The Roupell Mystery
is y A u s t y n
CHAPTER XV.
. Tor a period of two weeks Immediately
following the death of Mme. lloupell,
both Harriet and Emily Weldon remain
ed In a itate of seclusion within the
chateau. By the provisions f Mme. Rou
pell'i will, in the absence of other claim
nta, her fortune was equally divided
between her nieces.
It was a Sorely June morning. The
girls had received no one since the death
f their aunt Harriet, however, did not
lose sight of the fact that she owed a
duty to the living. It seemed selfish and
wicked to pass the precious hours in
mourning for one whom she could not re
call, while a fate so dreadful hung over
her lover's head. Emily, who readily
aormiscd the state of her siBter's feelings,
was not backward in administering what
comfort she could. She had written re
peatedly to Dr. Paul Mason, urging him
to spare neither labor nor money in his
-endeavors to extricate Van Llth from his
terrible position.
One morning, looking out of the win
dow, Harriet presently espied the sturdy
figure of the doctor coming at a swinging
gait across the park under the great trees.
He had arrived in Villeneuve by the
morning train, and made a short cut
across the fields, instead of coming by the
-road through the village.
For the first time since the death of
her aunt, Emily Weldon was in tolerable
piriia. The t-ioud which luij Were J so
heavily over the future seemed lifting at
last According to the report of Dr.
Mason, there was at last a possibility of
the terrible mystery which enshrouded
all their lives being cleared away some
hope that her sister's .lover, whom she
believed to be Innocent, would be freed
from the awful charge which hung over
htm.
As they walked along following the
path which led them through the forest
of Vileneuve, much of Harriet's usual
gaiety and sprlghtliness of manner also
returned. Her cheeks regained their
-olor with the unwonted exercise; her
pulse beat quickly again; the soft June
breese fanned her brow, and her dark
eyes regained their luster.
Emily was similarly affected. Her
spirits rose with 'every step they took.
She even laughed when a little rabbit,
startled by their approach, sat upright
to look at them for a moment -nd then
dashed off into the underbrush. "I had
to laugh," she said, apologetically, "for If
ever a rabbit showed surprise, that did;
why, his expression was almost human.1
"It U possible he may be, according to
Ham Werlow," remarked the doctor.
"And who is Hans Werlow?"
"He is a German friend of mine who
has just revived a peculiar theory In re
gard to the soul. His idea is that the
spirits of men and women who have mis
behaved themselves on earth, will at
-death enter the bodies of animals, there
to undergo a' certain penance for the sins
they have committed on earth. It la quite
the talk of Paris, where It has become
the fashion to point out an old cab horse
and say 'That la Marat or Robespierre,
working out his destiny.' "
Here Harriet was compelled to laugh
-outright
"How I should like to meet your friend
Hans Werlow ! You must contrive to
invite bun to visit us some day."
"Perhaps I shall, when all is bright
again," replied Mason, "and it shall be,
if I can make it so, or rather, if Monsieur
Cassagne can, for the matter is in his
hands now. Ail I can do is to wait and
hope."
"You seem to have great confidence in
your friend," remarked Emily.
"Yea, I have. In times of great
trouble we are apt to lean on someone,
One is glad to have somebody In such
a crisis who can be trusted. It is the
pecial mission of the strong to support
the weak."
"As we lean on you," said Emily,
eirietly, "for comfort in our hour of
need."
. Her arm was within his own, and her
fair, white band was temptingly near,
He placed bis own upon it, with a gentle,
reassuring pressure. The action was elo
quent of assurance that she could trust
to bis friendship to the last A brother
might have done the same, 'yet a strange
thrill went through her. He saw her
momentary embarrassment, and height
ened color.
"For Harriet's sake and for yours," he
said gently.
Then to his surprise and delight, her
fingers returned the pressure of bis own.
They seemed to say, "I understand you."
The sun was high in the heavens. It
was very warm. They were yet some dis
tance from Vertiers. They sat down on
the mossy bank under the shade Of one
of the grand old trees. Taking no credit
to himself, he 'told them what he had
learned 'of M. Cassagne's doings; how
thoroughly Impressed he was with the in
nocence of Van Llth; how indefatigably
he had worked, and what skill he bad
displayed in unravel jjg as far as he had
gone the cause and motive for the crime.
"I don't see much to eat around here,"
remarked the doctor, finally.
"No, not here, of course," said Har
riet "But there's a cottage up there by
the edge of the wood, where I dare say
we can get some excellent milk and per
haps some white bread. Let us go there
at once. I'm perfectly ravenous."
Without giving the others time to an
swer, Harriet Weldon at once began to
lead the way. Gathering her dainty
skirts about her, she leapt lightly across
a ditch which Intervened between the
peasant's holding and the edge of the
wood, and turning around, cried gall 1 ,
Q r an v i I I e
"Now, monsieur le docteur, you can
erert your strength and your gallantry
on Emily. You'll have to carry her
across. She's the worst hand at jump
ing a ditch in the whole of France."
"1 think you'd better trust me, Miss
Emily," said Mason, laughing.
"As you will, then," she said, simply ;
and the next moment his arms were
around her.
There are opportunities In our lives
which come to us but once. Fortune raps
upon our door, and failing to gain ad
mission, flees, never to return. Dr. Paul
Mason held in his arms the woman he
loved best on earth. Her head reclined
on his shoulder. Her heart beat against
his own. Her eyes looked languorously
into his. It was an unpardonable liberty
for a staid scientific gentleman to take,
Harriet's back was turned toward them.
"I love you," he murmured.
Then he stooped and kissed her on tht
lips. She flushed scarlet
"Dr. Mason Paul I" she exclaimed.
lie sprang across with her Into the
field. Harriet was out of sight She had
disappeared among the trees.
"Forgive me," he cried, and he took
her hand before she could withhold It
"You tempted me beyond my strength.
Say that you love me just a little bit."
"Why, nonsense 1 As if young ladles
made confessions of that sort !"
She was blushing furiously. It became
huperuiiveiy uecuaary to pause a little
to allow her to recover herself. They
were entirely alone. For a brief minute
they remained thus, looking Into each
other's faces.
Then they sauntered on, hand in hand
across the plowed field, to where Harriet,
with her mouth full of bread and cheese
was impatiently awaiting them.
"What's the matter with you two?"
she asked. "I thought you'd lost your
way."
The train which bore Dr. Paul Mason
back to Paris that night must have been
conscious of the reluctance of one of its
passengers, at least, to leave the neigh
borhood of Villeneuve, for never had a
short trip seemed so long and tedious to
a certain pleasant faced, thoughtful, middle-aged
gentleman, who sat and thrum
med impatiently upon the window looking
out upon the night.
."She has promised me," was the bur
den of his thoughts. "She has promised
me that on the day on which Van Litb
goes free, she will be my wife."
CHAPTER XVI.
More than a week had elapsed since
the departure of M. Cassagne, during
which time his assistant in Paris, Charles
D'Auburon, bad received no word of him.
One morning, however, he got a laconic
message over the wire: "Rue de Prov
ence, 2 p. m. Tuesday," by which he
rightly surmised that bis chief would
meet him at his lodgings at the hour
named. Almost on the stroke of the
clock, D'Auburon heard the detective
climbing the stairs leading to bis apart
ments.
"He la pretty tired," cogitated the
young Frenchman. "He comes slowly."
He was right. Alfred Cassagne had no
rooner entered the room than he flung
himself heavily Into a chair. His face
wore an expression of anxiety. His dress
was disorlered. He seemed dreadfully
fatigued and dispirited. D'Auburon
hastened to relieve him of his bat and
light overcoat and to take the hot wig
from his head.
"You look worn out, old fellow," he
exclaimed. "Pull off your boots and
coat aud make yourself comfortable."
Thus invited, Alfred Cassagne divested
himself of these articles of apparel, re
marking as he pulled off his boots:
"I haven't had these off for the last
forty-eight hours and they were too
tight for me anyhow
"Anything gone wrong?"
"To be brief, all our work of the past
two weeks has to be done over again.
"What?" exclaimel D'Auburon. "Do
you mean to say we are on the wrong
track?"
"I will tell you right now," replied
M. Cassagne. "It Is a peculiar story.
soon settled the question as to where
Graham was."
''You have found him, then? and it h
not he who committed the crime? Ah,
tbnt is bad. Our theory at once falls to
the ground.
"Not so fast Don't anticipate- me,
However, I may tell you that Henry Gra
ham had no more to do with the murder
of Madame Roupell than you or I had."
It is very extraorhnary."
Not extraordinary at all. But let me
begin at the beginning. I left Paris hav
ing in my possession certain facta upon
which I knew I could thoroughly rely.
One of them was that Graham had gone
to Belliers, taking his little son with
him ; another that he had been in corre
spondence with a woman there whose first
name was Helene, and whom I firmly be
lieved to be the mother of the child."
"Yes, I recollect all that ; go on, pray ;
what next?"
"Arrived at Belliers, I instituted every
possible inquiry as to whether such per
sons as Graham and his son were known
or had ever been known there. This
search occupied the greater portion of my
time. I was about to despair when I
stumbled across an old priest who told me
that be bad known the man I was in
search of.
" 'Are you a friend of bis? asked the
priest 'I am,' I replied. Then you
will be shocked when you bear what hap
pened to him. Come with me, and I will
tell you his story.' I followed the priest
expecting to hear that ha waa the inmate
' of some charitable Institution, or fcatng
lost his reason was confined in some pri
vate asylum. He led the way to his
church, and there in the little burying
ground he pointed me out a grave. At its
bead waa a stone on which I read:
"'HENRY GRAHAM,
1 Aged 62 years. "
"What! exclaimed D'Auburon, aston
ished beyond measure. "Was it our Hen
ry Graham? It can't be possible I"
"There ia not the slightest doubt about
it. When I saw that tombstone, you can
imagine how I felt after all the time
and trouble 1 had given this case. It
was as if the bottom bad dropped out of
everything. The priest saw, no doubt,
that I was strangely affected. He attrib
uted my agitation to grief.
"Tell me something about my poor
old friend,' I said. 'I have heard that
he was in very bad circumstances. Did
he die poor?'
"'Very,' replied the priest 'But he
was cared for by mother church. That
stone was erected by his son. Ah! he
was a sad scamp, a willful fellow, who
gave his poor father no end of trouble.
But that was the old man's fault, partly.
He did not somehow care to have the boy
with him. He lived up on the hill, him
self, for years, in very good style hs
bad money from somewhere, though I
don't know where he got it But the
child, he didn't seem to be bothered about
hhn.'
'"Didn't the child live with him? I
Inquired not that I cared to know, but
I wanted to keep the old man talking.
I thought he might possibly drop some
thing worth having.
" 'No,' he went on he was a garrulous
old fellow. 'No, he didn't seem to care
to have the child with him. Until he
was quite a big boy be remained in the
care of a young couple in the village. The
woman, I think, grew to be quite fond
of him. But he was an unruly little ras
cal.' "
"All this Is very serious. The result
is that we are no further than when we
started. What do you propose., to do
now? You're, not going to give it up,
are you?"
"Give it up ! I wonder at your asking
such a question. Certainly I shall not
give it up."
"Now tell me," said the younger man,
"what you propose doing? I am impa
tient to know.','
M. Cassagne did not immediately reply.
He closed his eyes like one who thlnkr
deeply. At last be gala :
"I have mapped out a plan of action.
And we must either carry it out on that
line, or abandon it altogether. We have
adopted from the start the theory that
this crime was not committed for the
purpose of robbery, but in the interest
of some person who in some way would
profit, either directly or indirectly, by
the death of Madame Roupell. If we
abandon that theory we have no other to
work on. After the most careful exam
ination of all the facts and circumstances,
I fail to account for the murder upon
any other hypothesis. Henry Graham
being dead disproves that theory so far as
he is concerned) but so far only.
"Admitted ; but whom have you to take
his place? You must substitute someone,
or your theory falls to the ground," re
marked D'Auburon.
"Not necessarily," replied the detec
tive. "We may substitute an entirely un
known person and call him X." '
"Yea, that's all very well ; but how to
find him is the question."
"To which I certainly give you an
other answer. Listen attentively. . I am
about to begin my argument, and I want
you to follow it and pick it to pieces.
Commencing on the hypothesis already
laid down, I Bhall proceed to demonstrate
two things : First, the murder of Madame
Roupell was committed by someone di
rectly interested in getting ber out of the
way. Second, it was the work of soma
person who was acquainted with her af
fairs, either by actually having known
her, or from information gathered from
someone who' was her Intimate. You
must not forget the missing will, portions
of which are in my possession. You
must not forget also the circumstances
surrounding this mysterious crime. It
was committed in the dead of night. The
hour chosen by the murderer was one at
which he expected to find the house en
tirely unprotected by the presence of men,
for the butler and coachman, recollect,
slept over the stables and the presence
of Van Litb and Chabot in the chateau
that night was a contingency totally un
foreseen by him, and one he could not
have been prepared for. You may be
sure that If he had foreseen it, be would
have postponed his visit until some other
occasion, for men of that stamp, though
bold and unscrupulous, always take as
little risk as possible."
"Granted," acquiesced D'Auburon. "Go
on."
"The temporary check that -our theory
has received from finding that Henry
Graham died before the murder was com
mitted, in no way convinces me that be
was not in any way implicated. Let us
suppose that he knew of the existence of
this will, which disinherited him; that
be contemplated its destruction at some
time and confided his plans to an accom
plice; that for a long time no opportu
nity occurred like the one which did oc
cur, when Van Llth left the chateau and
the woman and her nieces were practically
at his mercy."
"Well, I will suppose all that if you
like; but still maintain that when Gra
ham died all motive for the commission
of the crime was removed. What benefit
could a third party not Interested at law
in the disposition of Madame Rounell's
property, possibly gain by having her
die intestate."
(To be continued.)
In all France there are only 1,100
persona who are millionaires la our
sense of the word (in dollars). - Of
millionaires In francs there are about
10,000, apart from the 1,100 already
counted.
Postmaster Generul Meyer. In his
annual report, make several recom
mendations for Increaslne the efficiency
and extending the scope of the work
of the Postotlice Department Chief
among these recommendations was that
for the establishment of nostal savings
bunks. Mr. Meyer would have everv
money order office, and such others as
may be deemed necessary designated to
receive deposits In amounts of not less
tunn fl, but the amount of Individual
accounts he would limit to $500. On
these deposit Interest at the rnte of 2
pet cent should be allowed. A material
extension of the parcels post service Is
urged. A recommendation Is also made
for more up-to-date business methods
and a revised system of bookkeeping.
He nlso suggests a permanent official
responding to the superintendent of
malls or the agent of a great manufac
turing corporation, who would hold of
fice continuously through various ad
ministrations. In Illustrating the
growth of the postal business during
the lust fifty years, Mr. Meyer states
that In 1857 the receipt were $8,053,
M2, with a deficit of $3,454,100, while
the lBt fiscal year the receipts were
tiHJ,5H3.005, with n deficit of $0,053,
282. He believes that by 1017 the re-
eipts will be over $350,000,000.
One of the features of the annual re
port of Gen. F. C. Alnsworth, adjutant
general of the United States Army,
which hag called forth no little com
ment throughout the country, Is the
statonieut that If present conditions
continue there will be nothing for the
government to do to secure men for
the military service but to materially
Increase the pny of enlisted men or re
sort to conscription. The report shows
thnt the deficiency below the author
ized strength of the nrmy on Oct 15,
1900, waa 8,040, while In October, 1007,
it was 20,535. Among the reasons giv
en for this falling off Is the strong
competition which the government
encounters from prlvute employers,
who offer higher pny and more attract
ve conditions.
The aununl report of the Isthmlai.
Cannl Commission, recently mode pub
lic, shows expenditures up to dnte of
$18,285,880.37, and indicates gratify
ing progress In the work. On June 30,
1007, the total force of skilled and un
skilled laborers was 29,440, an Increase
of 10,000 over the previous year. The
death rate among employes for sever
al years past shows a marked Improve
ment In health conditions, mainly due
n,,it..n., k u i , ii.i
to sanitation, better housing facilities
i , i .
and better food supplies. The report
, . f ' .. '
Stronerlv recommends rhn Hint nimt nn
,. -i v.- w xt 4i ii
of the work by the Natloual Govern
ment direct and not through a con
tractor or syndicate of contractors.
Despite denials on the part of gov
ernment officials, there Is a persistent
. tt,....,
i iuih uib uuncu mutes uovern
ment'has purchnsed from the Wright
Bros, the control of their "heavier
than air" flying machine. The Wrights
have been In Europe for some time,
'and It was generally supposed thnl
I they were negotiating for the sale of
their machine to forelgu governments.
: Much secrecy Is thrown about the sub
ject, but It Is apparent that the gov
ernment Is Interesting Itself deeply Id
the problem of air navigation,
At the direction of the President t
special commission, consisting of Law
fence O'Murray, Assistant Secretary of
Commerce and Labor; Herbert Knox
Smith, commissioner of eornoratlnns
and Charles P. Nelll, United States la-
,
I iw rauiuiiMsiuuer, niarrea ror uoldllelu,
I In....... I. X 1 ....
Ai luvei-iiguie me tuuor conditions
at that place and to determine whether
there Is necessity for the presence of
the United Stutes troops recently or
dered there at the request of Gov.
Sparks.
Bids to the amount of $25,000,000 o
the recent offering of Panama canal
bonds have been accepted by Secretary
Cortclyou at an average nrlce of 103.
and nearly all of the accepted bids are
from national banks which were In a
position to take out addltlouul circula
tion at once. It was thought that the
3 per cent certificates would not exceed
$15,000,000. The Secretary says that
the improvement justifies him in limit
'ug both the new Issues.
The opening of proposals for the $50.
000,000 of Panama canal bonds showed
that the amount had been subscribed
several times over, and that a cood flor-
nre, well above the nidrket price, would
tie realized ror me securities. While
the official figures were not obtulnnlilo.
It wnn thought that the a vera go price
would prove to be about 104. The al
lotment of the bonds will be at the dis
cretion of the Secretary of the Treaa-
ii r
&SK RELEASE OF CIHX SLAYER.
Jessie Morrison, Who Killed Her
Rival, Said to Be Dying; In Prison.
Interest In the tragic life story, of
Jessio Morrison, of Eldorado, Kan., in
revived through the efforts of Influ
ential friends to secure her release
from the Kansus Stirte penitentiary
for the murder of her school girl friend.
Mra Olin G. Custie. The young wom
an, once known throughout the State
as a beauty. Is suhf to he dying as a
result of her confinement In the wom
an's prison, with sixteen years of a
twenty-year sentence yet to serve.
The crime for which Miss Morrison
Is paving the penalty was committed
when she ami a successful rival In love
engaged lu a ru.or duel. Her oppo
nent wus Mrs. 01 In G. Castle, who, as
Clara Wiley, was married to young
Olln Castle, clerk lu an Eldorado store.
Both girls had in turn been wooed by
blm.
July 22, 1000, nine duys after the
wedding of Clara Wiley and Castle,
Miss Morrison visited the young wife
and the total battle ensued. "I waa
called to the Castle home by Mrs. Cas
tle, who commenced a furious tirade
against me," she says in telling the
story. "She attacked me with a razor.
I snatched the weapon from her and
slashed ber." Mra. Castle died a week
'nter.
MIse Morrison had three trials, In
eao" 01 wmcu sue was round gui ty.
. .. , . " T
The flrst time she waa sentenced to
,, , , . .
three years In pr son, the second to
. . '
ten- and the third time to twenty.
The prominence of the principals of
the case made it one of the greatest In
terest throughout the country. The con
victed woman's father was at one time
a member of the Kansas Supreme
T
wnin.
W. R. BnifirH. nn American- 1x7ft. alnln
by ivlexican laborers who demanded their
wages,
Two bombs were found beneath the boi
of King Carlos of Portugal In the Royal
Theater of Lisbon.
Brigands tortured MarquI Clto of Na
ples and forced his wife to write a check
for $20,000 for his ransom.
The death sentence of Prof rr.ri ii
convicted of murder In Germany, war
commuted to life imprisonment
Empress Alexandra of nnnnla h..
so 111 that special consultation of court
pliyslciuns was deemed necessary.
In the effort to caln the mmim .
the Pacific, Japan forced every foreign
snipping line out of the China trade.
Thousands of native tronna whn attar-v
ed the French forces on the Algerian
frontier were driven back Into Morocco.
A steamer went on th rnMra r t.
Nova Scotia shore in a hlinflinr .t-m
but the 000 persons aboard were taken
ta.
Oscar Erbsloeh was forced by German
authorities to pay duty of $30 on the
James Gordon Bennett Cup be won In
'he balloon race.
Rio Janeiro received news of a Brasil
ia n filibuster promoted in New York by
American capital. Offenders captured in
Rio may be executed.
Nicholas Tschalkovsky, known as the
founder of the first revolutinnar iri.
at St. Petersburg, and Mm ttroakbtn.
skaya, one of the first aristocratic con
verts to tne terrorist program, both of
whom have many friends In America,
have been arrested and thrown lnt h.
Fortress of 83. Peter and Paul at the
Russian capital
I- iiS i