Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-12-29

and near the pavilion at the time of
the tragedy. What were you doing
there? So far as am concerned" he
said, turning to M. Stangerson, II can
only explain the escape of the MUIR
derer on the assumption Of help from
these two accomplices. AS soon as the
door was forced open and while you,
M. Stangerson, were occupied with
your unfortunate child the concierge
and his wife facilitated the fight of
the murderer. who. screening himself
behind them, reached the window in
the vestibule and sprang out Of it
into the park. The concierge closed
the window after him and fastened
the blinds, which certainly could not
have closed and fastened of them
selves. That is the conclusion have
arrived at If any one here has any
other idea let him state it."
M. Stangerson interviewed:
''What you say was impossible. 1
do not believe either in the guilt or
in the connivance of my concierges,
though cannot understand what they
were doing in the park at that late
hour of the night. say 1t was i'm
possible, because Nine. Bernier held
tbs lamp and did not moye. from the
threshold Of the room, because I as
soon as the door was forced open
threw myself on my knees beside my
daughter, and no one could have left
or entered the room by the door with
out passing over her body and fore
ing his way by me! Daddy Jacques
and the concierge had but to cast a
glance around the chamber and under
| the bed. as l had done on entering, to
see that there was nobody in 1t but
my daughter lying on the floor"
what do you think, NJ. Darzac"
asked the magistrate.
M. Darzac replied that he had no
opinion to express.
NJ OAK, the chief Of police, who so
far had been listening and examining
the room, at length deigned to open
his lips:
while search is being made for the
criminal we had better try to find out
the motive for the crime. That will
advance us little" he said. Turning
toward M. Stangerson, he continued
In the even, intelligent tone indicative
Of a strong character, II understand
that mademoiselle was shortly to have
been married?'
The professor looked sadly at M.
Robert Darzac.
with my friend here, whom
should have been happy to call my son
with M. Robert Darzac."
mile. Stangerson is much better
and is rapidly recovering from her
wounds. The marriage is simply de-
layed, is it not, monsieur" insisted
the chief Of police.
81 hope so.'
"Whatl Is there any doubt about
thatT
/ M. Stangerson did not answer. NJ
Robert Darzac seemed agitated. | saw
that his hand trembled as 1t fingered
his watch chain. NJ. OAK coughed, as
= did M. de Marquet. Both were evil
IDENTIFY embarrassed.
! "You understand, NJ. Stangerson," he
said, that in an affair so perpleXing as
this we cannot neglect anything. w
must know all, even the smallest and
seemingly most futile thing concern
ing the victim. information apparently
the most Insignificant Why do yo1
! doubt that this marriage will take
! place? You expressed a hope, but the
hope implies a doubt Why do you
doubt?'
M. Stangerson made visible effort
to recover himself
eyes. monsieur" he said at length.
"You are right. 1t will be best that
you should know something which II
concealed 1t might appear to be of i'm
portance NJ. Darzac agrees with me
in this"
M. Darzac, whose pallor at that mo-
ment seemed to me to be altogether
abnormal, made a sign of assent.
gathered he was unable to speak
81 want you to know. then" contin.
ued NJ. Stangerson, that my daughter
has sworn never to leave me and adj
heres firmly to her oath in spite Of all
my prayers and all that | have argued
to induce her TO marry. We have
known NJ Robert Darzac many years.
= He loves my child. and believed that
( she loved him, because she only re-
I Gently consented TO ~Shis marriage,
which desire with all my heart.
am an old man, monsieur, and it was
a happy hour to me when knew that
/ after ! had gone she would have at
her side one who loved her and who
would help her in continuing our CON-
mon labors. l love and esteem M.
! Darzac both for his greatness of heart
and for his devotion to science. But
two days before the tragedy, for
know not what reason. my daughter
declared to me that she would never
| marry M. Darzac."
A dead SILENCE followed NJ. Stanger-
I sons words. 1t was moment fraught
| with SUSPENSE