The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-01-04

SELF, Ior years, IN very good style-no
had money from somewhere, though /
don't know where he got it. But the
child, he didn't seem to be bothered about
him.
Didn't the child live with himY /
inquired-not that cared to know, but
| wanted to keep the old man talking.
thought he might possibly drop some
thing worth having.
No. he went On--he was garrulous
old fellow. No, he didn't seem to care
to have the child with him. Until he
was quite big boy he remained in the
care of young couple in the village. The
woman, l think, grew to be quite fond
of him. But he was an unruly little ras-
cal'"
"All this is very serious. The result
is that we are no further than when we
started. What do you propose to do
now? You're not going to give it up,
are you?"
"Give it up! wonder at your asking
such a question. Certainly / shall not
give it up
'Now tell me-" said the younger man,
what you propose doing? l am impa-
tient to know
M. Cassagne did not Immediately reply.
He closed his eyes like one who thinks
deeply. At last he SAID:
II have mapped out plan of action.
And we must either carry it out on that
line, or abandon it altogether. We have
adopted from the start the theory that
this crime was not committed for the
purpose of robbery, but in the interest
of some person who in some way would
profit, either directly or indirectly, by
the death of Madame Roupell. If we
abandon that theory we have no other to
work on. After the most careful exam
ination of all the facts and circumstances,
l fail to account for the murder upon
any other hypothesis. Henry Graham
being dead disproves that theory so far as
he is concerned; but so far only"
Admitted but whom have you to take
his place? You must substitute someone,
or your theory falls to the ground" re-
marked D'Auburon.
mot necessarily" replied the detec-
tive. 1--WE may substitute an entirely I'M
known person and call him X"
Eyes, that's all very we'll; but how to
find him is the question"
ITO which 1 certainly give you an
other answer. Listen attentively. l am
about to begin my argument, and want
you to follow it and pick it to pieces.
Commencing on the hypothesis already
laid down, l shall proceed to demonstrate
two things First, the murder of Madame
Roupell was committed by someone d.
rectly interested in getting her out Of the
way. Second, it was the work of some
person who was acquainted with her af-
fairs, either by actually having known
her, or from information gathered from
someone who was her intimate. You
must not forget the missing will, portions
of which are in my possession. You
must not forget also the circumstances
surrounding this mysterious crime. 1t
was committed in the dead of night. The
hour chosen by the murderer was one at
which he expected to find the house en-
tirely unprotected by the presence of men,
for the butler and coachman, recollect,
slept over the stables and the presence
of Van Lith and Chabot in the chateau
that night was contingency totally I'M
foreseen by him, and one he could not
have been prepared for. You may be
sure that if he had foreseen it, he would
have postponed his visit until some other
occasion, for men Of that stamp, though
bold and INSCRIPTIONS, always take as
little risk as possible"
Granted" acquiesced D'Auburon. go
on"
1.-The temporary check that our theory
has received from finding that Henry
Graham died before the murder was COM
mitted, in no way convinces me that he
was not in any way implicated. Let us
suppose that he knew of the existence Of
this will, which Jdisinherited him; that
he contemplated its destruction at some
time and confided his plans to an accom-
plice; that for long time no opportu-
nifty occurred like the one which did oc-
cur, when Van Lith left the chateau and
the woman and her nieces were practically
at his mercy"
'Well, will suppose all that, if you
like: but still maintain. that when Ora
ham died all motive for the commission
of the crime was removed. What benefit
could third party not interested at law
in the disposition of Madame Roupells
property, possibly gain by having her
die interstate"
Ito be continued.)