Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-04

| Some rabbits they caught In that way
| were sold by them to the landlord OF
the Donton inn. who served them tc
| his customers or sent them TO Paris
| That was the truth, as had guessed
from the first. DO you remember what
| said on entering the Donjon inn
We shall have to eat nel meat--now.
| had heard the words on the same
| morning when we arrived ut the park
gnte. You heard them also. but you
did not attach any Importance to them
| You recollect when we reached the
park gate that we stopped TO look Mt a
man who was running by the side Of
the wall looking every minute Mt his
watch. That was I.arsan. Well, be.
hind us the landlord Of the Donjon inn,
standing on his doorstep. said to some
one inside, we shall have to eat red
| mcat-now.'
"Why that now? When you are. rs
| am. In search Of some hidden secret.
you can't afford TO have anything es-
cape YOU. You've got to know the
meaning Of everything. We had come
into a rather out of the way part Of
the country which had been turned
topsy turvy hr Il crime. and my reason
led me to suspect every phrase that
could bear upon the event of the day.
Now I took to mean. since the out
rage In the course Of my inquiry,
therefore, sought 10 find a relation
between that phrase and the tragedy.
We went TO the Donion inn for break
fast repeated the phrase and saw
by the surprise and trouble on Daddy
Matthew's face that had not exaCger-
ated its Importance so far as he was
concerned
81 bad just learned that the con.
cicrges had been arrested. Daddy
Matthew spoke Of them as Of dear
friends-people for whom one ia sorry.
That was n reckless conjunction Of
ideas. said to myself Now that
!hc conciefges are arrested. we shal II
have 10 eat red meat No more con.
cierges. no more game. The hatred ex-
pressed by Daddy Matthew for NJ
StanGcrson; forest kccpcr-a hatred
be pretended was shared by the con-
cicrges-lcC me easily to think Of
poaching. Now, as all the evidence
showed the concicrgcs had not been in
bed at the time Of the tragedy why
were they abroad that night As par
Elephants in the crime? ! was not dis
posed TO think 50. had alread, ar
rived at the conclusion by steps Of
which will tell you later-that the as
sassin had had no nccomplice and that
the tragedy held a mystery between
Mile Stangerson and the murderer a
mystery with which the concierges
had nothing to do.
with that theory in my mind. I
searched for proof in their lodge,
which, as you know. entered. l
found there under their bed some
springs and brass wire All l
thought, these things explain why
they were out in the park Mt night"
| was not surprised n the logged ST.
lence they maintained before the ex.
cusatior so grave as that OF being ac-
completes in the crime. Poaching
would save them from the assize court.
but 1t would lose them their places.
and as they were perfectly sure Of
their innocence Of the crime they
hoped 1t would soon be established.
ard then their poaching might go on
as usual. They could always confess
later. |, however, FASTENED their con-
fession by means of the document NJ.
Stangerson signed They gave all the
necessary proofs were set at liberty
and have now lively gratitude for
me- Why did not get them released
sooner? Because | was not sure that
nothing more than poaching was
against them. wanted to study the
ground. AS the days went by. my con-
viction became more and more certain.
The days after the events of the mex
plcablc gallery | had need of help
coulc rely on. so resolved to have
them released at once"
We reached the Donjon inn and en-
tered it
This time we did not see the land.
lord, but were received with Il pleas
ant smile by the charming hostess.
Flows Daddy Mathieu:' asked
Rouletabille
Not much better. not much better.
He IS still confined to his bed"
His rheumatism still sticks to him,
them
"Yes. Last night was again
obliged to give him morphine. the only
drug that gives him any relief"
She spoke in soft voice. Every
thing about her expressed gentleness.
She was, indeed. beautiful woman.
somewhat with an air of Incidence,
with great eyes seemingly black and
blue. amorous eyes. Was she happy
with her grabbed. rheumatic husband?
The scene at which we had once been
present did not lead us to believe that
she was. Yet there was something in
her bearing that was not suggestive
of despair. She disappeared into the
kitchen TO prepare our repast. leaving
on the table a bottle of excellent cider
Rouetablle filled our earthenware
mugs, loaded his pipe and quietly cx-
planned to me his reason for asking
me to come to the Chandler with re-.
volvers.
Yes" he said coutempatively, look
ing ct the clouds Of smoke he was
putting out. yes, my dear boy. I ex.
pect the assassin tonight"
A brief silence followed, which
took care not to interrupt, and then
he went on:
Last night just as l was going to
~ DnI INov 1,