Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1908-12-19

out on Ine COulTdry, ny NASiOiJ VIZ
lent effort, he calmed himself, tool
off his gloves and showed his hands
They were unmarked by any cicatrice
"Are you satisfied?'
"Now replied Reuletabille.
dear friend" he said, turning to me
'T am obliged to ask you to leave us
alone for a moment"
| I bowed and retired, stupefied by
what l had seen and heard. l could
not understand why NJ. Robert Oar
zac had not already shown the door tc
my impertinent, insulting and stupid
friend. 1 was angry myself with Roule
tabille at that moment for his sus
picions which had led to this, scene OF
the gloves.
For some twenty minutes l walked
about in front of the chateau, trying
vainly to link together the different
events of the day.
When Rouletabille came out Of the
chateau in the company of NJ. Robert
Darzac, extraordinary to relate, l saw
at a glance that they were the best of
friends.
1--WE are going to the yellow room.
Come with us" Rouletabille said to
me. 'You know, my dear boy, l am
going to keep you with me all day.
Wen breakfast together somewhere
about here
you'll breakfast with me here, gen
tlemen"-
mo, thanks" replied the young man.
"We shall breakfast at the DonjOn
! inn"
you'll fare very badly there. You'll
not find anything
"Do you think so? Well, 1 hope to
find something there" replied ROule-
tabille after breakfast Wen set to
work again. I'll write my article, and
if yOu'll be so good as to take it to the
| Office for me-
won't you come back with me to
! Paris ?"
mo; shall remain here"
/ turned toward Rouletabille. He
spoke quite seriously, and M. Robert
Darzac did not appear to be in the
least degree surprised.
We were passing by the donjon and
heard wailing voices. Rouletabille
asked:
"Why have these people been ar
rested?"
1T is little my fault" said M. Oar
zac. Il happened to remark to the
examining magistrate yesterday that
it was inexplicable that the concierges
had had time to hear the revolver
shots, to dress themselves and to cover
so great distance as that which lies
between their lodge and the pavilion
in the space of two minutes, for not
more than that interval Of time had
elapsed after the firing OF the shots
| when they were met by Daddy
Jacques"
THAT was suspicious evidently" ac-
! quiesced Rouletabille. "And were they
dressed?"
THAT is what is so Incredible They
! were dressed completely-not one part
of their costumes wanting. The wo-
man wore wooden shoes, but the man
had on laced boots. Now they assert
that they went to bed as half past 8.
| On arriving this morning the examin-
ing magistrate brought with him from
Paris revolver Of the same caliber as
that found in the room, for he couldn't
use the one held for evidence, and
| made his registrar fire two shots in
the yellow room while the doors and
windows were closed. We were with
him in the lodge Of the cOncierges, and
yet we heard nothing-not sound.
The concierges have lied, Of that there
can be no doubt. They must have been
already waiting not far from the pa
Vuion-waiting for something Ger
tainly they are not to be accused of
being the authors of the crime, but
their completely is not improbable.
That was why NJ de Marquet had
them arrested at once"
IF they had been accomplices, said
Rouletabille, they would not have
been there at all. When people throw
themselves into the arms of justice
with the proofs of completely on them,
you can be sure they are not accom-
plices. don't believe there are any
accomplices in this affair" 1Nd
'Then why were they abroad at mid
night? Why don't they say?
"They have certainly some reason
for their silence. What that reason is
has to be found out, for, even if they
are not accomplices, it may be of in
portance. Everything that took place
on such night is important"
We had crossed an old bridge thrown
over the Douve and were entering the
part of the park called the Oak grove.
The oaks here were centuries old. Au-
tumn had already shriveled their
tawny leaves. This place, which made
moiselle found cheerful and In which
she lived in the summer season. APP
peared TO us as sad and funeral now,
The son was black and muddy from
the recent rains and the rotting of the
fallen leaves. The trunks of the trees
were black, and the sky above as was