Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-12-27
CHAPTER III.-(Contjnued
A II S t y n

gaZeu with much earneStneSS upon the
body. Around the neck, a pearl necklace
of considerable value yet depended, and
on her fingers rich gems still sparkled
in their golden settings.
Come here, Monsieur Revell." he said
quietly to the mayor, in that hushed voice
which even men accustomed to such
scenes involuntarlly adopt in the nras.
ence of the dead. The mayor of Vile
neuve approached the bedside, and gazed
for some moments on the features of the
murdered woman.
DO you notice the direction of the buI-
let" inquired the prefect, pointing with
his finger.
Il do. 1t appears to have entered the
front of the head, considerably above the
temple"
Just so; but you will notice that its
course is downward"
What does that indicate TO youq" in.
quired the magistrate.
Come with me, and | will show you."
replied the officer. He led the way across
the room, and stood before the escretoire
You say nothing has been disturbed
here"
Positively nothing"
Then notice how this chair has been
tipped over. Now let me place another
chair in the position it occupied. So!
Now sit down in H. You are taller tban
Madame Roupell, but you may have no.
ticed that women as general thing sit
higher than men"
81 have noticed that"
Therefore when you were both seated
there would not be so very much differ
ence between the height of your head
from the ground and that of Madame
Roupell."
No! 1t would be approximately the
sane"
Exactly so. Now am going to point
my pistol at your head"
The prefect pressed the muzzle Of his
weapon against the magistrates temple
in the spot corresponding to the wound
on the head OF Nine. Roupell NJ. Revel
changed color slightly as he felt the cold
rim of the pistol against his forehead
but he sat still
You may make this experiment as
he exclaimed, with feeble attempt at
pleasantly.
1T is concluded" replied the officer
putting up his pistol. IF l had fired
then my bullet would have described pre-
cisely the same course as the bullet of
the assassin has done"
Through my BRAIN" replied the mag
tstrate, not without a momentary shud-
der (which convinces you"
That Madame Roupell was at the
escretoire when she was killed. She
must have been seated or how could the
course of the bullet have been down
ward?"
The mayors admiration for NJ. Le-
blanche increased every moment. Though
they were alone in the room, the prefect
dropped his voice to a whisper, and took
dow when he asked the next few ques-
tions:
"Iou are we'll acquainted l suppose,
with the Roupdl family?"
"Yes, l may say | am. We exchange
visits. My wife and daughters frequent
ly walked and rode with the young ladies'
here. In fact, l may say that we have
been quite friendly"
NJ. Lablanche put the next question in
an apparently careless manner.
"And the young ladies? There was
nothing between either OF them and this
young man."
Nothing that l know Of He was sim
ply a friend of the family"
Has he not been particularly atten-
tive to one of the young ladiesI'
II do not think so, and especially not
of late. People here seem to think rath-
er that he has been entirely eclipsed by
Monsieur Chabot, who, it appears, stood
very we'll with them. | know the gen
ueman was quite attentive"
''And to whom were those attentions di-
rected, Mademoiselle Harriet or Mademoi-
selle Emily?"
''I'could not really say. There was lit
tie to choose between them. Both, as
you have seen, are charming, and both,
as | have told you, are the acknowledged
heiresses of Madame Roupell."
1t was NJ. Lablanche's turn to be as
tonished.
Her acknowledged heireSses. :. he ex-
claimed why, you never told me
that"
Did l not?' answered the mayor.
WELL it is the fact, all the same. But
you were about to say something
Not at ALL" replies NJ. Lablanche, Il
was only thinking" and he suffered his
features to relapse into their accustomed
expression of immobility. THANK you
that is all | wish to know, monsieur lie
maire. If you will now 90 downstairs
and prepare your report for the tribunal,
will join you in few minutes when l
have concluded my investigations
The mayor bowed to the prefeot and
left the apartment.
CHAPTER ~.
Victor Lablanche owed his unprece-
dented success largely to the fact that he
RI