The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-11-30

eyes upon. the walls and ceiling. but ~
looked the doctor straight in the face.
son what was that will written? Try
your utmost now to recollect that; q
great deal depends on it.
1.-The first will was not written upon
paper The second contained some slight
requests to friends and to favorite ser
wants. / believe I was mentioned my
self for some trifing' amount. In other
respects the two wills were identical. The
first one was drawn up by Madame Rou-
pell's lawyers. She kept the second VIII
at her bankers. The first one remained
in the house. 1t was engrossed on parcn-
ment."
ION parchment" repeated NJ. Cassagne.
"Was it anything like this?" and ne
handed 4 scrap Of the article in question
over toE the doctor. ;.
Where did you find this?' inquired
the doctor when he could sufficiently re-
cover from his establishment to speak.
II found it upstairs" replied M. Cas-
sagne II put it in my pocket, because
it was in a queer place for scrap OF
parchment. l found it with four other
pieces, in the fireplace of Madame Rou-
pelPs bedroom. OF course, have the
DRY, now, how they came there. F1rst OF
all, however, before come to that, tell
me if you are certain that the scraps
were torn from Madame Roupeirs will
the first will, l mean-the parchment
one?
The physician did not Immediately re-
ply. He fully realized the importance OF
his answer, and how much hung on 1t.
Give me the scraps" he said. IL
there is any writing. on them should
be able to tell by that. 1t was very
peculiar hand. 1t looked as it 1T had been
engrossed by an English scrivener. Les
the handwritings are identical.
1T is enough" muttered Cassagne,
sweeping the pieces of parchment up
from the table and putting them carefully
away in his pocketbook. Now Tor my
theory. Henry Graham is the man we
want to find. Mind you, don't say ne
committed the murder, but you'll see ne
is implicated in it in some way or otner.
He had everything to gain by Madame
Roupelrs death, provided she died lntes-
tate He must have learned in some way
that his sister had made will disinherlt-
Ing him. To gain possession OF what ne
thought was the only will was his object.
If he could do that, his sister, being lg-
norant of the fact that the will was de-
stroyed, would go to her grave bellev-
ing herself testate. On her death ner
brother could have come forward and
claimed the property"
It was clever reasoning. The doctor
listened with breathless interest as the
detective continued:
Assuming that it is this Henry era
ham, let us see what he knew and what
he did. He must have heard of the max
ing of this first will. and somehow or
other he must have learned of its con-
fonts. He was ignorant of the making
of the second instrument. Now let us see
how he acted. He gained an entrance
to the chateau. How he did this it is i'm
possible to state at present. PROBABLY
he NAV have been in collision with some
BODY in the house; but I don't know yet.
He was evidently well posted as to the
movements of the family, for he chose
time when, as he thought, they had gone
TO the opera. It was a mere accident
we don't know whether it was or not Dut
we will assume so-that Miss Harriet
Weldon did not accompany the party. l
am myself inclined to think there was
some love affair between her and Van
Lith. which accounts for his presence in
the house that night, and which also
accounts for his silence. You understand
what l mean. He won't speak for fear
of compromising the young lady,
The doctor nodded THAT is good" he
said. Every good, indeed; go ahead"
seThe assassin was little disconnected
at finding Miss Weldon and your friend
in the chateau. Instead of entering the
house from the front, which would be
comparatively easy, he was compelled to
do so by the rear, running the risk OF
being seen by the servants. He gained
Madame Roupell's chamber and proceed
ed 10 search for the document. he ran
sacked the desk and then threw the pa
pers about, Unconsciously- he stayed
longer than he intended. So absorbed
was he in his search that he was surpris-
ed by his victim. He drew the stiletto,
stabbed her, and quietly resumed his
search for the paper. After time, he
found it. He was about to destroy it
by fire. when it occurred to him that q
parchment would burn better if it was
in small pieces. He started to tear It
up, when he altered his mind, and instead
of burning it then and there, put it in his
pocket to be destroyed at some more fav-
orable opportunity. Unluckily for him,
in his hurry he did not pick up the scraps
he tore Off"
Ito be continued.)
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