Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-04-11
CHAPTER III.-(Continued.,
A u s t y n


body. Around the neck, a pearl necklace
of considerable value yet depended, and
on her fingers rich gems still sparkled
In their golden settings.
Come here, Monsieur Revell" he said.
quietly to the mayor, in that hushed voice
which even men accustomed to such
scenes involuntarily adopt in the pres
ence of the dead. The mayor of Vile
neuve approached the bedside, and gazed
for some moments on the features of the
murdered woman.
DO you notice the direction Of the bull
letY' inquired the project, pointing with
his finger.
Il do. 1t appears to have entered the
front of the head, considerably above the
temple"
Just so; but you will notice that it's
course is downward"
What does that indicate to your" in
CURED the magistrate
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 tho position 1t occupied. So
Now sit down In it. You are taller than
Madame RoupeIl, but you may have no
ticed that women as a 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."
mol 1t would be approximately the
same"
Exactly SO. Now 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. Roupel NJ. Revell
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 a feeble attempt at
pleasantly.
1T is concluded" replied the officer.
putting W his piStol. III 1 had bred
then my bullet wouid. have described pre-
cisely the same course as the, bullet of
tie assassin has done"
Through my BRAIN replied the mag
istrate, not without momentary shud-
der. Which convinces you
That Madame Roupell was at the
escretoire when she was killed. She
must have been seated or how could the
course of the bullet have been down
wardY
The mayors admiration for NJ. Le-
blanche increased every moment. Though
they were alone in the room, the project
dropped his voice to a whisper, and took
Nj. Revell on one side close to the win
dow when he asked the next few oues-
tions:
You are well acquainted, l suppose,
with the Roupell family?"
Eyes, l may say l am. We exchange
visits. My wife and daughters frequent
~ walked and rode with the young ladies'
here. In fact, may say that we have
been quite friendly"
NJ. Lablanche put the next question in
an apparently careless manner.
And the young ladies? There was
awning them
young man?"
Nothing that know Of He was sim
ply 4 friend of the family"
HAS he not been particularly atten-
tive to one of the young ladiesY'
Il do not think so, and especially not
Of late. People here seem to think rath-
er that he has been entirely eclipsed by
Monsieur Chabot, who, it appears, stood
very well with them. l know the gen
tleman was quite attentive
"And to whom were those attentions d.
rected, Mademoiselle Harriet or Mademoi
selle EmilyY
Il could not really say. There was lit
tie to choose between them. Both. as
you have seen, are charming, and both,
as have told you. are the acknowledged
heiresses Of Madame Roupell."
1t was M. Lablanche's turn to be as
tonished.
Her acknowledged, heipesses :" he ex-
claimed why, you never told me
that"
did l not? answered tho MAYOR.
well, It Is the fact, all the same. But
you were about to say something"
mot at all" replies NJ. Lablanche. 1T
was only thinking and he suffered his
features to relapse into their accustomed
expression of immobility. Thank you;
that ID all l wish to know, monsieur lie
marie. If you will now go downstairs
and prepare your report for the tribunal.
will Join you in a few minutes, when /
have concluded my investigations"
The mayor bowed to the project and
left the apartment.
CHAPTER w.
Victor Lablanche owed his unprece-