The Mystery of
The Yellow Room
By GASTON LEROUX
COPYRIGHT. 1908,
BY BRENTANO'S
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Doable Scent.
mi
HAD hardly recovered from the
surprise Into which this new
discovery hnd plunged me
rhen Rouletabille touched me
on the shoulder nnd asked me to fol
low him Into his room to think It over.
I confess I was In no condition for
doing much thinking. His self control
was more than I could explain. Closl ig
the door of his room, be motioned me
to a chair and, seating himself before
ine, took out his pipe. We sat there
for Rome time In silence, and then 1
fell asleep.
When I awoke it was daylight It
was 8 o'clock by my watch. Itouleta
bllle was no longer in the room. I
rose to go out, when the door opened
and my frleud re-entered. He bad evi
dently lost no time.
"How about Mile. Stangerson?"
nsked him.
"Her condition, though very alarm
lug, is not desperate.'
"When did you leave this room?"
"Toward dawn."
"Have you found out anything?"
Two sets of footprints.'!
"Have they anything to do with the
mystery of the keeper's body?"
"Yes; the mystery Is no longer a
mystery. This morning, walking round
the chateau, I found two distinct sets
of footprints made at the same time
last night. They were made by two
persons walklug side by side. I fol
lowed them from the court toward the
oak grove. ' Larsan Joined me. They
were the same kind of footprints as
were made at the time of the assault
in . the yellow room. One set was
from clumsy boots and the other was
mode by neat ones, except that the
big toe of one of the sets was of a
different size from the one measured
In the yellow room incident.
"Still following the tracks of the
prints, Larsan and I passed out of the
oak grove and reached the border of
the lake. There they turned off to
a little path leading to the highroad to
Epinay, where we lost the traces In
the- newly, macadamized highway.
"We went back to the chateau and
parted at the courtyard. We met
again, however, In Daddy Jacques'
room, to which our separate trains of
thinking had led us both. We found
the old servant In bed. His clothes on
the chair were wet through and his
boots very muddy. He certainly did
not get Into that state In helping us
to carry the body of the keeper. It
was not raining then. Then his face
showed extreme fatigue, and he looked
at us out of terror stricken eyes.
"On pressing him he confessed that
he had been away from the chateau.
He explained his absence by saying
that he had a headache and went out
into the fresh air, but had gone no
farther than the oak grove. When we
then described to him the whole route
he bad followed he sat up in bed trem
bling.
'And you were not alone!' cried
larsan.
" 'Did you see It, then? gasped Dad
dy Jacques.
" 'Whatr I asked. '
'The phantom the black phantom!'
"Then he told us that for several
' nights he had seen what be called the
black phantom. It came Into the park
at the stroke of midnight and gilded
stealthily through the trees. It ap
peared to him to pass through the
trunks of the trees. Twice he had seen
it from his window by the light of the
moon and had risen and followed the
strange apparition. The night before
last he had almost overtaken it, but
it had vanished at the corner of the
donjon. Last night, however, he had
not left the chateau, his mind being
disturbed .by a presentiment that some
new crime would be attempted, baa-
denlv be saw the black phantom rush
out from somewhere In the middle of
the court He followed It to the lake
and to the highroad to Epinay, where
the Dhantom suddenly disappeared,
"Did you see his face? demanded
Larsan.
" 'No. I saw nothing but black veils.
" 'Did you go out after what passed
on the gallery?
" I could not I was terrified.'
" 'Daddy Jacques, I said In a threat
ening voice, "you did not follow it Tou
and the phantom walked to Epinay to
gether, arm In arm.'
"'No.' he cried, turning his eyes
away: 'I did not It came on to pour,
and I turned back. I don't know what
became of the black phantom.'
"We left him, and when we were
outside I turned to Larsan, looking
him full in the face, and put my ques
tion suddenly to take him off bis guard
" 'An accomplice?"
""How can I tell? he replied and left
ne. savin? he was off to Epinay,
"Well, what do you make of it?" I
asked Rouletabille after be bad ended
his recltaL "Personally I am utterly In
the dark. T can't make anything out of
It What do you gather r
"Everrthlne. everything," he ex
claimed. "But" he said abruptly, "let's
And out further about Mile. Stanger
son."
Rouletabille Knows the Two Halves
of the Murderer.
LLE. STANGERSON bad been
for the second time almost
murdered. Unfortunately she
was In too weak a state to bear
the severer Injuries of this second at
tack as well as she bad those of the
first. She bad received three wounds
In the breast from the murderer's
knife, and she lay loug between life
and death. Her strong physique, how
ever, saved her; but, though she recov
ered physically. It was found that her
mind had been affected. The slightest
allusion to the terrible incident sent
her Into delirium, and the arrest of
Robert Darzac, which followed on the
day following the tragic death of the
keeper, seraied to sink her fine Intelli
gence Into complete melancholia.
Robert Darzac arrived at the chateau
toward half past 0. I saw him hurry
ing through the park, his hair and
clothes In disorder and his face a dead
ly white. Rouletabille and I were look
ing out of a window In the gallery
file saw us and gave a despairing cry,
I'm to late!"
Rouletabille answered, "She lives!
A minute later Darzac had gone into
Mile. Stangerson's room, and through
the door we could hear his heartrend
ing sobs.
There's a fate about this placer
groaned Rouletabille. "Some Infernal
gods must be watching over the mis
fortunes of this family! If I had not
been drugged 1 would have saved
Mile. Stangerson. I should have Si
lenced him forever. And the keeper
would not have been killed!"
M. Darzac came in to speak with us.
His distress was terrible. Rouleta
bille told him everything his prepara
tions for Mile. Stangerson's safety, his
plans for either capturing or for dis
posing of the assailant forever and
how he would have succeeded nao it
not been for the drugging.
If only you had trusted met" said
the young man in a low tone. "If you
had but begged Mile. Stangerson to
confldo In mef But, then, everybody
here distrusts everybody elBe. The
daughter distrusts her father and even
her lover. While you ask me to pro
tect her, she Is doing all she can to
frustrate me. That was why I came
on the scene too late!"
At M. Robert Darzac's request Roule
tabille described the whole scene.
Loaning on the wall to prevent him
self from falling, he had made his way
to Mile. Stangerson's room, while we
were running after the supposed mur
derer. The anteroom door was open
and when he entered he found Mile.
Stangerson lying partly thrown over
the desk. Her dressing gown was
dved with the blood flowing from ir
bosom. Still under the influence or
Hie druc he felt he wbb walking In a
horrible nightmare.
He went back to the gallery auto
matically, opened a window, shouted
his order to fire and then returned to
the room. He crossed the deserted
boudoir, entered the drawing room and
tried to rouse M. Stangerson, who was
lvlncr on a sofa. M. Stangerson rose
stupidly and let himself be drawn by
Rouletabille Into the room, wnere, on
seeing his daughter's body, he uttered
a heartrending cry. Both united their
feeble strength and carried her to her
bed
On bis way to rejoin us Rouletabille
passed by the desk. On the floor, near
It, he saw a large packet He knelt
down, and, finding the wrapper loose,
he examined It and made out an enor
mous quantity of papers and photo
graphs. On one of the papers be reaa
New differential electroscopic con
denser. Fundamental properties of sub
stance Intermediary between ponder
able matter and Imponderable ether."
Strantre Irony of fate that the profesi
or's precious papers should be restored
to him at the very time wnen an at
tempt was being made to deprive him
of his daughter's life! What are pa
pers worth to blm now?
The morning following that awful
night saw M. de Marquet once more at
the chateau with his registrar and gen
darmes. Of course we were all ques
tioned. Rouletabille and I had already
agreed on what to say. I kept back
any information as to my being in the
dark closet and said nothing about the
drugging. We did not wish to suggest
In any way that Mile. Stangerson naa
been expecting her. nocturnal visitor.
Arthur Ranee told everybody In a
manner so natural that It astonished
me that be had last seen the keeper
toward 11 o'clock of that fatal night
He had come for his valise, he said,
which he was to take for him early
next morning to the St Michel station,
and hnd been kept out late running
after poachers. Arthur Ranee had. in-
Professional Du ectory of Wallowa County
I THOS. M. DILL
ATTORNtY'AT-LAW
Office first door south of New t
Fraternal Bldg., Enterprise, Ore. $
M.lHjBjK3HtHHS
C'C'iJ,'SKS,,!,S"S,4'lSKM'S,'J,,S',i"S
BURLEIGH & BOYD f
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
Needed Mourning.
The Lady I haven't much in the
house to give you, my poor man, but
would you like a piece of my pie? The
Hobo No, lady. But have yer got a
old black coat? The Lady Why do
you Want a black one? The Hobo
De feller yer gave a piece o pie to
de odder day was a pal o' mine.
Cleveland Leader.
without any further delay. TrobaWy
It chimed In with the conclusions be
had already arrived at as to the keeper
and his intrigues with the wife of
Mathleu. the landlord of the Donjon
Inn. This Mathleu later in the after
noon was arrested and taken to Cor
bell In spite of his rheumatism. He
had been heard to threaten the keeper,
and. though no evidence against blm
had been found at his Inn, the evi
dence of carters, who had heard the
threats, was enough to justify his re
tention.
The examination had proceeded thus
far when, to our surprise, Frederic
Larsan returned to the chateau. lie
was accompanied by one of the em
ployees of the railway. At that mo
ment Ranee nnd I were in the vesti
bule discussing Mathleu's guilt or in
nocence, while Rouletabille stood
apart, burled apparently in thought.
The examining magistrate and his reg
istrar were in the little green drawing
room, while Darzac was with the doc
tor and Stangerson In the lady's cham
ber. As Frederic Larsan entered the
vestibule with the railway employee
Rouletabille and I at once recognized
him by the small blond beard. We ex
changed meaning glances. Larsan had
himself announced to the examining
magistrate by the gendarme and en
tered with the railway servant as Dad
dy Jacques came out. Some ten min
utes went by, during which Rouleta
bille appeared extremely Impatient
The door of the drawing room was
then opened, nnd we heard the magis
trate calling to the gendarme, who en
tered. Presently he came out, mount
ed the stairs and, coming back short
iv went in to the magistrate and said:
Monsieur, M. Robert uarzuc win
not come!"
"What! Not come!" cried M. de Mar
quet.
"He says he cannot leave nine, jmuh-
gerson in her present state."
"Very well," saitt m. ae niarquei.
"Then we'll go to him."
M. de Marquet aud the gendarmes
mounted the stairs. He made a sign to
Larsan and the railway employee to
follow. Rouletabille and I went along
too.
On reaching the door of Mile. Stan
gerson's chamber M. de Marquet
knocked. A chambermaia appeareu. n
was Svlvla. with her hair all In disor
der and consternation showing on ber
face.
"Is M. Stangerson within?" asked the
magistrate.
"Yes, monsieur."
"Tell him that I wish to speak with
him."
Stangerson came out His appear
ance was wretched In the extreme.
"What do vou want?" he demanded
of the magistrate. "May I not be lert
in neace. monsieur?"
"Monsieur," said the magistrate, "it
is absolutely necessary that I should
see M. Darzac at once. If you cannot
Induce him to come I shall be com
nelled to use the help of the law."
The nrofessor made no reply, no
looked at us all like a man being led
to execution and then went back Into
the room.
Almost immediately after M. Robert
Darzac came out He was very pale.
He looked at us, and, bis eyes falling
on the railway servant, his features
stiffened, and he could hardly repress
Ranee to dine "with him because his
friend had taken his final leave of
them both earlier In the evening. M.
Ranee bad had tea served him In his
room because he had complained of a
slight Indisposition.
Bernler testified, Instructed by Roule
tabille, that the keeper bad ordered
him to meet blm at a spot near the oak
prove for the purpose of looking out
for poachers. Finding that the keeper
did not keep his appointment, he, Ber
liter, had gone In search of him. He
had almost arrived at the donjon when
he saw a figure running swiftly In a
direction opposite to him, toward the
right wing of the chateau, ne heard
revolver shots from behind the figure
and saw Rouletabille at cne of the gal
lery windows. He Leaid Rouletabille
call out to blm to fire, and he bad fired.
He believed be had killed the man un
til be learned, after Rouletabille had
uncovered the body, that the man had
died from a knife thrust Who had
given It he could not Imagine. "Nobody
could have been near the spot without
my seeing him." When the examining
magistrate reminded him that the spot
where the body was found was very
dark and that he himself had not been
able to recognize the keeper before
firing, Daddy Bernler replied that nei
ther had they seen the other body, nor
bad they found it In the narrow
court, where five people were standing,
it would have been strange if the
other body, had It been there, could
A Convenience.
Curate And so, Mrs. Howard, you
i , come to i-mi ix-u every ounaay r mrs.
i-ractice in an State courts ana ; Howard-Yes. Mr. Priestly. We're
interior apartment Careful at. f h 8tranEers m town yet tnat we
teiiuou to all business. v ; . 0m . , .
Life.
'H,'ik&'MHJS5"VS4
I D. W. SHEAHAN I
b
LAWYER ENTERPRISE
Practice In State and Federal
Courts and Interior Department.
,s;s,'&4'sti,,J
1'
C. T. HOCKETT. M. D.
! PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON I
I Office upstairs in Bank Build- j
, ing. Ind. Home phone In office &
and residence. 4
c A
The Poor Woman.
"He climbed almost to the top of the
ladder and then fell off."
"What wns the trouble?"
"There was a woman at the bottom
of it."-L!fe.
W. C. KETCHUM
DENTIST - ENTERPRISE
office Berland Building. Home
Independent Phone.
hHI
COLON R. EBERHARD f
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR f
Practices in all Courts and In-
terior Dept. Notary Public. .',
Ind. Home phone. Joseph.
wK441w3K8'iHilS,SwSKlM?Hiit5,SlH3
Liberty cannot be established with
out morality nor morality without
faith. Greeley.
If you have ba-kache and urinary
troubles you should take Foley's Kid
ney Remedy and strengthen and build
u the kidneys so they will act prop
erly, as a serious kidney trouble
may develop. Burnaugh & May-field.
Til T A PJTlRRSl I PJ M TV
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
calls attended to. uay or nigm. r
Home phone. Enterprise, Ore. j.
4KMjMHHgHtK
I'I'I',S"M,'S''S'
Tin P A ATII.T
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Office In Bank Building. i
Home phone
residence.
MhMhM4!'
both office and :
hsve escaped. The only door that I
opened into the court was that of the
keeper's room, and that door was clos-1
ed, and the key . of It was found In the
keeper's pocket
However that might be, the examin
ing magistrate did not pursue his In-1
qulry further In this direction. He .
was evidently convinced that we had
deed. Intended to leave the chateau' m'81 tn mnn we wore chasing and tpred , Urf,nn rPmanlng on the driv
nnd, according to his habit to walk to(
the station.
M. Stangerson confirmed what Ranee
a groan.
We were all much moved by the ap
pearance of the man. We felt that
what was about to happen would de-1
cide the fate of M. Robert Darzac.
Frederic Larsan's face alone was ra
diant, showing a Joy as of a dog that
had at last got its prey.
Pointing to the railway servant M.
de Marquet said to M. Darzac:
"Do you recognize this man, mon
sieur?" '1 do," said M. Darzac in a tone
which he vainly tried to make firm,
"lie is an employee at the station at
Ei.Iiiay-sur-Orge."
"This young man," went on M. de
Marquet, "affirms that he saw you get
off the train at Epluay-sur-Orge"
"That night," said M. Darzac, Inter
ruptlng, "at half past 10. It is quite
true."
An interval of silence followed.
"M. Darzac," the magistrate went
on In a tone of deep emotion "M. Dar
zac, what were you doing that night
at EpInay-sur-Orge at that time?"
M. Darzac remained silent, simply
closing his eyes.
"M. Darzac," insisted M. de Mar
quet, "can you tell me how you em
ployed your time that night?"
M. Darzac opened his eyes. He
seemed to have recovered his self con
trol.
"No, monsieur."
"Think, monsieur, for if you per
sist iu your strange refusal I shall be
under the painful necessity of keeping
you at my disposition."
"I refuse."
"M. Darzac, In the name of the law
I arrest you!"
The magistrate had no sooner pro
nounced the words than I saw Roule
tabille move quickly toward M. Dar
zac. He would certainly have spoken
to him, but Darzac by a gesture held
him off. As the gendarme approached
his prisoner a despairing cry rang
through the room:
"Robert! Robert!"
We recognized the voice of Mile,
.f.tangerson. We all shuddered. Lar
hoii himself turned pale. M. Darzac
In response to the cry had flown back
Into the room.
The magistrate, the gendarme and
Larsan followed closely after. Rouleta
bille and I remained on the threshold.
It was n heartbreaking sight that mei
our eyes. Mile. Stangerson, with a
face of deathly pallor, hnd risen on
her bed in splto of the restraining ef
forts of two doctors and her father.
She was holding out her trembling
arms toward Robert Darzac. on whom
Lnrsan and the gendarme had laid
hands. Ilrr distended eyes saw ohe
understood her lips seemed to form a
word, but nobody made It out, and she
fell back Insensible.
M. Darzac was hurried out of the
room and placed in the vestibule to
wait for the vehicle Larsaii hud gone
to fetch. We were oil overcome by
emotion, and even M. de Marquet hod
tears In his eyes. Rouletabille took nd
vantage of the opportunity to soy to
M. Darzac
"Are vou coins to put In any de
fense?" '
"No," replied the prisoner.
"Very well, then, I will, monsieur,
"You cannot do It." said the unhap
nv niau. with a faint smile,
"I ran do It. M. Robert Darzac. be
cause I know more than you do!"
"Come! Come!" murmured Darzac.
almost angrily.
"Have no fear. I shall know only
what will benefit you."
"You must know nothing, young
mnn. If you want nie to be grateful."
Rouletabilie sln:oU his head, going
close up to Darzac.
"Listen to what I am about to say."
he said In a low tone, "unci lei It give
you confidence. You do not know the
"name of the murderer. Mile. Stanger-
arm Iftiniri II lillt nlllv half of it. Bllt
I know his two halves. 1 know the
whole man!"
Robert Darzac opened bis eyes with
a look that showed he had not under
stood a word of what Rouletabille had
said to him. At that moment the con
veyance arrived, driven by Frederic
Larsan. Darzac and the genaarme en-
glad to get away, and there was noth
ing more to keep us there. 1 declared
my Intention to give up the whole mat
ter. It hnd been too much for me
Rouletabille. with a friendly tap on my
shoulder, confessed that he had noth
lug more to learn at the Glandlcr; ho
had learned all I had to tell him. We
reached Paris about 8 o'clock, dined
and then, tired out. we separated
agreeing to meet the next morning ai
my rooms.
Rouletabille arrived next day at the
hour agreed on. He was dressed In n
suit of English tweed, with an ulster
on his arm and a valise In his hand
Evidently he had prepared himself for
a Journey.
"How long shall you be away?" 1
asked.
"A month or two." be said, "it all
depends."
I asked him no more questions.
"Do you know," he nsked, "what the
word was that Mile. Stangerson tried
to say before she fainted?"
"No. Nobody heard it."
"I heard It," replied Rouletabille.
"She said 'Speak! "
"Do you think Darzac will speak?"
"Never."
I was about to make some further
observations, but be wrung my hand
warmly aud wished me goodby. I had
only time to ask blm one question be
fore he left
"Are you not afraid that other at
tempts may be made while you re
away?"
'No; not now that Darzac Is in pris
on?" he answered.
With this strange remark he left. 1
was not to see him again until the day
of Darzac's trial at the court when he
appeared to explain the inexplicable.
Fo'.ey's Honey and Tar 13 a safe
guard against serlDus results from
spring colds, which inflame the lungs
and deve'.op Into pneumonia. Avoid
counterfeits, by insisting upon hav
ing the genuine Foley's Honey and
Tar, wl-lch contains no harmful
drugs, Burnaugh & Mayfleld.
Tax on Hate.
Not only have hats at various times
been subject to taxation, but have even
been made the subject of special laws.
Thus In Henry VII.'s reign none was
allowed to sell bats at a larger price
than 20 pence or caps for more than
2s. 8d. Some compensation, however,
for this Interference with free trade
could be found In the fact that in 1571
on Sundays nnd holidays every one
above seven- years of age was required
to wear a cap of wool of English make
under penalty of 3 farthings fine for
every day's neglect London Chronicle.
(Continued next week.)
Mr. F. O. Frltts, Oneonta, N. Y.,
writes: "My little girl was greatly
benefitted by taking Foley's Orlno
Laxative, and I think It Is the best
remedy for constipation and liver
trouble." Foley's Orlno Laxatlnve
Is be3t for women and children, as
It is mild, pleasant and effective,
and Is a splendid spring medicine,
as it cleanses the system and clears
the complexion. Burnaugh & May-
field.
For Constipation.,
Mr. L. H. Farnham, a prominent
druggist of Spirit Lake, Iowa, says:
"Chamberlain's Stoma :h and Liver
Tablets are certainly tho best thlug
on the market for cona.lpatlon."
Give these tablets a trial. You are
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pleasant In e f e t. Price 25 cs.its.
Samples free. For sab by Burnaugh
& Mayfleld.
Nature Provides
but one
California
It is the natural winter
home of many thousand
of the world's best peopie.
Under the gentle influence
of its mild winterclimatc.
every amusement and
recreation abounds. Such
bathing-, boating, fmhinp,
driving; such picnics rar
ties and "Jollifications."
GO TO
An Easy Grade.
Patronage, political, religious and so
cial, has seen Its best days in Eng
land, and It is becoming more and
more difficult, St. James' Budget
opines, to find material for such a
story as follows:
At the end of a political campaign
many years ago a young man who bad
worked valiantly for the successful
candidate claimed a reward. The
prize promised was a sergeantcy in the
artillery. But the candidate found that
ho was unable to carry out his prom
ise, Inasmuch as it required six years'
service to qualify a man for the rank,
no became thoughtful, but finally saw
llgbt.
"Does It require six years to qualify
a man for a lieutenancy V be asked
one who knew.
"Certainly not," was the reply.
"Well, make young Blank a lieuten
ant then," said the candidate, with a
sigh of relief.
Blank was thus made a lieutenant
for no other reason than that be was
not fit to be a sergeant
had said, adding tha.t hg bad not asked
we had come upon the keeper's body
in our chase. This matter of thekerp
er was another matter entirely. He
wanted to satisfy himself about that
Beit Treatment for Colds.
"Most ordinary colds will yield to
the simplest treatment "says the
Chicago Tribune, "moderative laxa
tives, hot foot baths, a free perspi
ration and .an avoidance of exposure
to cold and wet after treatment."
While this treatment la simple, it
req'ilres considerable trouble and
the one adopting It must remain in
doors for a day or two, or a fresh
cold is almost sure to be contracted,
and In many Instances pneumonia fol
lows. Is It not belter to pin your
faith to an old reliable preparation
like Chamberlain's Cough Remedy,
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associates, faultless ac
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berless attractions and
conveniences.
The O. R. & N.-C
Connecting with
The Southern Pacific Co.
Make inexpensive round trip
excursion rates to California
A six months stopover
ticket Wallowa to Loa
Angeles and return is
$76 80
Corresponding rates are ii . el
feet to other points.
We have some very distinctive
literature covering California's
winter resorts, and will take
pleasure in giving yon all of the
information and assistance at
our command.
For tickets, sleeping car reservations
etc., call on, telegraph or write
E. T. Campion, Agent, Wallowa.
OR
WM. McMURRY, gen. pass, mi
Portlana
er"s seat The prisoner was waeu ",that ,g famoug for tu cures of colds
That same evening Rouletabille and and can always be depended I upon?
1 left the Glandlcr, We were very or saie Dy wn.u,.
B. Conaway. O. M. Corklns.
CONAWAY & CORKINS,
LAWYERS
Enterprise, Oregon. . 1gl