The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1907-12-26
The Roupell Mystery
q r a n v II

quasi-separation, which leaves the wife in
a position to enjoy herself without dan
ger of comment, and supplies her, under
the French law, moreover, with the means
of doing so
Of the many frequenters OF the vicom-
tesse's establishment in the Avenue Wag-
ram perhaps NJ. Jules Chabot was as well
come a guest as any. His undoubted re-
spectability made him an exceedingly de-
sirable acquaintance. NJ Chabot, on the
other hand, liked the free-and-easy at
mosphere Of the de Vaiar mansion. De
Valiar was a man who always had some
young, rich fool dangling after him, de-
sirous of seeing life. certain portion
of the money only of these innocents
could be diverted to the innumerable and
mysterious uses Of the Mutual Credit
and Trust Company. They were then af-
forded an opportunity Of losing the resi-
due at the card tables in the Avenue
Wagram.
Many, doubtless, who frequented the
vicomte's establishment were totally un-
aware Of the risks they ran. These were
rarely suffered to go behind the curtain.
NJ. Chabot was one Of those who had for
some time not been admitted to the priv
ileged circle without great care. To do
him justice, 1t is highly probable that if
the veil had been removed all at once, he
would have ceased his visits altogether
He lived In bachelor apartments. Pro
foundly impressed with a sense Of his
personal dignity, he endeavored on very
small income to keep up appearances.
Lately, however, he had Joined de Valiar
in more than one Investment by which
he had profited.
The willy de Valiar, who had allowed
his friend to pocket something handsome
as his share of these enterprises, Of
course, had his object In view. What
other, indeed, could 1t be than to discover
all about Chabot's rich friend, Nine.
Roupell, concerning whom NJ. Chabot was
not at all 10th to impart information,
for he would in his turn be able to dis
cover what probable dot the old lady
would be able to give whichever Of the
girls he should choose to marry.
Such inquiries, the vicomte, whose po-
sition in the world of finance enabled him
to make better than Chabot, willingly
set on foot TO obige his friend. He as
sured M. Chabot that report had not ex-
aggerated Nine. Roupell's wealth. That
portion of million and a half Of
francs had been set apart for the We'll
don sisters. In the opinion of M. Cha
bot, 1t only remained for him to declare
himself to one or the other of the young
ladies, and he had been, as the reader
will have seen, on the very eve of max
ing such a declaration to Emily Weldon
when the tragedy occurred.
The question which now arose in the
mind of M. Victor Lablanche, the astute
prefect Of police, was this Had NJ. Cha
bot sought to precipitate matters by the
removal Of the proprietress of the Cha
teau Vllleneuve? He had discovered al.
ready that inquiries regarding her fortune
and her intentions respecting it had been
set on foot by Jules Chabot. A little
further research revealed the fact that
the Frenchman's finances were in a des
perate condition. In his later enterprises
with the Vicomte de Valiar, fortune had
not been SO kind. He had lost heavily