The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-11-16
insrructior Of this department was Z man

instructions Of this department was man
of unusual ability. In addition to pos
sessing profound knowledge of the law.
NJ Joseph Bertrand was deep and
interested student of human nature. OF
all the cases which during his term of
Office had come before him, none, per-
haps, had excited such widespread atten-
ton as this mysterious murder Of the
unfortunate Nine. Roupell. The horri-
BILE nature of the crime, the heartlessness
of the assassin, and the age and rank
of his victim, all tended to invest the
case with unusual interest.
At ten o'clock precisely NJ. Bertrand
took his seat. The diagram which La
blanche, the project of police, had pre-
pared, the notes of the mayors examina-
ton and those of the justice of the peace,
lay on the desk before him. There, too,
lay the pistol found on the floor of Nine.
Roupelrs chamber. In an adjoining
chamber were gathered the witnesses who
were prepared to testify in the case.
You may bring in the prisoner" said
NJ. Bertrand, when all was in readiness
and Charles Van Lith was led in.
The judge of instruction eyed him keen
ly. His face was of a deathly pallor +;
his eyes were hollow and sunken. Alto
gether, he appeared to disadvantage, and
he was conscious that he did so. His
youth, however, and the fearless manner
in which he glanced around him, did not
fail to impress NJ. Bertrand favorably.
Notwithstanding his official habit of stern
ness, the judge of instruction was pos
cocca1 Of hrv, litioc vxyoc
with voice, therefore, rather mild and
encouraging than harsh, that he address
ed the young man before him.
Il wish, monsieur" he said, Ito afford
you every opportunity of clearing your
self. Now state, as briefly as possible,
for there are many witnesses to be exam
ined, how you came to be in the chateau
Villeneuve last night l see by the report
of the project that you have refused to
explain that point. Perhaps you had
good reasons for your silence then; but
you can have none now, here before me.
How did you happen to be in the chateau,
repeas at the time this crime was COM
mitted, and even in Madame Roupells
chamber?'
A fearful struggle was taking place in
the breast of the American: To state
the true reason of his presence in the
chamber would be to forever compromise
Harriet Weldon, and yet it was the only
course which could possibly clear him.
The same sense of honor, however, which
had bound him to silence when interro-
gated by the project of police, operated
to close his lips before the judge of in
struction. So, instead of fatty refusing
to give the desired information, he sought
to modify the bad effect of his refusal by
saying:
Il cannot answer the question-as yet,
monsieur. 1t may appear an easy one to
which to reply; but l ask you to believe
that at present there is an insurmount-
able obstacle to my doing So"
An expression of vexation seemed to
pass over the face of the judge He had
been favorably predisposed toward the
prisoner, and would have liked to see him
go free.
Il warn you that your persistent re-
fusal to answer is liable to be construed
as evidence of guilt. Would the explana-
guilty of the crime-perhaps some friend
of yours whom you desire to screen?"
Van Lith hesitated but moment, and
then, to the evident surprise of NJ. Ber-
trand, replied:
1T would not"
would the explanation you refuse to
give clear your"
Again, to NJ. Bertrand's growing as
constituent, the young American replied:
Il don't think it would"
(To be continued.)