Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1909-03-18
CHAPTER TX.
Reporter and Detective.

@aEz
stop and, pointing to a small clump OF
trees to the right Of us, said:
s'That's where the murderer came
from to get into the pavilion
AS there were other patches Of trees
Of the same sort between the great
oaks, asked why the murderer had
chosen that one rather than any of the
others. Rouletabille answered me by
pointing to the path which ran quite
close to the thicket to the door of the
pavilion.
''That path is, as you see, topped
with gravel" he said. 1.-THE man must
have passed along it going to the pa
vilion, since no traces Of his steps have
been found on the soft ground The
man didn't have wings: he walked,
but he walked on the gravel, which
left no impression Of his tread. The
gravel has, in fact, been trodden by
many other feet, since the path is the
most direct way between the pavilion
and the chateau. AS to the thicket,
made Of the sort Of shrubs that don't
flourish IN the rough season-laurels
and fuchsias-ft offered the murderer
sufficient hiding place until it was
time for him to make his way to the
pavilion. It was while hiding in that
c1ump Of trees that he saw NJ. and
Mile. stangerson and then Daddy
Jacques leave the pavilion. Gravel
has been spread nearly, very nearly.
up to the windows of the pavilion. The
footprints of a man parallel with the
wall, marks which we will examine
presently and which / have already
seen, prove that he only needed to
make one stride to ind himself ID
front Of the vestibu1e window, left
open by Daddy Jacques. The man
drew himself up by his hands and en-
tered the vestibule."
"After all, it is very possible" I said
EFF I did not reason as do in re-
gard to this gravel Rou1etabtlle went
on, 81 should have to assume a bal
loon. So don't say thing is possible
when 1t could not be otherwise. We
know now how the man entered by
the window, and we also know the
moment at which he entered-durfng
anu ms daughter. The fact Of the
presence OF the chambermaid, who had
come to clean up the yellow room, in
the laboratory when NJ stangerson
and his daughter returned from their
walk at half past l permits us to af-
firm that at half past 1 the murderer
was not in che chamber under the bed
unless he was in collision with the
chambermaid. What do you say, M.
Darzac?,
NJ. Darzac shook his head and said
he was sure Of the chambermaid's
fidelity and that she was a thorough
" honest and devoted servant.
Besides" he added, s'at 5 o'clock
NJ. stangerson went into the room to
fetch his daughters hat"
There is that ALSO" said Rouleta-
bile.
'That the man entered by the win
low at the time you say, I admit" I
said, t'but why did he shut the win
low? It was an act which would nee
essarily draw the attention Of those
Vho had left 1t OPEN
It may be the window was not shut
It once" replied the young reporter. +,
But if he did shut the window it YVES
because Of the bend in the gravel path
dozen yards from the pavilion an.s |
n account Of the three oaks that are
rowing at that SPOT
"What do you mean by that?' asked
{. Darzac, vino had followed us and I
stened with almost breathless atten-
ion to all that Rouletabflle had said.
I'll explain al, to you later on. mon I
leur, when I think the moment to be T
lpe for doing So But I don't think
have anything Of more Importance
say on this affair If my hypothesis
justified
"And what is your hypothesisY'
'You will neve- know if 1t does not
I'm out to be the truth. It is of much
@ grave nature to speak of it SO
ng as it continues to be only a by
)thesis."
Have You at least some idea as to
ho the murderer is ~
No, monsieur, I don't know who
g murderer is. But don't be afraid.
. Robert Darzac. I shall know
could not but observe that M. Oar
e was deeply moved, and I suspect
that Rouletabille's confident asser-
u was not pleasing to him. WHY. ]
asked myself, Il he was really afraid
at the murderer should be discover {
, was he helping the reporter to find
M Ny young friend seemed to G
We received the same impression. !
ne said bluntIy: /
IL. Darzac. don't ron want me to J
q out who the murderer wasp E
oh, should like to Kill him with
I own hand" cried Mile. stanger- b
rs dance, with. a vehemence that
lazed me. b
I believe you" said RouletabiI1e t
lvely- But you have not answered I
question G
Ve were passing by the thicket OF t.
ich the young reporter had spoken