Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-09-06

lie sat quite still in the easv chair TO
Whlch DR.. Mason had motioned him on
HIS arrival 1t was not until the latter
nau given him the outlines of the case
mat lie spoke at all, and then he said
we VIII begin by promising a certain
state OF facts. Madame Roupell has been
murdered Who did it? Public opinion
says your friend Van Lith always mis-
trust public opinion. The project of no
lice is not at all sure but Monsieur Cha
DOT had a hand in it. | sometimes mis-
trust the project of police
You mean to imply that both NAV he
"rong| inquired the doctor.
Yes and if l am right, it leaves us
confronting two alternatives"
And they are?''
Either that the unfortunate woman
committed suicide while of unsound
mind or that the crime is the act of
third party to US at present unknown
L can dispose of the first of those sup
positions Immediately" said the doctor.
Madame RoupelPs mind was as sound
as yours or mine is at the present mo-
ment''
Let US proceed to an examination of
the body. L have provided myself with
written permit to break the seals" said
Inc detective Lead the way. please"
they entered the chamber of death
Nothing had been disturbed since the visit
OF the project. Alfred Cassagne took a
rapid survey of the room. He advanced
to the bedside, and commenced a minute
inspection of the body of the murdered
woman.
Hn rnf11Ifv h. 10 10
from the wound IN the head; he turned
the body over so that the light from the
window fell full upon the face Of the dead
woman, revealing in the strong sunlight
each line and shadow already showing
in their marked change of the lineaments
the inevitable approach of decay. Taking
out his penknife, Cassagne carefully re-
moved one of the clots of blood which had
| accumulated near the entrance of the
wound. and walking to the window ex-
amined it through a small magnifying
glass which he took from his pocket.
Presently he said:
Doctor, look at that blood J"
DIR. Mason took the magnifying glass
and the penknife and gazed steadfastly
upon the little red govt.
do you see anything peculiar about
it?" asked Cassagne. DO you not no
tice an entire absence of natural crys-
tallizat alton? %
The doctors face turned pale as
sheet his lips twitched nervously.
This crime grows more horrible and
more mysterious than ever. 1t is impos
sible to mistake your meaning, This
wound was inflicted after DEATH" lie ex-
claimed. The blood is certainly what
we call in the profession dead blood ="
And is that not often the case where
wound is inflicted when a person is in
a comatose condition.
ut might be-" replied the physician.
II have known the phenomenon of total
suspension of the circulation in comatose
bodies.
And in such case, would blood flowing
from a wound crystalline or notE
1T is possible that it might crystalline
somewhat, if the person wounded, while
in a coma tose condition, was young and
healthy. In the case Of an old and fee
BILE woman, like Madame Roupell, |
should consider it extremely doubtful. In
the present instance, by means of the
glass. one can plainly discern that no
crystallization has taken place
In fact, that this wound was inflicted
after the wound which produced either
death or insensibility?" said the detec-
tive.
EXACTLY So" replied the physician.
The question now is, where is that
wound"
"We will find it." said Cassagne. Give
me your help here
1--WE had better look for confusion
Of some sort Insensibility could be pro-
duced by sharp blow on the back OF the
head or under the ear remarked Dr.
Mason.
Il arr not of that opinion" replied
CoSsapne, II have already looked there.
There is no swelling of any kind on the
hack of the head, and as she Is dressed IN
dami-toilette. it is easy to see that no
iniurv has been inflicted to the upper
mart of the spinal cord
..Eor what kind of wound shall we
seorch? 1t must be a small one indeed,
n ascape the examination of so good
snrreon as Monsieur Croizet.'
"TTnfortunately Monsieur Crozet," re-
nl;od Cassagne, with curious smile, Is
a SURGEON only. He is not detective.
He is good at generalizatlons he rains
IN nsrticuIars The wound we must look
for since you sound Monsieur Crolzets
nra ses so highly, must be no larger than
q nencil point. Have you never heard OF
the Venetian stiletto:
sNo. / cannot say that have, an
swered DR.. Mason.
"It is an instrument made o. tough
ened glass. no thicker thar knitting
needle. When plunged into victim, 1t
can he broken short off in the flesh when
closes around it. so that it is hard to ten
how death supervenes. Many such deaths
have undoubtedly been charged to apo
nlexy. and other causes.
is it possibe?' calculated the physi-
clan.
Not only possible but more than prop
able Let us instantly begin our search
for such a weapon. There vii! not De
dron Of blood visible. Death generahy
ensnez from internal hemorrhage, unless
tho stiletto reaches the heart, when, Oh
curse tbe victim dies instantly. Turn