The
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
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ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
J Office first door south of New t
Fraternal Bldg.. Enterprise, Ore.
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ATTORNEYS-ARAW
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teniion to all business.
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PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON f
Office upstairs in Bank Build-
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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.
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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.
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DENTIST - ENTERPRISE
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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.