The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-04-15
Z CHAPTER III.-tContinuetl.
A II $ t y n

body. Around the neck, pearl necklace
of considerable value yet depended, and
on her fingers rich gems still spanked
In their golden settings
Come here. Monsieur Eevel1." he said.
quietly to the mayor, in that hushed voice
which even men accustomed to such
scenes invountarily adopt lin the pres
ence of the dead. The mayor of Willie
neuve approached the bedside, and gazed
for some moments on the features of the
murdered woman.
DO you notice the direction OF the bull
let!' inquired the project, pointing with
his finger.
II do 1t appears to have entered the
front of the head, considerably above the
temple"
.Just so; but you will notice that its
course is downward"
what does that indicate to you?' in
CURED the magistrate. Il
Come with me, and | will show you"
replied the officer. He led the way across
the room, and stood before the escretoire
You say nothing has been disturbed
here"
Positively nothing
Then notice how this chair has been
tipped over. Now let me place another
chair in the position it occupied. So !!
Now sit down in it. You are taller than
Madame Roupel, but you may have no
ticed that women as general thing sit
higher than men"
Il have noticed that"
Therefore when you were both seated
there would not be SO very much differ
ence between the height of your head
from the ground and that of MADAME
Roupell"
NO! 1t would be approximately the
same"
Exactly so. Now l am going to point
my pistol at your head
The project pressed the muzzle of his
weapon against the magistrates temple
in the spot corresponding to the wound
on the head Of Nine. Roupell NJ. Reyell
changed color slightly as he felt the cold
rim Of the pistol against his forehead,
but he sat still.
" You may make this experiment as
short as you please, monsieur lie project, "
he exclaimed, with feeble attempt at
pleasantly.
1T is concluded replied the officer,
putting uI his pistol. IF / had fired
then my bullet would have described pre-
eiselF the same course as the bullet of
the assassin has done"
Through my BRAIN" replied the mag
istrate, not without a momentary shud-
der. Which convinces you-''
THAT Madame RoupeI was at the
escretoire when she was killed She
must have been seated; or how could the
course OF the bullet have been down
ward:''
The mayors admiration for NJ LIE
blanche increased every moment. Though
they were alone in the room, the project
dropped his voice to whisper, and took
NJ. Revell on one side close to the win
dow when he asked the next few ques-
tons:
"You are we'll acquainted. I suppose
with the Roupell family?"
Yes, | may say | am. We exchange
visits. My wife and daughters frequent
ly walked and rode with the young ladies
here. In fact, | may say that we have
been quite friendly"
al. Lablanche put the next question In
an apparently careless manner.
"And the young ladies? There was
netting between either OF them and this
young man?"
Nothing that know Of. He was sim
ply friend of the family"
HAS he not been particularly attea
tive to one OF the young ladies?"
II do not think SO, and especially moi
OF hate. People here seem TO think rath
er that he has been entirely sclipssd by
Monsieur Chabot, who, 1t appears, stoof
very well with them. l know the gen
tleman was quite attentive
''And to whom were those attentions di
rected, Made4noiselle Harriet or Mademoi
selle Emily?"
Il could not really say. There was lit
tie to choose between them. Both, Al
you have seen, are charming, and both
as I have told you, are the acknowledges
heiresses of Madame Roupell."
1t was NJ. Lablanche's turn to be as
tonished. :..."
''Her acknowledged heiresses !" he ex
claimed. why, you never told m
that"
did I not?" answered the mayo,
'Well, it is the fact, all the same. Blu
you were about to say something"
mot at ALL" replies NJ. Lablanche, "a
was only thinking" and he suffered hi
features to relapse into their accustome
expression of immobiltys Thank you
that is all ] wish to know, monsieur
marie. If you will now 90 downstaii
and prepare your report for the tribuna
/ will join you in few minutes, when
have concluded my Investigations"
The mayor bowed to the project an
left the apartment.
CHAPTER ".
Victor Lablanche owed his uuprec
dented success largely to the fact that |
never permitted anybody to share h
discoveries in the field of crime.
ever he found out anything remarkabl