The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-03-05
The Mystery of
The Yellow Room
By CASTOR LEROUx csc COPYRIGHT aY ' SsrsrAsos
By CASTOR LEROUX
COPYRIGHT. 1908.
BY BRENTANO'S

him todayT
"No," replied Rouletabille sharply.
/ kept silence for awhile; then, anx,
ious to know his thoughts, 1 asked him
point blank:
''Why not tell Arthur Rance? He
may be Of great assistance to us?"
"Oh," said Rouletabille GROSSLY,
'then you want to let everybody into
Mile. Stangerson's secrets? Come, let
us go to dinner, 1t is time. This
evening we dine In Frederic Larsan's
room-at least II he is not on the heels
Of Darzac. He sticks to him like a
leech. But, anyhow, II he is not there
now / am quite sure he will be to-
night. He's the one am going to
knock overr
At this moment we heard noise in
the room near us.
'It must be he," said Rouletabille.
II forgot to ask you" said, IF we
are to make any allusion to tonight's
business when we are with this police
man. i take it we are not. Is that
soT"
Evidently. We are going to operate
alone, on our own personal account"
$50 that all the glory will be ours"
Rouletabille laughed.
We dined with Frederic Larsan in
his room. He told us he had just
come in and invited us to be seated at
table. We ate our dinner in the best
Of humors, and l had no difficulty in
approaching the feelings Of certainty
which both Rouletabille and Larsan
felt. Rouletabille told the great Fred
that i had come on a chance visit and
that he had asked me to stay and help
him in the heavy batch of writing he
had TO get through for the Epoque.
was going back to Paris, he said, by
the II o'clock train, taking his copy,
which took story form, recounting
the principal episodes in the mysteries
OF the Chandler. Larsan smiled at the
explanation like a man who was not
fooled and politely refrained from max
ing the slightest remark on matters
which did not concern him.
With infinite precautions as to the
words they used and even as to the
tones of their voices. Larsan and
discussed for a long time
Mr.. Arthur RANGES appearance at the
chateau and his past in America,
about which they expressed desire
TO know more, at any rate so far as
his relations with the Stangersons. At
one time Larsan, who appeared to Inc
to be unwell, said, with an effort:
81 think, NJ. Rouletabille, that we've
not much more to do at the Chandler
and that we shan't sleep here many
more nights"
81 think so, too, M. Fred"
''Then you think the conclusion of
he matter has been reachedY'
II think, indeed, that we have moth
ng more to find out" replied Rouleta-
bile.
Have you found your criminal?"
asked Larsan.
"Have your
Eyes"
$50 have l." said Rouletabille.
'Can IL De the same manV
II don't know if you have swerved
from your original idea," said the
7oung reporter. Then he added with
M. Darsac is an honest
nanv'
"Are you sure Of thatT asked Lar
an. We'll, 1 am sure he is not. So
It's fight. thenw
"Yes, it is fight. But l shall beat
'ou, NJ. Frederic Larsan."
youth never doubts anything" said
he great Fred laughingIy and held out
lis hand to me by way Of conclusion.
Rouletabille's answer came like an
cho:
mot anything"
Suddenly Larsan, who had risen to
Wish us good night, pressed both his
lands to his chest and staggered. He
vas obliged to lean on Rouletabille for
Import and to save himself from fall
ng.
ooh, obi! he cried. what is the
natter with me? Have been poison
DIP
He looked at us with haggard eyes.
We questioned him vainly. He did
lot answer us. He had sunk into an
and we could not get a
word from him. We were extremely
distressed, both on his account and or
ur own, for we had partaken Of ell
he dishes he had eaten. He seemed
o be out of pain, but his heavy head
lad fallen on his shoulder and his eye
Ids were tightly closed. Rouletabille
'ent over him, listening for the beat
ngs Of :he heart.
Ny friends face, however, when he
TODD up, was as calm as It had been
moment before agitated.
He is asleep" he said.
He led me to his chamber, after clos
ne Larsan's room.
The drugT 1 asked Does Mile. |
tangerson wish to put everybody 10
leep tonightT'
Perhaps" replied Rouletabille. But |
could see he was thinking of some
hing else.
But what about usT' l exclaimed.
How do we know that we have not |
cen drugged?'
"Do you feel indisposed?" Rouleta-
lie asked me coolly.
mot in the least"