The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-18
MYSTERY OF ELIAS ROEBUCK.
Strange Story in Which Psychological
Problem Is Involved.

''She burst out laughing. MY sister! Oh,
you shall see her presently. Meanwhile
sit down and be comfortable
''This made me pretty mad, for l was
sure now that she hadn't any sister and
that she had brought me into a trap. [
didn't stop TO ask. myself what her
motive was, though for the life
of me can't see any point in
laying a trap for poor artist. What
l had to do was to get out OF that room and
that street as soon as possible. 81 said,
| 'ThaPll do, ma'am, you can't play any
game on me- and / turned to the door,
| just then two men burst INTO the room,
making as much noise as lot of medical
students coming into sickToOm to see an
operation. One of them was a Big. red
| faced fellow, who. was sure enough an
| EngIishman. He even had top boots, sucn
as men used TO Wear in Hogarth's time,
though don't pretend TO know when that
was. The other man was smaller, but
deal wickeder looking. and judged that
| he was l0w-class Frenchman.
THE big man had drawn sword in his
| hand, and as soon as he was In the room
! be called out to the woman, Il have caught
you at last, and I'll. attend to YOU when
have killed this scOundrelW The woman
shreked and fell on her knees. The man
paid no atten ton to her. but came toward
me. cursing like an alderman. while The
| other man kept crying out, Down with
| him! Down with him J
Now comes In what is to me the queer
est part of the whole business. Consider
ing that l wasn't armed, and considering
that neither of the men mad pistol, what
l ought to have done was clear enough.
| Any man brought up as / was in commu-
nifty where rough and tumble fighting was
The national amusement, as you might
say, would have thrown the first thing
that came handy into the mans face, and
then knocked him and his companion
down before he could have used his
sword. But l didn't do anything OF the
sort l sprang INFO the corner Of the
room where the figure In armor stood and
snatched the sword that it had in It's hand.
! Then put my back against the wall and
| pulled one of the handicapped tables in
front Of me and said very quietly TO the
man, Unless you beg this lady's pardon
and mine on your knees | shall do you the
uDmerited honor of killing you.'
well, the big man came on and for .he
next five minutes we had some of the
prettiest fencing you ever dreamed of. 1
told you L had never had sword in my
hand before, yet there was fencing as II
l had been at it all my life, and ] felt just
as confident that the fellows sword would
never touch me and that l should kill him
as / ever felt of anything since l was born.
Good gracious, how 1 did enjoy that fight.
| Presently the man stopped to get his
breath aud L bowed very politely TO him
and said that perhaps his comrade would
| take his place while he was resting.
1--WE went to fencing again, and l could
see in the mans eye that he was getting
frightened. This time, however, didn't
| waste any time in airs and graces. Be
fore we had fenced two minutes I ran
him clean through the body, and be was
dead before l could fairly draw out my
sword. Then l turned and bowed TO the
| woman-not as free and independent
American citizen bows but after the style
of some ridiculous French dancing-master-
and saying to the smaller man, Fellow,
open the door and hold the lghtP |
walked out. The man did as ordered
him, but before had gone down :he first
fight of stairs the door was shut and l
was in darkness again. .-.--.
II climbed down slow and cautious,
holding my sword in my hand, with the
point in front of me. Suddenly there was
a CLEAN of light, which instantly disap-
peared. knew what 1t meant Some
one had opened the door of the room
where we had been fighting and had
shut it again. Probably the little man had
Dlucked up courage to pursue me and stab
me in the dark
81 Waited where I was, with my back
culated that If the man was follow
ing me he would keep hold of the
banisters. After bit distinctly
heard some one coming down the flight
above. but making hardly any noise. The
man had evidently taken off his boots.
which would help him 10 move faster than
[ could. besides preventing him from
making any noise.
81 waited, hardly allowing myself to
| breathe, Till judged he was close to me.
! the s@ord-polnt strike him and pierce
deep pinto him. There was yell, ana the
man fell heavily on the stairs, while his
sword went rafting down to :he bottom.
81 wasted NO more time with him, but,
drawing out my sword. l wiped it as we'll
| / in 70 orb nm ho inci do If
coat. 1t seemed to me that those stairs
! had been multiplied since | climbed them
which of course they hadn't-and tina
w0uld never reach the street again. How
ever, came to the bottom at last ana out
| int 20 the street. Not soul was to be seem
| ran at the top OF my speed down the
dark street until came to The little open
| square. l made few more turns and
found myself in a well-lighted aud crowded
street, where soon picked UP cab and
got back 10 my hotel, carrying the sword
| hid under my overcoat.
1.-THE next morning / did my level best
TO find the house where L had been that
night, but / COULDN'T find it, though l
walked till | was dead tired. Then,
thinking that had better get out of Rou-
ong before the police should hear Of the
affair, took the noon train to Paris.
my idea" SAID |. rs that you dreamed
| the whole thing"
Roebuck got up and unlocking closet
brought out an od-fashioDed rapier.
There" said he. 'is the sword L brought
away with me. l couldn't very we'll
1 dream solid steel aud brass, could l."
i looked at the weapon. On the hilt was
coat-of-arms partly obliterated with
rust l rubbed it with my handkerchief
until it was so plain that it ctuld readily
| be perceived. 1t was the arms OF the De
ChevTeuil family.
gave the sword back to my friend,
calling his attention to the coat-of-arms,
VIII CT he had NOT previously noticed. *"If
YOU were really De Cksvrenll," 1 said,
''this would have been the sword of one of
your ancestors. Go to some doctor WHO
has made a study of heredity and tell him
the whole story. Perhaps he can ex-
plain it,, but | am very sure that I
can't" / left Paris the next day for a
month in Switzerland. and when Ire turned
1 found that Roebuck had gone to America.
/ have never heard Of him since. OF en-
after he had gone l. Thought of going to
Charcot and telling him the story just
as Roebuck told it to me, and a. king h IN
if there was any theory by which be could
| ovnIain it Rut Of cODrSn. I naVar i,I