Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-04-11

on he found further signs, and = little
later stood looking down upon a footprint
in the soft mold.
Following these footprints, he found
they led directly beneath the window of
the chamber occupied by Harriet Weldon.
This puzzled him. He was nonplussed
for the moment when he noticed that
the vines on the lattice seemed lately to
have been disturbed There was another
window below Miss Weldon's within easy
reach. He put up his hand, and it swung
open. Looking in he saw that it afforded
access to a small pantry, and the door of
the room was ajar. He took a rule from
his pocket, and carefully measured the
footprints. Then, after Illuminating for
few moments, he quickly re-entered the
house.
That Is an American boot heel il ever
| saw one in my life" muttered the pre-
feet. The open door and the footprints
| wonder which of those men did it, for
it lies between the two And just at
present the odds are against the Amer%
can. Yet, STILL something tells me Mon
sieur Jules Chabot will bear watching"
CHAPTER v.
The village of villeneuve was within
the Jurisdiction of the tribunal of the
department Of the Seine Tho judge of
instruction Of this department was a 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-
tlon as this mysterious murder of the
unfortunate Nine. Roupell. Tho horri-
Die 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 M. 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.
Roupell's 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 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 M. Bertrand favorably.
notwithstanding his official habit of stern
ness, the judge of instruction was DOS
sessed of many humane qualities. 1t was
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,
l repeat, at the time this crime was com
mitted, and even in Madame Roupell's
Chamber
A fearful struggle was taking place in
the breast of the American To state
the true reason of his presence In the
Gambler would be to forever compromise
E-Irriet 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:
monsieur. 1t may appear an easy ono to
which to reply; but 1 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
20 free.
II warn you that your persistent re-
tusal to answer is liable to be construed
as evidence Of guilt Would the explana-
tion you decline to give involve the party
guilty Of the crime-perhaps some friend
of yours whom you desire to ?'
Van Lith hesitated but moment, and
then, to the evident surprise of M. Ber-
trand, replied:
1T would not"
would the explanation you refuse to
give clear your
Again, to M. Bertrand's growing as
tonish1nent the Young American renlied