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About Eugene daily guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1904-1924 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1909)
The Mystery The Yellow Dy GASTON LEROUX " efc. Htm, CHAPTER XVII. Tba lnalieabl Gallery. ILLE. STANOEJtSO.N appear ed at the duor at her ante roouV combines Uouleta bll!e's notebook. "We wero Hvnr ucr door lu th gallery where this tufcrcdlble phenouieuou bad taken . luc. Then arc moment whvu eue lech a IT one's bruin were ubout to burnt. A bullet lu tbe bcud, a f rut-tare jif tbi? vkulU the scat "of reason suut-Vemlr-wlbh, only those cua 1 compare the sccsultou .wblclt exhausted aud left me Ti.fct-tif scoiw. "Happily Mil. StaugrrHoo appeared tta lb threshold of her uuteruotu. 1 mw her. aud tbat belped to relieve uijf -tbaollt- male of mind. 1 breathed tier; -i lubttled. the jierfuuie of tbe bid; In bfetclt who bad been kind to mo In sty ehUdlKmd . wliam 1 should uever see again. 1 would have given ten Xa of my life unit uiy lire to gee unco more tbe ludy lu black. Alas. -I uo- wore uieet ber but from tlioe to time, aud yet und yet. how the mem asy ut tliiit perfume, felt by uie ulouo. aKiii?t me buck to the duys of my abCdlioad! It was thin sburp reminder lcoui tuy beloved perfume of the ludy il Murk ulikll luudc uie go to Iter. iUresaed wholly In white and so pair, so jih- uad so Ije-iulL'ui. ou the threshold nt tbe Inexplicable gultvry. Her beau SlTul gv-uieu luilr. Kal lie ted luto a kuot a Cie buck of ber neck, left Tlslble the ml tu uc oil bet leinUf which bad so ae idj boon the cuuu of ber -tenth. TCm-ul 1 tmt gut u the right track f tile- mystery af tliis case 1 had 22nj(;icd Lhut u the night of the trag In tlie yellow, toon, illle. StttDRer ' ki tua worn ber hair lu bauds. But t'ors.now could .1 bore Imagined other-Vjty- a-'but I Aud' aot been In the jel- "Bt now-. bic tho oeeurrenea of flo-ane-spllt-atife cillery. I dltl uot rea .: ha tt all. I stacxl tlioro. stupid, before, 7tn".!apiarltlon ti piilo. and so beuutt-' ttut Mile, Staiigc-rtiau. Bhe was clad. .-.Ju. i drawing gmvit of dreuiuy white., 0i-.- lulit'at have- taken ber to be a t"- W u lovely pliuotom. Her father t'Kkv her l,i bis uiuiB and kissed ber. jwuchvuiU-lf. as If lie had recovered - few' Oner U-'.'ue loutr lout to Uliu, ' I iz?!.l mit dtreKtlc'U her. Uc drew ber Ii:.-.i:hm,o-,iui. iiu.1 vi followed lliein : 'far v;r hud Ut kimw I 1 be door of the VClr van oq.mi. . Tlie turrllled fuces -C two. uiines craned toward us. Mii.v L Jtup-rsou Iwinlix'.l the tueaiilns , . a. I Uur tUsiurbuutitL That she wus vttjt: lai tier owa room wau iiuKe easily sjiliiliiBi itul.o euilly. Kho had a te.-ii-y not t sleep that nh-tit In her bit.Ur. but li Uip boudulr wltb ber triMi! luck ;uir the Coar ou thein. Bhirir tUe iJ.7Jt f Cie vrhl:e she bad experl- -mcc-l leelhpi of len-ur. and fears eauie n Qcr lhut are easily to be comuro kendeit.. , , , -ttut wlH-ould linitelne that on that turtfculur iilclit wlicu lie was to come stif oinubl Uy a mere cliuueo detcrmlni' shni berself lu wltli her woman T.I, wwiul think that she would act .o-.ary to her f Hitler's wish to sleep Mi tUc di-uwlus rouuil Who eould bc-iir-,e- that the letter which hud so le watly teeu ml tho table In ber room -would so lunger Id- there t lie who ibl anderMtuml all this would buvo swutue- tbst Mile. 8tuuKenon knew 'tint tbL nmr-lm-er was cowing lii -sorikl not nrn'eut his romlun upilll anlawwD to lier father, nnknowu to all fcut tt JL Itobert Durxuc. Kor ho must .know It bow. Perhaps be bad kuown tt before! Did be remember that jfcmse- k the Kl.rsee carden. 'Must I rntt a crime, theu. lu win your Jkcahait whout the crime If nut axnliiKt JJttf tatistarlv. aimliiHt the uiurdererr "AU. I would kill hi in wltb tuy own Ttandr And I replied. 'You have uot amnwera-i nijr Munition. That was the nay tcutu. In truth. In truth. M. Oar ror- kne-w the murderer so well that. wrdTe- se.hlnis to kill him himself, he -w afraid 1 should find him. Thero--ild be- bat two reasons why he hail saaUsted me In my liiTeHtlgutlou. First. ecmra 1 hare forced blln to do It. and. Mrond. because ah would be tho feetter protected. "I am In the chamber her room. I . at her. abm at the place where tho 3Mtc-rha Just now been. She has pos- ncraeii or n; it was evidently a-jt-ld fur ber-rvldrntly. How she 'rerablea; Trembles at the strange! aum--r ter father la lelllng ber. of tho re of tbe murderer la ber chm- aMraa-t f tbe pursuit. But It la plsln C7 T be an that she la not wholly ssatwili-l fcy trie assurance given her war raw bad been toM that th m imli u r hjr some Incomprehensible-saraa-s ka-4 oeen able to elude us. "Tew fothnre-i a silence. What Beoce-r We are all there looking t - her father. Larsna, lladdy Jsniuea n4 I. What were w all thinking or roe Hr-ve? After the events of wr nrrit. f tlie mrvtery of the Inet jcjl N- rntery. i ' ! V n f -lens fact f rfv-1 -wu-ni-e rf ' .urtft-rer In her -n. H iiivd i i ( th.it all our timxfiiH mi-tit tvxv lKen trmiibitnl t'l'i the anntt wfif h acre mldiww-il '" fc-f. "Yi.tt -vSo lao"- m - tery, expiuln II to us and we snair per haps be nble to wiv? you.' How f loDt'ed to sure her from herself and from the other! It brousbt tbe tears to my eyes. "Wbo enn toll that, shoulit we learn the secret of ber mystery. II would not precipitate a . trngedy more terrible than that wblrb bad already been en acted here? Wbo can tell If It mlphl not meun hrr death? Yet It bsd Iminehi her close to. death, and we still knew nothing, or, rather, there ure some of as who know nothing. Hut I If I knew who. I should know nil Who? Who? Not knowing who, I mast remain silent out of pity for her. For there Is no doubt that she knows how beesenped from the yellow room. When I know who I will speak to him to blm! - "She looked at ns now. with a fr wHy look In ber eyes, as If we were not hi the chamber. M. Stnnprerson broke the silence. He declared that, henceforth, he would no more' absent himself from his daughter's apart nieuta She tried to oppose dim In vain. He adhered flrnily to his pur pose. ' He wonld Install himself there this rery nliht. he said. Solely con cerned for the health of his daughter, he reproached hor for having left her bed. Then be suddenly began talking to her as If she were a little child. He smiled at her and seemed not to know ell her what he sold or what he did. The MluKtrlous profensor' hud lost bis head. Mile. Stuugerson In a tone of tender distress snld. 'Fattier, father!.'. Dndriy Jacques blows bis nose alia Frederic Lai-san himself Is obliged to torn away to hide bis emotion. For myself. I am able neither to think or freL 1 felt a contempt for myself. -It was the Hrst time that Frederic Larsnn, like myself, found himself face to face, with Mile. Stangerson since tho attack In the yellow room. Like me. he bsd Insisted on being al lowed to intention the unhappy lady, but ho bad not, any more than had 1. been permitted. To him. as to me. the same answer had always been given: HUe. Stangerson was too' weak to re ceive bh The iptestlonliigs of the ex amining magistrate had orerfntlued hor. It was evidently. Intended not to give .i any assbitunce. In our ro searches. I wus : not surprised, but F"redcTlc Larson had always resented this conduct. It Is true that he und 1 hud totally different theory of the rrlmo. I still cutcb myself repenting from the depths of my heart: "Rnve hor! 8nv her without 111 J spcaklngf Wlio In hethe murderer? . Take him and shut his mouth, nut M. narzuc.jl" the woods. I am only Jiist.back- mudo tt clear that lu ordor to shut hla mouth be must be killed. Have I tbe rlriht to kill Mile- Stangerson's mur derer? No. I had not. Bnt let him only giro mo the chance! I-et tne find out whether he fa really a creature of flesh sud blood! Let uie see bU dead body, since It cannot be taken alive. "If I could bnt make this woman, who does not even look at us. under stand! She Is Rbsorbed by her fears and by her father's distress of in I ml. And I can do uothlHB to save ber. Yes, I will go to work once more and ne (ompllsh wonders. ' "I more toward her. I would speak ti her. I would entreat her to have couliflonco In me. 1 would, in a word, uutko her underrtaiid ahe alone that 1 know how the murderer escaped from tbe yellow room, that ! have guessed tho motives for ber secrecy, mid that 1 pity her with all my heart Hut by her gout urea she begged us to leave her alone, expressing weariness and the need tor immediate rest M. Btuugursou asked ua to go back to our roonw aud thanked us. Frederic I-nr-suu and 1 bowed to him. and. followed by I-addy Jut-quo, we regained the gallery. 1 heurt Lama murmur: 'Ntrnnget Struuge!" He made a sign to mo to go with blm Into bis room. On tho thresIioUl he turned toward Paddy JciDi. '"Hid you m hint distinctly r be asked. " 'W!Vir " The wan.' " Saw blm! Why. he had a big red beard and ml hair.' . " "l'hut'a bow he- appeared to uie.' 1 Biild. "'And to e.' suid Larsan. "The greul Fred and 1 were atone In his clmmlier uow to talk over this thing. We talked fur su hour, turn- Intr the in it t tar over and vlewhif It fn.iu every side. Frotu tbe questions put by hUn. from the eiplunatlon which he- irlves. uie. It 1 clear to me that hi spit ef ill our senses be la IMTHUsded th man dvtapiieared by Nome secret passage lu tho chateau kiiuwu te hi in aloDo. 'Lie know tho chateau.' be said to uie: tie knows tt welL "'He la a rather tall man. well built. I sugBsxted. He ts as tall as bo wants to be.' uurmurttl Fred. " '1 uuditT-gau-l. 1 said. "But bow do )oa ni-cuutu fur bis red balr and beard T "Too aturhr beard, too much hair faW,' snya Fred. ""Chats easily ankl. Tou are al WujKbluklng of Itobcrt Iarxac. You can't gel rid af that Idea! 1 am cer tain tuut be- h hinweiit.' "mtU tint- Utter. I hope so. TiLK EUVIiMr UBAUX UUAAU, caiuii T -irr - - , . i of ,j 1 I M Room COPYRIGHT. 1908. BY BRENTANO'S bnt everything condemns blm. um you notice the marks on tbe carpet? Come aud look at them.' " 'I have seen them. They are the marks of tbe neut boots the same as those we saw on tbe border of the lake.' "'Can you deny that they belong to Robert Daraic?" " 'Of course one may be mistaken.' . V 'Have yov noticed that those foot prints only go in one direction, that there are no return marks? When the man cauie from the chamber, pursued by all of us. his footsteps left no traces behind them.' " 'He had perhaps been in the cham ber for hours. The mud from his boots bad dried, and he moved with such rapidity on the points of his toes. We ssw him running, but we did not hear his steps. "I suddenly pnt an end to this Idle cbntter, void of any logic, and made a !gn to Larsan to listen. " There, below, some one is shuttl lit a door. 1 rise. . Larsnn follows me. We descend to the ground floor of the chateau. I lead him to the little semi circular room under the terrace be neath the window of the oti' turning gallery. 1 point to the door, now closed, open a short time before, under which a shaft of light is visible. ' " 'The forest keeper!' says Fred. '"Come on!' 1 whisper. "Prepared. 1 know nut why, 'to be lieve that the keeper Is the guilty man I go to the door nud rap smartly on It. "Some mlsht think that we wre rather lute In thinking of the keeper, since our flint business, after baring found that the murderer bad escnped us In the gallery, ought to have been to search everywhere else around the chateau. In the park "Had this criticism been made nt tbe time we could only have answered that the assassin had disappeared from the gallery In such a way that we thoutht he was uo longer nnywhere! He had eluded us when we nil had our hntids stretched out ready to seize blm when we were almost touching him We had no longer any ground for hop ing that we could clear up the mys- j tery of that night. as soon ns i rappen ar me aoor ii was opened, and the keeper asked n quietly what we wanted. He was un dressed and preparing to go to bed The lied had not yet been dlnturbed. "We entered and I alTerlcd surprlsev " 'Not gone to bed yet V . "'No.' he replied roii'ihly. 'I have been inakln-r a round of the park and 'and sleepy. uoi npriit!' Listen, t sain. n nmir ago mere was n ladder elope by your window.' . - "'What ladder? I did not-see any-, ladder Oocd night!' "And he simply put us our of thf room. When we were outside I looked at Ijirsan. Ills face was Impenetra ble." CHAPTER. XVIII. R.ouletab'iII-1 Hris Drswn a Circle . Between the Two Dumps an His Forehead. Wl R sepamteil on the thresholds of our rooms with a melan choly shake of the liamli Larsan's was an - original bnlti. method very Intelll'tent, but without , I did net g i to bed. I nwnlt ed the coming of daylight and then went down to the front of the chnteau and made a detour, examining every trace of footstes coming toward It or going from It These, however, were so mixed and confusing that I con Id make nothing of them. . Here I may make a romark I am not accustomed to attach an exaggerated Importance to exterior signs left In the track ot a crime. , , "Tho niotiiod which tracos the crim inal by means of the tracks of his foot steps U a!toso:ber primitive So many footprints are Identical. . However. In the dlsturlHil state of my mind I did go Into the deserted court and dl.l look at all the footprints I could rind there, seeking for some Indication as a basis for reasoning. if I could hut find a rlghl starting point! In despair I scaled myself on a stone.' For over an hour 1 busied my self with Hie common, ordinary work of a p illcemaii. I.Ike the least Intelli gent of detectives 1 went on blindly over the traces of footprints which told me Just uo more than they could. "I came to the conclusion that I was a fool, lower lu the scale of Intelligence thau even the police of tho modern ro mancer. Novelists build mountains of stupidity out of a footprint on the sand or from an Impression of a hand on the wall. That's the way Innocent men are brought to prison. It might convince an examining magistrate or the hesd of a defective department, but It's not proof. You writers forget that I what the tenses furnish Is not roof0t',Jgw " me ir i am taking cognliuiuce of what Is offered me by my seuses I ihi so but lo bring the rvfults within tlie circle ofjv reason. That circle may le the in! clrcuuiscrUic-.l. but. If It. It bus this ndvantntfv-lt holds nothing 1 the truth! 'gas. swear that I. tu UXCwCVw V niinnnlV MARCS 13. 1904 .-,..-. - never used tho evidence of the senses but as servantB to my reason. I have never permuted them to become my master. They have not mode of me that monstrous thing-worse than blind man-a man who sees falsely.' And that Is why I can triumph over your error and your merely animal In telligence. Frederic Larsan. "Be of good courage, then, Frlenn Rouletabille. It is Impossible that the Incident of the Inexplicable gallery should be outside the circle of your reason. You know that! Then have faith and take thought with yourself and forget not that you took bold of tho right end when you drew that cir cle In your brain within which to un ravel this mysterious play of clrcunv stance. "To It, once again! Go back to ths gallory. Take your stand on' your, reason and rest there as Frederic Lar san rests on bis cane. You will then soon prove that the great Fred Is noth ing but a fool. 30th October. Noon. "JOSEPH ROULETABILLE." . ' "I acted ns I planned. With head on Are. I retraced my way to the gallery, and without having found anything more than I had seen on the previous night, the right hold I had taken of my reason drew me to something so Impor tant that I was obliged to cling to It to aave myself from falling. "Now for the strength and patience JO find sensible traces to Ot In with my thinking and these must come A'lthln the. circle I have drawn be tween the two bumps on my forehead -SOW October, .Midnight "JOSEPH ROULETABILLE." CHAPTER XIX. KouleUbille Invites Me to Break fast at the Donjon Inn. m was not until lutcr that Hnule- tabllie sent me the notebook In which he had written nt length the story of the phe nomenon of the Inexplicable gallery. On the day I arrived at the fllatidler and joined him In his room he recount ed to me. with the greatest detail, nil that I have related, telling me also how he had spent several hours In Paris, where he had learned nothing that could be of any help to blm. The event of the Inexplicable gal lery had occurred on the night between the 2!)lh and 30th of October that la to say, three days liefnre my return to the chateau. It was on the 2d of November, then, thni I went back to the Gliindier, sur.imoned there by my friend's telagrnm and taking the re volvers with me. I am now In Rouletahllle's room, and be has finished his recital. While he hud been telling me the story I noticed him continually rubbing the glass pf ' the eyeglast-es he had found on the side table. From the evi dent pleasure he was taking In han dling them I felt they must be one of those sensible evidences destined to en ter what he had called the circle of the right end of IiIh reason. When ho had dnlshed his recital he nskcit me what I thought of It. I re plied that I was much puzzled by his question. Then he begged me to try. In my turn, to take my reason In hand "by the right end." "Very well." I said. "It seems to me that the point of departure of my rea son would be this there can be no doubt that the murderer yon pursued wns In the gallery." I paused. "After muklng so good a start, you ought uot to stop so soon." he exclaim ed, "t'oine, make another effort." "I'll try. Since he disappeared from the gal.ery without passing through any door or window, lie must have es caped by some other opening." Itonletnhllle looked at me pityingly, smiled carelessly and remarked that I was reasoning like d postman or like Frederic Larsan. liouletabllle had alternate fits of ad miration and disdain for the great Fred. It all depended us to whether Lat'sau's discoveries tallied with lloulo tnbllle's reasoning or not.. When they did he would exclaim. "He Is really great!" When they did not. he would grunt anil mutter. "What an ass!" It was a petty side of the uoble character of this strange youth. We had risen, and he led me Into the park. When we reached the court and were making toward the gate, the sound of blinds thrown back against tho wall mnde us turn our heads, and wo saw nt a window ou tbe. first Boor of the chateau the ruddy and cleau shaven face of a person I did not rec ognize. Hello!" muttered Rouletabille. "Ar- rhur ltanre!" He lowered his head. quickened his pace, and 1 heard bin. ask himself between bis teeth: "Wns he In the chateau that night? What Is be doing here?" We had gone some distance from the chateau when 1 asked him who this Arthur Itanee was and how he had come to know him He referred to his story of that morning, and I remem bered that Mr. Arthur W. Hance was ' tne American from Philadelphia with whom he bad had so umiiy drinks ut tbe Klysec reception. But was he not to have left Fram-e almost luinKlntely?" I asked. No doubt: that's why I 'am sur prised to Had blm here still and not only In Frame, but ahove ah at the pi..ii.. ... . , ... mniiuii-r. ne uiu not arrive mis morning, and he did not get here last nhrht. He must have got here before dinner, then. Why didn't the cou- reminded my friend, apropos of the concierges, that he had not yet told me what had led him to get tm set at liberty Wo were close to their lodge. M and ; Mine. Iternler saw ns coming A frank ; smile lit up their happy faces Ther i seemed lo h.irlxr no 111 feeling bemuse of their deteutlon. My yonng mena asked thorn nt what hour Mr. Arthur Kance had arrived, xney answercu m they did not know He was at the cha teau. He must have come during the evening of the previous night, but they had not had to open the gate for him, because, being a great walker and not wishing that a carriage should be sent tn meet him. he was accustomed to get off at the little hamlet of Saint Michel, from which he came to the chateau oy way of the forest. He reached tbe park by the grotto of Salnte Gene vieve, over the little gate of which, giving on to the park, he climbed. As the concierges spoke I saw Roule rabille'8 face cloud over and exhibit dis appointment -a disappointment no doubt, with himself. Evidently he wns a little vexed, after having worked so much on the spot, with so minute a study of Uie people and events at the Glandler. that he had to learn now that Arthur Ranee was accustomed to visit the chateau. I'You say that M. Arthur Ranee Is accustomed to come to the chateau. When did he come here last?" "We can't tell you exactly." replied Mme. Bcrnler. "We couldn't know while they were keeping us In prison. Besides, as the gentleman comes to the chateau without passing through our gate ho goes away by the way he comes." "Do you know when he came tho Hrst time?" "Oh. yes, monsieur! Nine years tgo." "He was tn France nine years ago, then." said Rouletnbllle. "and since that time, as far as you know, hott many times baa be been at tbe Glon dlcr?" "Three times.". "When did be come the last time, as fur as you know?" "A week before the attempt In the yellow room." Rouletabille put another question, this time addressing himself particular ly to the woman: "In the grove of the parquet? "In the grove of the parquet' replied. "Thanks!" said Rouletabille. she "Be ready for me this evening." . He spoke the last words with a finger on his lips as If to command silence and discretion. . We left the park and took the way to the Pnnjon Inn. "Do you often eat here?' "Sometimes." "But you also take your meals at the chateau?" . "Yes. Larsan and I are sometimes served In one of our rooms." "Hasn't M. Stangerson ever Invited you to his owu table?" "Never." - "Does your presence at the chateau displease him?" "1 don't know: but. In nny ease, he does not make us feel that we ure In Ills way." "Doesn't be question you?" "Never. He is in the same state of mlr.d ns he was lu at the door of the yellow room when his daughter- was being murdered and wbeu he broke open the door and did not find the murderer. He Is persuaded since be could discover nothing that there's no reason why we should be able to dis cover more than he did. But he has made It. his duty since Larsan ex pressed his theory uot to oppose us." Rouletnbllle burled himself In thought again for some time He aroused him self later to tell me of how he came to set the two couclerges free. "1 went lately to see SI. Stangerson mid took with me a piece of paper on which was written. "1 promise, what ever others may say. to keep In my service my two faithful servants, r.er nler nud his wife.' 1 explained to him that by signing that document he would enable me to compel those two people lo speak out. and I declared uiy own assurance of their Innocence of any part In the crime. That was also his opinion. The examining mag istrate after It was signed presented the document to tbe Benders, who then did speak. They said what I was certain they would say as soon ns they were sure thev would not lose their places. "They confessed to poaching on M. Stangerson's estnti-s, and It was while they were poaching, on the night of the crime, thnt they were found not far from the pavilion nt the moment when the outrage was being committed. Some rabbits they caught In that way were sold by them to the landlord of the Donjon Inn. who served them to his customers or sent them to Tarls. That wns the truth, as I had mieo...i from the first. Do you remember wht I said on entering the Donjon Inn? We shall have to eat red meat nowP I had heard the words on the same morning when we arrived at the park gate. Yos heard them alsu. Imt rn did not attach any Importance to them. ion rocoi:ect wheif we reached the pari, gate ttiat we stopped to look at a man who was running by the side of the wall, looking every minute nt his watch. That was Ijirsan. Well lie hlnd us the landlord or the Donjon' Inn standing on his doorstep, said to some one Inside. -We shall have to eat red meat now.' "Why that -now?' When you are. as I am. In search of some hidden secret you can't afford to have anything es cape you. You've got to know the meaulng of everythlug. We had come Into a rather out of the way part of the country which had been turred topsy turvy by a crime, and my reason led me to susHvt every phrase that could bear upon the event of the day Now.' I took to mean, -sltn-e the out rage.' In the course of my Inqulrv rherefore. I so. , to fld , .,,;;, between that phrase and the tragedy e we:,t to the Donjon Inn for break fust 1 repented ,he phrase aud saw by tae urprlw and trouble on Daddv I Ma'Mo-i, face that I h.id not exagser a; . us Importance so far as he was concerned. "I bad just learned that the con cierges bad been arrested. ' Daddy Mathleu spoke of them as of dear friends people for whom one Is sorry. That was a reckless conjunction of Ideas. I said' to myself. 'Now,' that the concierges ore arrested, 'wo shall have to ent red meat.' No more con cierges, no more game! The hatred ex pressed by Daddy Mathleu for M. Stangerson's forest keeper a hatred he pretended was shared by tbe cen cierges led 1 me onslly to think of poaching. Now, as all the evidence showed the concierges had not been In bed at the time of the tragedy, why were they abroad that night? As par ticipants In the crime? I was not dis posed to think so. I had already ar rived at the conclusion, by steps' of wbfch I will tell you later that tbe as sassin had had no accomplice and that the tragedy held a mystery between Mile. Stangerson and the murderer, a mystery with which the concierges had nothing to do. "With that theory In my mind. I si-arched for . proof In their . lodge, which, as you know. I entered. I found there under their bed some springs and brass wire. 'Ah.' I thought, 'these things explain why tbey were out In the park at night! I was not surprised at the dogged sl Inice they maintained before the ex amining magistrate, even under the ac cusation so grave as that of being ac complices In the crime. Poaching would save them from the nsslze court. hM It would lose them their places, and as they were perfectly sure of tbelr Innocence of the crime they hoped tt wonld stfon be established, and then their poaching might go on as usual. Tbey could ulways confess later. L however, hastened their con fession by means of the document M Stnugerson signed. They gave all the necessary 'proofs.' were set at liberty and have now a lively gratitude for me. Why lld I uot get thelu released sooner? Because I was not sure that nothing more than poaching was against them. I wanted to study the ground. As the days went by. my coti vlctiou became more und more certain. The days after the events of the luex pllcable gallery I had need of help I could rely on. so I resolved to have thein released at once." We reached tbe Donjon Inn and en tered It. This time we did not see tbe land lord, but were received' with a pleas ant smile by the charming hostess. "How's Daddy Mathleu?" asked Rouletabille. "Not much better, not much better Eels still' confined to his bed." "His rheumatism still sticks to him then?" "Yes. Lust night I was again obliged to give blm trorphlue, the only drug l hat gives him any relief." She spoke lu a soft voice. Everyi thing about ber expressed getitluucus. She was. indeed, a beautiful woman, somewhat with an air of Indolence, with great eyes seemingly black nud blue, amorous eyes. Was she bappy with her crabbed, rheumatic husband? The scene nt which we, hud once been present did not lead us to believe that she Was. ' Yet there was something In her bearing that" was not suggestive of despair.' She "disappeared Into, the kitchen to prepare our repast, leaving ou the table a bottle. of excellent cider Rouletabille filled our earthenware mugs, loaded his pipe and quietly ex plained to uie his reason for asking tne to come to the Glandler with re volvers. " "Yea," he said contemplatively, look ing nt the clouds of smoke he was pulling out. "yes. my dear boy. 1 ex pect the assassin tonight." A brief silence followed, .which I took care not to Interrupt, and .then he went on: "Last night Just 'as I-'wns' going to bed M. Robert Dnrzac knocked at my room. When he came In he confided to me that he was compelled to go to Pails the next day that Is. this morn ing. The reason which made this Jour ney necessary was at once neremntorv and mysterious. It was not possible for hltn to explain Its object to me. '1 go. and yet.' he added. '1 would give my life uot to leave Mile. Stangerson at this moment.' He did not try to hide that he believed ber to be once more In danger. 'It will not greatly astonish me If something happens to morrow night.' he avowed, -and yet I must be 'absent I cannot be back at the (Handler before the morning of the day after tomorrow.' "I asked hlin to explain himself, and this Is all he would tell me. His antici pation of coming danger had come to him solely from the coincidence that Mile. Stangerson had been twice at tacked, und both times when he had been abseut. Now a man so moved w.io should stin wy nmst bp nct. Ing under compulsion-must be obey ing a will stronger than his own. That was now I reasoned, und I told him so. i ue replied Perhaps.' I asked him If Mile. Staiigei-sou wns compelling blm. lie protesteil that she wus not. His de termination to go to pnrs had been taiiea without nny conference with S.lle. Stangerson. "To cut the story short he repeated that his belief ,le possftlllty of a fresh attack is.'ounded entirely on the extraordinary coincidence -if -. tii'-ng happens to Mile. Stangerson.' be i "aid. It would lie terrible for both of ' , ner- because ber life would be n danger: for me, because I could net her defend her from the attack nor ell of where I had leen. I am perfect ly aware of the suspicions cast on me. The examining magistrate and M. Lar san are both on the point of believing my guilt Larsan tracked nie tbe st time I went to Paris, and iQad all the trouble In the world to get rid of "'Why do yon n-,t tell me the name the murderer now ir -.. i i. I cr! .. , ,,u KUUw lt r r t- uaheslt,)r'Ull,1 derer? name? w i4l "o grew was about to .V. " had hit th. 'l Xln.l . . . "SHIM, of 11,0:" hlnr,f.hesaldto Ihnvea.rnT.10"-!! temSeucenTJ.W4 n'ty- Bum a Perhaps I am luring the MnM jJW act with for,! " 'Rut. Stnngersunr 1 "'No I do wit .tn, J as you Just now t ,1 the milr.h.w,. , . 7. "I very greatconiaHK,,! "' ,r aiau spot, j " " i-cuily KUfffrtst uiuie necniise I fru would rather alli, kr- edthan tell mewhnn. as ror Mile. S,memutl she would rather .lb, J murdered than denoam-l ie yellow room and oil " (.micry. iup om t taung tier or both i . ble power They were di tag so much as th? Chm gerson kuowlug that M-d held- by her ussaltaia I Dtirzac uiiderstaw) itm I plained himself nut&YinJ he might refrain fmm J more tbau he hail nlrmdrl promised ulai tu wntrb I night Tie Insists Cm I tabllsh au ubsolutel; IcrJ rier about Sllle st-n-,J ber. nroumi the Isiuduli nurses were sleeping mjl ('.rawing rwna when of the Inexplicable g,,k sou had slept. In xlv. II a cordon ronud the wtv J "From bis Insisteure I ci M. Darziu- ititemlnl not n it Impossible fur the ei reach the chamber tif son. but to make that lo; visibly clear that, wl; pecteel. he would at t That was huw I liitertrl wol ds whea we parted. 'VJ tlon your own susplrlwio ed attack tn M. Stautw Jacques, to Frrderlr I anybody In tbe cbnleitu.' "When he was gone I b that I should have tn s er cunning than his so II should cnnie that night : for n moment suspect ttail had been expected. would allow him to net 1.1 so that, dead or alive I c face clearly. lie ninsi tl Mile. Stangerson must be I this continual Impemlln;'.! The landlady reapnenmll niont. bringing In the mi l omelet. Rouletnbllle rail' tie. and she fook the most charniltis gocd I "She Is much Julll't ' Mitlhlett Is In bed with t tlsm." Ron letn Wile mild t ( . When he had finlM and we were again al;,w- continued tbe tale of K" "When I sent yon aiy' l morning." he iM- "1 '1 word of M Panic that 11 nniiiMKlii wcnld i:0ie ''"1 now say that be will I expect him " "Wlvtt has made yem I' tnliitv?" I h-ive been srre ..-. I....L- H i.i nmrnhs I"' I I brew I bat !;' Arthur Ranee nt the lM "Ah I said I"" 'I ...... . ,. sure! AM made half past HM his inaniliipr "I!e -ntise at half l':'s' .i.... ifii,, siaierersnn i ' ir...,u in iiernlll "'l er a etiinince a taken precnim'-"- " ..I- ti...i rmssibler I1''"! von told tne that ! i i i itoliert Paro" ..i .",.i,i von so liecso I truth ' itl.H.1 "Then d y"u n" ..' . II thl a,n,u,e.'.ny frl-l:Wl for it. fie sir:!.,)!.-.. -- t!il:-T I" the sin...-- come!" It must thai Mile mitred- '- ' t,in-ers"0 I derer are I' n;e l'i wrlt'H ..mini"'' 1 . -M d: A.ir.iiiJ' . . ,,1 don't ll r.-tlillis-'- tV letter '?' ' .,1-tit of I'f I"1' ,11 0" ' . V ... . , r thai l"'r- " ''... KHTHf .i i-..i ,.r I I II -hrtl'.l O not ha Ie ' a mc'tlti'-? Mtr-M !". f iwrw ' ; '. he was sure f, ,. the a.,-''!'"- nlghtr hei And iiiv , There an- "''w""Lm ir be is not Ihu-"' 'i The d.-r or r (fft , tn.ii.le was ..'. that one n' t re.nl Mil l!!l elo'I" -Mr Arthur "; Mr Arthur B calmiv DOV...-I- 1 . i:s (Conilnue SUBSCRIBE
