The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-11-09
CHAPTER v.-(Continued.)
A II S t y n

!ence. gazing Indignantly around him in
the universal manner of court function
aries. as if a sacrilege had been COM
mitted.
"Have YOU any statement which you
wish to make?" resumed the magistrate
"Yes, | have. l was not in the room
at the time of the commission OF the
murder. l was not even the hrst to
enter the room. | entered the room al
most simultaneously with another person.
Monsieur Jules Chabot.'
"rake this diagram in your hands
There is Madame Roupell's chamber.
This is her sitting room. Where were
Won at the time the shot was fired!"
81 was just about to enter the sitting
room from the room beyond, which had
been my own apartment during my Tor
mer visits to the chateau. 1t still con-
tanned some things Of mine when hau
not sent for l recollect case or pls-
tolls, particularly, which was lying on
the toilette table"
Look at the pistol shown you, ana say
If it is your pistol:'
at is. 1t is one / brought from Amer
ica. / used this pistol for gallery prac-
tice, of which 1 am fond"
when did you last see it!'
about six weeks ago. 1t was then in
the pistol case already referred to-.
Monsieur Jules Chabot, you say, was
already in Madame RoupeiPs apartment
when you entered. Where was he stand
ing?"
1--WE entered simultaneously. He was
over by the other door,"
would it have been possible for Mon
sieur Chabot to have taken that pistol
from your case without your knowledge"
81 cannot tell. 1t depends. He may
have done so. but he would have had to
enter the apartment by way OF Madame
Roupells sitting room, because the other
door was locked"
Who locked it?"
Van Lith hesitated for a barely per-
ceptible instant of time ere he replied:
II locked it myself, SO as to be secure
from interruption"
why did you wish to be secure from
interruption"
Because I did not wish it known that
/ was in the chateau"
WHY G10 you HOT " WISH II khoWA'
THAT is one of the questions | must
decline to answer
The project and the judge exchanged
significant glances. The latter had no.
ticed the prisoners hesitation when stat
ling that it was he himself who had locked
the door, THAT is the first lie he has
told" thought NJ. Bertrand, "and it is
told to shield someone. He has an ac-
complete, evidently" Then he said out
loud:
Il have no more questions to ask. The
examination of the prisoner is concluded.
You will retain him in the closest Gus
:tody, and allow no one but his counsel or
physician to see him under any prete1t
whatsoever"
Jules Chabot was the next witness to
be examined. His testimony was substan-
TALLY the same as contained in the pre-
fleets report. He swore positively enough
to finding Van Lith in Nine. Roupell's
chamber Immediately after hearing the re-
pert of the pistol. He also swore that
Nine Roupell and Van Lith were on bad
terms. and gave. though with we'll
assumed show of reluctance, pretty full
recapitulation of the facts which had
brought about the final quarrel between
them.
At this stage of the examination, the
project was seen to whisper something to
the judge, and the latter then asked:
you testify that nearly an hour
elapsed between the time when you were
shown to your room and the firing of the
pistol. The condition of your bed proves
that you had not slept in it, and when
you reached Madame Roupelfs chamber
you were fully dressed. Why did you
not retire to rest?'
Simply because l was not sleepy" re-
piled NJ. Chabot, coloring somewhat, and
lingering his long mustache nervously. Il
~as busy writing"
What were you writing?"
M Chabot hesitated and stammered.
"If you do not Immediately answer
my question, l shall have no alternative
but to commit you, monsieur" said the
judge, in a stern voice.
Jules Chabot hesitated no longer. Draw
ing a letter from his pocket, he handed it
up to the bench.
1T is a confidential communication adj
dressed to lady," he said, ''and l trust
you will respect it"
NJ Bertrand could but with difficulty
repress a smile as he ran his eyes rap
idly over the letter, which was nothing
less than the draft of a written PROPOSE
ton of marriage to Miss Harriet Weldon.
1t had evidently been the subject of much
care, as the frequent erasures and inter-
lineations showed. 1t was couched in
fiowery and high-fown language, and full
of the most extravagant expressions of
alteration. The most peculiar thing about
it was the writer had evidently been I'M
certain as to which of the two young
ladies he should ask for, as the words
'Mlle. Harriet Weldon" had been first
written and then scratched out, as if he
thought there was no hope for him in
that direction, and mile. Emily Weldon
put in their stead. Victor Lablanche
here again whispered in the ear of the
judge of instruction and the latter said
II would ask you if you were occu.
pied during all the interval which ELAPSED
between the time Of your retiring and
hearing the report of the pistol, in writ
Ing this letter."
Il was not so engaged during the en-.
tire time; the point of my pencil broke