The news=record. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1907-1910, February 20, 1909, Saturday Edition, Image 3

The news=record., February 20, 1909, Saturday Edition, Image 3

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About The news=record. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1907-1910 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1909)

Prev Page of 4 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (3.6 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 4 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextThe The Yellow Room By GASTON LEROUX cfr CHAPTER XL (Continued.) To return to our examination, or, rather, to our conversation. I must state tbat the chief of police, having In quired of M. Stangerson under what conditions his daughter had gone to Paris on the 20th of October, we learn ed that M. Robert Darzac had accom panied her, and Darzac bad not been again seen at the chateau from that time until the day after the crime had been committed. The fact that M. Dar aac was with her In the department store when the reticule disappeared could not pass unnoticed and. It must be sa Id. strongly awakened our In terest This conversation between magis trates, accused, victim, witnesses and journalist was coming to a close when quite a theatrical sensation an Inci dent of a kind displeasing to M. de Marquet was produced. The officer of the gendarmes came to announce that Frederic Larsan requested to be ad mitted a request that was at once complied with. He held in his hand a heavy pair of muddy boots, which be threw on the pavement of the labora tory. "Here," he said, "are the boots worn by the murderer. Do you recognize them. Daddy Jacques?' Daddy Jacques bent over them and, stupefied, recognized a pair of old boots which be had some time back thrown Into a corner of bis attic. He was so taken aback that be could not hide bis agitation. Then, pointing to the handkerchief In the old man's band. Frederic Larsan said: "That's a handkerchief astonishingly ike the one tbat was found in the yel fow room. "I know," said Daddy Jacques, trem bling, "they are almost alike." "And then." continued Frederic Lar san, "the old Basque cap also found In i the yellow room might at one time have been worn by Daddy Jacques himself. All this, gentlemen, proves. I think, that the murderer wished to dis guise bis real personality. He did It in e rery clumsy way, or. at least, so It , appears to us, Don t be alarmed Daddy Jacques. We are quite sure that you were not the murderer. You never left the side of M. Stangerson. Put If M. Stangerson bad not been forking that nlgbt and bad gone back to the chateau after parting witb his daughter, and Daddy Jacques hud gone to sleep in bis attic, no one would have doubted tbat be was the murderer. He wes his safety, therefore, to . the jragedy having been enacted too soon i -the murderer, no doubt, from the si- lence in the laboratory, imagined tbat It was empty and tbat the moment for action had come. The man who bad been able to Introduce himself bere so mysteriously and to leave so many evi dences against Daddy Jacques' was, there can be no doubt, familiar with the house. At what hour exactly be entered, whether In the afternoon or In the evening, cannot say. One fa miliar with the proceedings and per sons of this pavilion couUJ choose bis 1 own time for entering the yellow room." "He conld not have entered lt if any body bad been In the laboratory," said M. de Marquet "How do we know that?" replied Larsan. "There was the dinner la the laboratory, the coming and going of the servants In attendance. There was a chemical experiment being carried on between 10 and U o'clock with M. Stangerson, bis daughter, and Paddy Jacques engaged at the furnace In a corner of the high chimney. Who can say tbat the murderer an Intimate, a friend did not take advantage of that moment to slip into the yellow room After having taken off his boots In the lavatory V "It Is very Improbable," said M. gtangerson. "Doubtless, but It Is not Impossible. I assert nothing. As to the escape from the pavilion, that's another thing the most natural thing in the world." For a moment Frederic Larsan paus ed moment tbat appeared to us a very long time. Tbe eagerness with which we awaited wbst be was going to tell us may be imagined. "J have not been In tbe yellow room," be continued, "but I take lt for grant ed tbat you bave satisfied yourselves tbat be could bave left tbe room only by way of the door. It Is by tbe door, then, that tbe murderer made bis way out At what time? At tbe moment when lt was most easy for blm to do so at tbe moment wben lt became most explainable ao completely ex plainable that there -can be no other explanation. Let us go over tbe mo ments which followed after tbe crime bad been committed. There was the first moment wben M. Stangerson and Daddy Jacques were close to tbe door ready to bar the way. There was tbe second moment during which Daddy Jacqnes was absent and M. Stangerson was left alone before the door. There was a third moment wben M. Stangerson was joined by tbe concierge. There was a fourth mo ment during which M. Stangerson. . tbe concierge and bis wife and Daddy Jacqnes were before tbe door. There was a fifth moment during which tbe door was burst open and tbe yellow room entered. Tbe moment at which Mystery COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY KRENTANO'5 tEe HlgTit Is'explafiiab'lelsTL'e very "mo-1 ment when there was the least number I of persons before the door. ' There was one moment when there was but one person M. Stangerson. Unless a com plicity of silence on the part of Daddy Jacques Is admitted In which I do not believe the door was opened In the presence of M. Stangerson alone, and the man escaped. "Here we must admit that M. Stan gerson had powerful reasons for not arresting or not causing the arrest of the murderer, since be allowed him to reach the window In the vestibule and closed It after him. , That done. Mile. Stangerson, though horribly wounded, had still strength enough, and no doubt In obedience to the entreaties of her father, to refasten the door of ber chamber with both the bolt and the lock before sinking on the floor. We do not know who committed the crime; we do not know of what wretch M. and Mile. Stangerson are the victims, but there Is no doubt that they both know! The secret must be a terrible one, for the father had not hesitated to leave his daughter to die behind "ie door which she had shut upon herself terrible for blm to have allowed the ' A aoa aat tiann rn Cna Vi asm la a. other way In the world to explain the murderer's flight from the yellow room!" The silence which followed this dra matic and lucid explanation was ap palling. We all of us felt grieved for the Illustrious professor, so driven into a corner by the pitiless logic of Fred eric Larsan, so forced to confess the whole truth of his martyrdom or to keep silent and thus make a yet more terrible admission. The man himself, a veritable statue of sorrow, raised bis band with a gesture so solemn that we bowed our heads to lt as before something sacred. He then prononnp ed these words in a voice so loud tbat lt seemed t0 exhaust him: "I swear by the bead of my suffering child I never for an instant left the door of her chamber after bearing her cries for help; that that door was not opened while I was alone in the labo- ratory, and that, finally, when we en tered the yellow room, my three d mestlcs and I, the murderer was QO longer there! I swear I do not know the murderer!" Must I say it, in spite of the solem nity of M. Stangerson's words we did not believe In his denial? Frederic Larsan bad shown, us the truth, and It was not so easily given up. M. de Marquet announced tbat the conversation was at an end, and as wo were about to leave the laboratory Jo eph Rouletabllle approached M. Stan- person, took him by tbe hand with greatest respect, and I heard blm say: "I believe you, monsieur." I here close the citation which I have thought It my duty to tuake from M Malelne's narrative. I need not tell the reader that all tbat passed In tii laboratory was Immediately and faith fully reported to me by Rouletabllle, CHAPTER XII. Frederic Lsrsan'a Cane. IT was not till 0 o'clock that I left the, chateau, taking with me tbe article hastily written by my friend in the little sitting room which M. Robert Darzac bad placed at our disposal- The reporter was to sleep at the chateau,, taking ad vantage of the to me Inexplicable hos pitality offered blm by M. Robert Dar zac, to whom M. Stangerson In that sad time left the care of all his do mestic affairs. Nevertheless be Insist ed on accompanying me to tbe station at Eplnay. In crossing tbe park be said to me: "Frederic Is really very clever and has not belled bis reputation. Do you know bow he came to find Daddy Jacques' boots? Near the spot where we pottced tbe traces of tbe neat boots and the disappearance of the rough ones there was a square bole, freshly trade In the moist ground, where a stone bad evidently been removed. Larsan searched for tbat stone with out finding t and at once Imagined tbat lt bad been used by the murderer with which to sink tbe boots In the lake. Fred's calculation was an excel lent one, as the success of bis search proves. Tbat escaped me, but my mind was turned In another direction by tbe large number of false Indica tions of his track which tbe murderer left and by the measure of the black footmarks corresponding with tbat of Daddy Jacques boots, which I bad es tablished without his suspecting It on the floor of tbe yellow room. All which was a proof, in my eyes, that the murderer bad songbt to turn sus- plclon on to the old servant Up to that point Larsan and I are In ae cord, but no further. It Is going to be a terrible matter, for I tell yon he la working on wrong lines, and I I must fight blm with nothing!" At that moment we passed by tbe back of the chateau. Nlgbt bad come. A window on tbe first floor was partly open. A feeble light came from It as well as some sounds which drew -our attention. We approached until we had reached the side of a door tbat was situated Just under the window, of Rduletabllle in a low tone made "me understand that thif was the window of Mile. Staner-on ctiamhT. The sounds which Tiad attracted our atten tion censed, then were renewed for a moment, and then we heard stifled sobs. We were only able to catch these words, which reached us dis tinctly. "My poor Robert!" Rouleta bllle whispered In my ear: "If we only knew what was being said in that chamber my inquiry would soon be finished." He looked about htm. The darkness of the evening enveloped us. We could not see much beyond the narrow path bordered by trees which ran behind the chateau. The sobs had ceased. "If we can't hear we mny at least try to see." said Rouletabllle. And, making a sign to me to deaden the sound of my steps, he led me across tbe path to the trunk of a tall beech tree, the white bole of which was visible In the darkness. This tree grew exactly In front of the win dow In which we were so much inter ested. Its lower branches being on a level with the first floor of the cha teau. From the height of those branches one might certainly see what was- passing in Mile. Stangerson's chamber. Bddently that was what Rouletabllle thought for. enjoining me to remain hidden, he clasped the trunk with bis vigorous arms and climbed up. I soon lost sight of him amid the brunches, and then followed n deep silence. In front of me the open window remained lighted, and J saw no shadow move across it. I listened, nnd, pres ently from above me these words reached ray ears: "After you!" "After you. pray!" Somebody was overhead.' speaking- exchanging courtesies. What was my astonishment to see on the slippery col umn of the tree two human forms ap pear and quietly slip down to the ground. Rduletabllle had mounted alone and had returned with another. "Good evening, M. Salnclnlr!" It was Frederic Larsan. The detec tive had already occupied tbe post of observation when my young friend bad thought tq reach it plone, Neither no ticed my astonishment. I explained that to myself by the fact that they must have been witnesses of some ten der and despairing scene between Mile. Stangerson. lying In ber bed, and M. Darzac on his knees by her pillow. I guessed that each had drawn different conclusions from what they hnd seen. It was easy tq see that tbe scene had strongly Impressed Rouletabllle In fa vor of M. Robert Darzac, while to Lar san it showed nothing but consummate hypocrisy acted with finished art by Mile. Stangerson's fiance. As we reached tbe park gate Larsan stopped us. 'My cane!" he cried. "I left It near the tree." He left us, saying he would rejoin us presently. "nave you noticed Frederic Larsan's cane?" asked the young reporter as soon as we were alone. "It Is quite a new one, which I bave never seen blm use before. He seems to take great care of lt It never leaves him. Ono would think he was afraid lt might fall Into the bands of strangers. I never saw It before today. Where did he find lt? It isn't natural that a man who bad never before used a walking Stick should the day after the Glandler crime never move a step without oue. On tbe day of our arrival at' the cha teau, as soon as he saw us. be put bis watch In his pocket and picked up his cane from the ground, a proceeding to which I was perhaps wrong not to at tach snme Importance." We were now out of tbe park. Roule tabllle had dropped into silence. Hla thoughts were certainly still occupied with Frederic Larsan's new cane. I bad proof of that when, as we came near to Eplnay, be said; "Frederlo Larsan arrived at the Glandler before me. He began his In quiry before me. He has had time to find out things about which I know nothing. Where did he find that cane?" Then he added; "It is probable that his suspicion more than that bis rea soninghas led blm to lay bis band on something tangible. Has this cano anything to do with It? Where the deuce could be bave found lt?" I As I bad to watt twenty minutes for the train at Eplnay, we entered a cab- ! aret. Almost Immediately the door opened, and Frederic Larsan made hla appearance, brandishing Ula famous cane. "T found It" hA Mill Innvhtniriv l ' The three of us seated ourselves at a table. Rouletabllle never took bis eyes , off the cane. He was so absorbed that be did not notice a sign Larsan made to a railway employee, a young man with a chin decorated by a tiny blond and 111 kept beard. On the sign the young man rose, paid for his drink. bowed and went out I should not my self have attached any Importance to tbe circumstance If it bad not been re called to my mind some months later by tbe reappearance of the man with the beard at one of tbe most tragic mo ments of this case. I then learned tbat tbe youth was one of Larsan's assist ants and bad been charged by blm to i watch the going and. coming of travel- Professional Directory of Wallowa County THOS. M. DILL ATTORNEY-AT-LAW J Office first door south of New t Fraternal Bldg.. Enterprise, Ore. I BURLEIGH & BOYD ATTORNEYS-ARAW i Practice In all State Courts and 1 Interior Department. Careful at-j- teniion to all business. f D. W. SHE AH AN ? LAWYER ENTERPRISE f Practice in State and Federal Courts and Interior Department. & f C. T. HOCKETT, M. D. I PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON f Office upstairs in Bank Build- ing. Ind. Home phone in office and residence. era at the station of Epiuay-sur-Orge. Larsan neglected nothing in any case on which he was engaged. I Turned my eyes again on Rouleta bllle. "Ah, M. Fred," he said, "when did you begin to use a walking stick? I have always seen you walking with your hands in your pockets!" "It is a present," replied the detec tive. "Recent?" Insisted Rouletabllle. "No; It was given to me In London." "Ah, yes, I remember yqu have Just come from London. May 1 look at it?" "Oh, certainly!" ' Fred passed the cane to Rouletabllle. It was a large yellow bamboo with a crutch handle and ornamented with a gold ring. Rouletabllle, after examining lt mi nutely, returned lt to Larsan, with a bantering expression on bis face, say lug; . . "You were given a French cane in London." "Possibly," said Fred lmperturbably. "Read the mark there in tiny, let ters 'Cassette, Qa, Opera.' " "Cannot English people buy canes In Paris?" When Rouletabllle bad seen me Into the train he said: "You'll remember the address?" "Yes; 'Cassette, Ca, Opera.' Rely on me. Youi shall have word tomorrow morning."' . ' That evening on reaching Farls 1 saw Mv Cassette, dealer ,in walking sticks and unbrellas, and wrote to my friend: A man unmistakably answering to the decrlptlon of M. Robert Darzac same height, slightly stooping, putty colored overcoat, bowler hat purchased a cane similar to the one In which we are Inter ested on the evening of the crime about 8 o'clock, M. Cassette had not sold an other such cane during the last two years. Fred's cane Is new. It Is quite clear that It's the same cane. Fred did not buy It, since he was In London. Like you, I think that he found It somewhere near M. Robert Darzac. But If, as you suppose, the murderer was In the yellow room for five or even six hours and the crime was not committed until toward midnight the purchuso of this cane proves an Incontestable alibi for Darzac. XIII. "Ths Presbytery Has Lost Nothing of Its Charm Nor the Garden Its Brightness." El WEEK after the occurrence of tbe events I have Just recount edon the 2d of November, to be exact I received at my home In Paris the following telegraph ic message: Come to the Glandler by the earliest train. Bring revolvers. Friendly greet ings. ROULETABILLE. I had not beard from hliu for a week, nor of the progress made with thut mysterious case, except by tbe In numerable paragraphs in the newspa pers and by tbe very brief notes of Rouletabllle In tbe Epoque. Those notes bad divulged the fact that traces of human blood hnd been found on tbe mutton bone as well as fresh traces of tho blood of Mile. Stanger son. The old stains belonged to other crimes, probubly dating years back. It may be easily imagined tbat the crime engaged tho attention of tbe press throughout the world. No crime known bad more absorbed the minds of people. It appeared to inn. bow ever, tbat'tlio judicial Inquiry was making but very 11' tie prorress. and I should have been very glnd If. on the receipt of my friend's lnliatlc:i to re Join bl:n at the GHntflcr, the dispatch bad not contained the words, "Bring revolvers." ' That puzzled me greatly. Rouieta bllle telegraphing for revolvers meant that there might be occasion to use them. ; Now, I confess U without shame, 1 am not a hero. But here was a friend evidently in danger call ing on me to go to bis aid. I did not' hesitate long, and after assuring my self that the only revolver I possessed was proicrly loaded I hurried toward the Orleans station. On the way 1 remembered tbat Rouletabllle bad asked for two revolvers. I therefore entered a gunsmith's shop and bought an excellent weapon for my friend. I bad hoped to find blm at the sts-1 tbnjt Frln- nf he, not, there. SALVADOR READY FOR WAR Making Preparations for a Clash. With Nicaragua. Panama, Feb. 7. Passengers by a steamship just arrived here re port warlike preparations on the ! When the last Pacific Mall steamer passed down the coast President Fi gueroa of Salvador with a military staff, was Inspecting all the port gar risons, it being reported that an in vasion of Salvadorean revolutionists, headed by Dr. Alfiro and assisted by Nlcarauga, was imminent. It is generally believed that Pres ident Flgueroa of 3alvador, and President Cabrera of Gautemala, are anxious for the overthrown of the Nicaraguan government. Reason Enthroned. Because meats are so tasty they are consumed in great excess. This leads to stomach troubles, bilious ness and constipation. Revise your diet, let reason and not a pampered appetite control, then take a few closes of Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets and you will soon be yell again. Try it. For sale at Burnaugh & Mayfiald's drug store. 1 Samples free. However, a cab was waiting for me and I wau "ouu at the Ulandler. Ho t body was at the gate, and lt was oaly on tuo threshold of the chateau that I met the young num. He saluted me with a friendly gesture uud threw bis arms about me, inquiring warmly as to the state of my beulth. When we were In the little sitting room of which 1 hav'e spoken Roule tabllle tuude me sit down. "It's going badly," ho suid. "What's going badly?" I asked. "Everything." He came nearer to me and whis pered: "Frederic Larsan is working with might and main against Darzac." This did not astonish me. I hud seen the poor show Mile. Stangerson's fiance had made at the time of the examina tion of the footprints. However, I Im mediately asked: "What about that cane?" "It Is still In the hands of Frederic Larsan. He never lets go of lt." "But doesn't it prove the alibi for M. Darzac?" "Not at all. Gently questioned by me, Darzac denied having on that evening or on any other purchased a cane at Cassette's. However," said Rouletabllle, "I'll not swear to any thing. M. Darzac bas such strange fits of silence that one does not know exactly what to think of, what he says." "To Frederic Larsan this cane must mean a piece of very damaging evi dence. But In what way? The time when lt was bought shows lt could not have been In the murderer's pos session." "The time doesn't worry Larsan. He Is not obliged to adopt my theory, which assumes that the murderer got into the yellow room between S and 0 o'clock. There's nothing to prevent him assuming that the murderer got In between 10 nnd 11 o'clock at night. At that hour M. and Mile. Stangerson, as sisted by Daddy Jacques, were engag ed In making an interesting cbemlcul experiment in the part of the labora tory taken up by tbe furnaces. Larsan says, unlikely as tbat may seem, that the murderer may have slipped behind them. He has already got tbe examin ing magistrate to listen to blm. When one looks closely Into lt the reasoning Is absurd, seeing thut the 'Intimate' If there Is one must have known that the professor would shortly leave the pavilion and that the 'friend' bad only to put off operating till after the pro fessor's departure. Why should he have risked crossing the laboratory while the professor was lu lt? And then when be bad got into the yellow room "There are many points to be cleared up before Larsan's theory can be ad mitted. I shan't waste my time over It for my theory won't allow me to occupy myself with mere imagination. Only, as I am obliged for the moment to keep silent, and Larsan sometimes talks, be may finish by coming out openly against M. Darzac If I'm not there," added the young reporter proudly, "for there are surface evi dences against Darzuc much more con vincing than the cane which remain Incomprehensible to me, all the more so as Lursun docs not in the least hesi tate to let Durzuc see him witb It I understand many things In Larsan's theory, but I can't make anything of that cane." "Is ho still at thr chateau?" "Yes. Ho hardly ever quits it. lie Bleeps there, as I do, at the request of M. Stangerson, who has done for him what M. Robert Durzac bas done for me. In spite of the accuHatlon made by Larsan that M. Stangerson knows who the murderer Is, he yet affords him every facility for arriving at the truth, Just as Darzac Is doing for me." "But you are convinced of Darzac's Innocence?" "At one time I did believe In the pos sibility of his guilt. That was wben re arrived here for the first time. The time has come for me to tell you what has passed between M. Darzac and myself." (Continued next week.) Before buying a piano or organ see Ashley. He has the agency for almost any make and will sell them on easy terms. f n. Hi. UUHKIIUAN SURVEYOR AND ENGINEER U. S. Deputy Mineral Surveyor, Mining and Metallurgical Engl . neer. Enterprise, Oregon. W. C. KETCHUM DENTIST - ENTERPRISE vA.lie Berland Building, Independent Phone. Home 2 M'HSH'M I COLON R. EBERHARD I ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR ? Practices in all Courts and In- terlor Dept. Notary Public. Ind. Home phoue. Jossy'i. E. T. ANDERSON. M. D. ! PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Calls attended to day or night, f ,FiShH0 A Common Cold. We claim that If catching cold could be avoided some of the most dangerous and fatal dlseasoi would never be heard of. A cold often forma a culture bed for germs of Infectious diseases. Consumption, pneumonia, diphtheria, and sjarlet fever, four of the most dangerous and fatal diseases, are of this class. The culture bed formed by the cold favors the development of tha germs of these diseases, that would not otherwise find lodgment. Thera Is little danger, however, of any of these diseases being contracted when a good expectorant cough medicine like Chamberlain's Cough Remedy Is used. It cleans out these culture beds that favor the development of the germs of these diseases. That Is why this remedy has prove! so uni versally successful In preventing pneumonia. It not only cures your eold quickly, but minimizes the i.dk nt contracting these dangerous ;1 it eases. For sale by Burnaugh & May field. S. K. C ar Plumber flta r Full line of p.j u a aterial. Satisfaction Guar: n Shop at Keltner's Hartlw. re 1 Leave Or ! rs. N?.iure Provic? but one Calif or n .. It is the natural v. i, homo of many thousand of the world's best peopie. Under the gentle influence of its mild winterclima'i every amusement recreation abounds, i. . bathing, boating, fishing, driving; such picnics, ft" tics and jollific; GO TO Los Angeles, Psbo RobK Hot Springs, Hotel dt Monte, Santa Burbara, Venice, Long Beach Santa Cruz, or a score of similar resorts and you will find health,- congenial sur roundings, hoHpiti !! associates, fnultlcRS jic ('jmmodutions Mini tret-less aUrac'i-m conveniences. TV O R (I i jfeles and return IS $76 80 I. )i-'ospondinp tMteN u iv i I to other points. ', lnw rrf v.T- i1' . itu'ulUI'tt I'uVt. Ii winter resorts, hi d l 1'lenKure in giving yon all of tl information and uhbibIjih-. . ur command. For tickets, sleeping car reserve' ons, t tc, call on, telegraph or writi E. T. Campion, Agent, Wallowa. OR WM. McMURRY, oen. pass, aofnt. t'ortland, oreuu.