Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-25

II | only knew what was passing IN
the silence that is behind that door!
| find the door locked and the key turn
cd on the inner side. And the muir
dere- 10 there perhaps. He must be
there. VIII he escape this timer All
depends on me must be calm, and
above all | must make no false steps.
must sec into that room I can enter
it by Milo. StanCerson's ORA wing room.
Rut to do that I should hive to cross
her boudoir. and while I am there tho
murderer may escape by the gallery
door, the door in front Of which I am
now standing.
II am sure that no other crime Is be-
ing committed on this night. for there
is complete silence in the boudoir,
where two nurses arc taking care OF
Mile. Stangcrson until she is restored
to health.
"As l am almost sure that the MUIR
dcrcr is there, why do | not at once
give the alarm? The murderer may
perhaps escape, but perhaps | may be
able to save Mile. Stangerson's life.
| Suppose the murderer on this occasion
is not here to murder? Tho door has
been opened to allow him to enter-by
whom? And it has been refastened--
by whom? Nile. Stangerson shuts her
self up in her apartment with her
nurses every night Who turned the
key of that chamber ia allow the muir
dercr to cnteri The nurses, two faith
ful domestics? The old chambermaid,
Sylvia? It is very improbable Bc-
i - .fa To-, q LIT
Mile. Stangerson. very nervous and
careful. NJ. Robert Darzac told me-
sees to her own safety since she has
been we'll enough to move about In her
room, which ! have not yet seen her
leave. This nervousness and sudden
care on her part, which had struck
NJ. Darzac. had given me also food for
thought At the time Of the crime in
the yellow room there can be no doubt
that she expected the murderer. Was
he expected this night? Was It she
herself who had opened her door to
him? Had she some reason eor do
ing so; Was she obliged to do It?
Was it meeting for purposes Of
crime? Certainly it was not lovers
meeting, for | believe Mile. Stanger-
san 9Gorcs NJ. DarZac.
at Is possible that there was some
reason for the awful silence. My in
terveHtion might do more harm than
good. How could | tell? How could
| know l might not any moment cause
another crime: II | could only see
and know without breaking that ST
lcnce.
Il left the anteroom and descended
the central stairs to the vestibue and
as silently as possible made my way
to the little room on the ground floor
, where Daddy Jacques had been sleep
ing since the attack made at the pa
vilion
II found him dressed, his eyes wide
open, almost haggard. He did not
seem surprised to see me. He told
me that he had got up because be had
heard the cry of the Rete du Bon Dieu
and because he had heard footsteps in
the park close to his window, out Of
which lie had looked and just then
had seen q black shadow pass by. l
, asked him whether he had a frearn
Of any kind. No, he no longer kept
= one since the examining magistrate
had taken his revolver from him. We
. went out together by a little back
door into the park and stole along the
chateau to the point which is just be-
, low Mile. S.angerson's window.
. Il placed Daddy Jacques against
the wall ordering him not TO stir
, from the spot, while l. taking advan-
, taee Of Z moment whom the moon was
hidden by cloud. moved to the front
= of the window out of the patch OF
I light which came from IT, for the win
=. dow was half open. If could only
know what was passing in that silent
: chamber, returned to Daddy jacques
7 AMI whispered the word ladder In his
ear At first | had thought Of the
tree which week ago served me for
! an observatory but l Immediately saw
, that from The way the window was
! half opened | should not he able to see
, from that point Of view anything that
, was passing IN the room. and | want
: cd not only 70 see, but to hear, and 10
, oct
1 Greatly aCitated. almost trembling,
g Daddy Jacques disappeared for mo-
+ ment and returned without the ladder.
g but making signs to mo with his arms
i as signals to me to come quickly TO
: him. When I got near him he gasped,
I Come"
= He led me round the chateau. past
= the donion Arrived there, he said:
g al went to the dOnjon in search Of
f my ladder and in the lower part Of the
e lonion which serves me and the gar
, 5cncr for lumber room | found the
T Ioor open and the ladder gone. On
roming out that's what l caught sight
e IF by the light Of the moon
And he pointed to the farther end
n If the chateau. where a ladder stood
] resting against the stone brackets sup
= porting tho terrace under the window
To- which had found open. The projec-
. ton Of the terrace had prevented my
' seeing II. Thanks to that ladder. It
. was quite easy to get into the oft turn
1 ing gallery Of the first floor and had
! no doubt OF II having been the road
q taken by the unknown.
I'VE ran TO the ladder. but at the
. moment Of reaching It Daddy Jacques
p. drew my attention 70 the half open
= door Of the little scnicircular room
situated under the terrace at the ex-
=, tremity of the right wing of the cha