruction and the latter said: "I would ask yon If you were occu pied during all the Interval which elapsed between the Urn of our retiring and hearing the report of the pistol, in writ ing this letter?" "I was not so engaged during the en tire time; the point of my pencil broke, and I had no penknife with which to re sharpen it" "You were right, monsieur le prefect," exclaimed the judge, with a meaning glance at the official. "How long a time elapsed between the breaking of your pencil and the report of the pistol?" "About five minutes, I should say. Probably longer. It might have been more and it may have been less. I could not say for certain." "The letter you have shown me," said the judge, "I think sufficiently explains why you did not retire to sleep. You were the invited guest of Madame Rou pell, and occupied the room shown you. By the by, at which door did you go into Madame Roupell's room? The one which led to it from your chamber?" "Oh, no, monsieur, that was locked. I had first to go Into the corridor." "That will do, Monsieur Chabot, you can go," said the judge, and the French man, considerably relieved, bowed and retired. The servants were then called, and they swore positively that none of them had admitted Van Lith into the chateau, and had no knowledge of his being there until they saw him in Mme. Roupell's cham ber. The prefect here stated bis discov ery of the bruised vine leaves, and the open window, and gave It as his opinion that the entry had been there effected. The examination of the local physi cian and Dr. Paul Mason then followed. They both testified that Mme. Roupell had died from the effects of a pistol bul let entering the base of the brain. This concluding the proceedings, the judge of Instruction then committed Van Lith to the prison of La Mazas. "Shall I keep Monsieur Jules Chabot under surveillance?" asked the prefect. when all had retired. "I see no occasion for It," replied M, Bertrand. "He may be a fool ; but he doesn t look like a murderer." But Victor Lablanche still adhered ob stinately to the opinion that M. Chabot would bear watching. Slipping from the room he instructed one of his most relia ble secret agents to keep him In sight un til further orders. He had said nothing about his discovery of the open door. He would keep that to himself. It might lead perhaps to one of those grand coups for which be was so famous. Another thing the prefect was dissatis fied with. Upon the certificate of the phy sicians that the Miles. Weldon were pros trated by the death of their aunt, they bad not been summoned before the tri bunal though later they would probably be called upon to testify. The prefect considered this as ill-timed leniency, but there was no help for it. The certificate of so famous a physician as Dr. Paul Mason had its weight with the judge of instruction. PTIiPTPD I'l Dr. Paul Aason found opportunity to whisper in Charles Van Lith's ea, as he ns iea away : "Do not despair. I will leave no stone unturned to establish your innocence." Then, as he wrung his hand, he added, "Oh, if you would but speak." an Lith said nothing in reply. He was so overcome with the horror of. his situation that he could barely stammer out his thanks for the' doctor's kindness. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the misfortune which had overtaken him, he suffered himself to be conducted unresist ingly to that sombre vehicle, in which, closely barred and huddled together like sheej), prisoners are carried to the dark and gloomy cells of La Mazas. Paul Ma son immediately took a cab to the Rue de Reverdy, where he ate, though sparingly, of the breakfast which his housekeeper, Louise, had long ago prepared against his coming. "Well, Madame Roupell was murdered this morning at the Chateau Villeneuve," he said at last. The old servant started violently. She set down the pot from which she was about to pour a fresh cup of coffee for the doctor, and trembled from head to foot. "Is it possible?" she, ejaculated. "It is not only possible, but, alas, it Is a fact," repeated the doctor: "and a if tliat was not trouble enough in one day, my friend Monsieur Charles Van Lith has been arrested, charred with th commission of the crime." At this additional intelligence the old woman's eyes nearly started out of her bead. "Monsieur Charles! How can ha V. guilty of such a thine? He. so rav. an cheerful, so polite to everybody I I will never believe it." "He was in the chateau last nipht nnrl positively refuses to tell even me how he came to be there. But there is a report of the whole affair in the morning paper. You can read it for yourself." The old lady nut on her claaaea nn1 simply devoured the paper which the doc tor nanaea ner. suddenly she exclaimed: "Monsieur Van Lith's silence haa thing to do with one of the young ladies, you may depend upon it." Louise pointed to a certain paragraph In the report of the tragedy, which had already, In the shape of an "extra," found its way thus early into print : "It has transDlred that ' lfoht burning In the chamber of Mile. Harriet Weldon. a niece of the murdered woman at a late hour. It would not surprise us to learn that this young lady ultimately proved to be the "woman in the case." "You gtve me credit for too much sharpness, you see," said Louise. "It is the idea of the reporter, not mine." "Ah," replied the doctor, "those report ers are very sharp fellows. Some of them are as good as trained detectives." "They are good enough in their way," remarked the old housekeeper, as she be gan to clear away the breakfast dishes, "but could they begin to compete with such men as Marmaud, Bassaud or Alfred Cassagne especially Cassagne? Oh, he is as sharp aa a needle; nothing escapes him." "Tell us something more about thlB Al fred Cassagne. Why do you mention him, particularly?" "First, because he has a good reputa tion, and secondly, because 1 happen to know something about him, monsieur," re plied the housekeeper, highly gratified at being thus interrogated. "lie is one of the most famous detectives in Paris, and he baa no need to be a detective at all, or anything else, for that matter, as he has plenty of money to live upon. Ah, he Is grand. It is a passion with him. When anyone else fails to get to the bottom of a mystery, they call In Monsieur Cas sagne, and he always succeeds." "Always?" "If he does not it Is because the case is hopeless, has no bottom. lie is very shrewd. He adopts a hundred disguises. An Englishman stops you on the street at nine o'clock and asks you the way. It is Monsieur Cassagne. At ten, a Ger man shoemaker, leathern apron and all, inquires what time it is. It is Monsieur Cassagne. A little further on a crossing sweeper begs for a few sous. It is Cas sagne again Finally, you see him out side one of the cafes, sipping his choco late, only you don't recognize him, for be is a merchant or perhaps a swell of the boulevards. Ah, but he is a wonder ful man, is this Alfred Catumgue." "Do you know where he lives?" "Certainly, a cousin of mine once work ed for him. I hare been in his house. It is the Rue de Petits Champs. Thirty six Is the number." "I intend to employ a detective on this matter." said the doctor, presently, "and as I don't know one from another, I am inclined to say, 'Why not your friend, Alfred Cassagne?' Slip on your bonnet and shawl, Louise. I want you to take a message to the telegraph office." The doctor took a blank from a drawer and wrote bis dispatch. "Take that," be said, handing it to the housekeeper. "It Is a message to your wonderful Cassagne, asking him to meet me to-morrow morning at the Chateau Villeneuve. We shall be on the ground there, and he will have a chance to show what he is made of." The old lady's face wore a beaming ex pression. She put the telegram in her pocket as if It were some precious jewel. "You will not regret it, monsieur, for, as I have assured you, you will find Mon sieur Cassagne a very clever person." Alerady in her simple mind, the gloomy gates of La Mazas had swung back upon thslr massive binges, and the young friend of her kind master stepped forth, a free and happy man. It was a beautiful morning; the birds sang melodiously in the trees which sur rounded the Chateau Villeneuve. Dr. Mason had arrived from Paris on an early train, and was now pacing impatiently to and fro on the broad terrace in front of the house. , In his band he held a telegram which he had received from M. Cassagne, the detective. He was glancing at it for perhaps the twentieth time, when one of the windows of the morning room, which was on a level with the ground, suddenly opened, and Emily Weldon stepped out upon the terrace. She was pale even to ghastliness. Not withstanding the fatigues of the previous day, she .had passed a sleepless night. The upper chambers of the chateau had all been placed nuder seal. Under the Inexorable criminal laws of France, she had ben denied even the consolation of watching by the body of her bene factress ; and her excited condition of mind precluded her from taking that re pose of which she was no much In need. Harriet, on the contrary, to whose softer nature the relief of tears had not been denied, had, toward daybreak, fallen aslee,i on a sofa. Utterly worn out by the events of the last twenty-four hours, she now slumbered as peacefully as an infant, which, excited by some childish tribulation, sinks at last to rest in its mother's arms. Emily advanced a few steps along the terrace toward Dr. Mason, who hastened to meet her. Her first question was as to whether M. Cassagne, the detective, had yet arrived, for the doctor had tele graphed her that they would both be there in the morning. "I am expecting him every minute," re- . plied Mason. "This telegram reached me late last night at my house In Paris. I should gather from it that he Is a very peculiar personage indeed. Just look at that, and tell me what you make of it. She took the telegram and read It, a faint smile upon her lips. "It certainly is a curious production. He seems to put more stress on how he shall be fed than anything else." "Will be at villeneuve at nine morning please have omelette au rhum and truffles breakfast will bring my own coffee. "ALFRED CASSAGNE." "I am told be la an odd creature," ob served the doctor, "but also that be is one of the most remarkable men' In his line that has been known since the days of Fouche. It is very strange that he does not come. It is now nearly half post nine." (To be continued.) How to Avoid Dyapepala. All who suffer from poor digestion should wear a ten-Inch width of flannel i bandage next the skin, pinned fairly tight around the body over the stomach. No Hver or digestive pills or pepsin j preparations help the stomach a twen , tleth part as much as this flannel pre--scriptlon. A poor circulation in the stomach, causing that chilly, "nllser able" feeling, Is at the root of hnlf the Indigestion that mortals are heir to. That Is why hot water drinking gives relief. It helps the circulation. A flannel bandage worn day and night all the year round cures the faulty blood circulation of the stomach ; con sequently It cures dyspepsia. Five hours Interval between meals, avoiding fried foods, ninde dishes nnd mixtures and observing three or four "Lenten meals" In every week, are golden rules for good digestion. A good dinner nt night Is necessary for those whose pleasure or work keeps them up very late. But for or dinary folks who dine nt seven o'clock and go lo bed uUut 10 .SO only a light, wholesome repast should be taken at the end of the day, when the muscles and nerves are more or less exhausted. A "tired stomach Is a weak stomach" Is a golden rule to remember. Yet one often hears people say: "I've been rushing about all day and am tired to death. I must have a big meal to make up for It." You may put the big meal Into the stomach, but you cannot make the stomach digest It. A belief lives strong In the hearts and minds of the majority of mankind, Including persons of weak digestions, that a quick, brisk walk taken before I a meal gets up an appetite and helps the stomach to digest the food. Now, this is exactly what It doesn't do. Exer cise spreads the blood throughout the body. For the proper digestion of food the blood Is needed In the stomach. Few realize this Important fact. After a long, exhausting walk, bicy cle spin, or any severe physical or men tal strain, take a good half-hour's rest In a comfortable arm-chair, or He on a sofa before you eat a substantial meal Attachment for Pitchers. A peculiar and unique Invention just patented Is shown In the Illustration below. This drip rup was designed to provide a simple means of prevent ing the contents of pitchers and sim ilar vessels having a ' discharge spout trickling on the ta ble or on whatever object they happen to be placed. The drip cup Is secured to the receptacle beneath the spout Its use will be apparent, the drippings from the spout of the receptacle drop ping Into the drip cup. It Is Impossi ble for the contents of the drip cup to drop out when the pitcher Is tilted. For this purpose a guard is placet? partly across the top. lAK.Hi.tJ 1BU. A NEW IMPLEMENT 01" WAR. An Odd Arm Invented for Cavalry Use Has Many Good Feat area. A Kansas City mnn has Invented a new rifle Intended for cavalry use. It differs from the ordlnnry arm In four distinct points. One half of the barrel Is back of the trigger, thus plnelng more weight on the shoul der. It can be op erated with one hand and can be more firmly braced against the shoul der tlinn the nrmy rifle now In use. A small rod connects the hammer and trigger. Otherwise the mechanism g similar to other rifles. "I got the Idea," said MoIIenry, the Inventor, "while hunting buffaloes on the plains of Nebraska In the sixties, when I was a hunter and scout for a Union Pacific survey pnrty. I was then a 15-year-old boy, but I've been think ing nbout my Idea ever since. I had a wooden model of the gun finished Just before the flood four years ago. It was lost In the high water, but I have since made another. "I talked with Buffalo Bill about my gun," continued the Inventor. "He was delighted with it He said that ten cavalry would be equiil to 100 If armed with It. Army ollleers nt Leav enworth were also favorubly Impressed with It." Mr. McIIenry's rifle will shoot twenty-four times. The ordlnnry "repeat er" shoots sixteen times. lie has been advised that three patents may be se cured on the rifle. Kansas City Star. - Peach Encho. Measure out seven pounds of peaches peeled, then slice or cut In halves; three pounds and a half of sugar and a jjiijt of vinegar. Tut Into a por!Mn or granite kettle with two tablespoon fuls whole cinnamon or cassia buda and" a tablespoonful whole cloves tied In a lace bag. Cook with the fruit until It is spiced to taste, then remove the bag. Cook the peaches until as thick as marmalade, stirring frequent ly and taking care not to let it scorch; then put Into cans and seal. Oatmeal Crtapa. Cream one teaspoonful of butter and rub it Into one cup of sugar. Add one half teaspoonful of salt, two level tea spoonfuls of baking powder and two and one-half cups of dry rolled oats. Mix thoroughly, then add two well beaten eggs and one teaspoonful of va nlla. Place by teaspoonfuls, 2 or 8 Inches apart, on tins lined with waxed paper, and bake in a slow oven till golden brown. They will flatten out to a sort of flagree texture. Do no remove from the paper till cold. , Elevated. Foote Llghte What's become of that company your brother formed for the purpose of elevating the stage? Miss Sue Brette Gone up I Yon- ken Statesman, For Summer Vacation Ue. "That Idea Is novel," said Thomas A. Edison of a new aeroplane. "It is a striking Iden. I have seen nothing to bent It since last summer. "Then a young man showed me an engagement ring that he was going to patent. 'But,' said I, examining the very ordinary-looking circlet, 'what Is there patentable about this?' "'It Is adjustable, sir,' said the voung mnn proudly." Potatoes and Ehi. Boll potatoes size of a small egg without peeling, and when cool peel and cut In halves. Put one tablespoon ful of butter In frying pan and brown the potatoes In It, seasoning to taste. Just before taking up add three or four eggs, making little places among the hot potatoes for them. When nearly set, gently stir potatoes and eggs together and remove the Instant the eggs are cooked. Piccalilli. ; One peck green tomatoes, chopped fine: nut In layers In a Inr with lavera of suit; let stand over night; drain, and add eight onions, eight peppers, two large (or three small) heads of cabbage, all chopped fine ; whole spices to suit taste, one cup of sugar If you wish, vinegar to make molBt enough ; heat it all up together. Can be canned or put lu a Jar ; keeps fine. In Ironing;. When Ironing, the best thing with which to nib the Irons Is a' fairly largo pad of folded brown paper. This will also serve to tost their heat Besides this a cloth should be kept on hand on which to wipe off any flakes of soot or dirt. A small piece of wax Is excellent for producing a gloss when rubbed on the Iron and paraffin has the same ef fect also. Corn Chowder. Put six or eight paper-thin slices of bncon In a kettle with two finely chopped onions and brown. Add a lit tle water, lump of butter tho size of an egg and one quart of green corn scraped from cob. When tender, add one cupful thin cream nnd serve. Many like It better without the onion. Sea son with salt and pepper. Too Plain. "You see," he explained apologetical ly, "I didn't know Just whnt to do." "But," protested his friend, accusing ly, "surely you saw your plain duty in the matter." "No doubt I did see It and I guess becnuse It was so very plain It dldn'f attract me." Philadelphia Press. Use for Dread Crumba. Breadcrumbs are always better than tracker crumbs for covering anything that has to be dipped In egg. The cracker crumbs do not brown well. Brown your stale pieces of bread In the oven and crush them with a roll ing pin. Keep In glass Jar, covered, until needed. , Qnlnce Honey. Pare and grate six large quinces. Boll a quart of water with five pounds of granulated sugar for five minutes, then add the grated quinces and boll for thirty minutes. Pour Into pint Jars and seal. This makes from five to six pints. Apple Gelatine. Make an ordinary apple sauce, hav ing It rather thin. To every pint of' this add a tablespoonful of soaked gel atine, beat hard and set aside to cool. Serve with rich cream or heap upon If uncooked meringue, sweetened.
