The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-09
 THE PERFUME OF
 THE LADY IN BLACK=
By GAST0N LER0UX, Author of "The Mystery of
 the Yellow ROOm."
Copyright, 1909, by Rrentano's.

was not dead. But after the ceremony was at an end he had felt more se- cure. IL seemed to him that Larsan would never have permitted MathiIde Stangerson to speak the vows that gave her to Robert Darzac if he were really alive. Larsan would only have had to show his face to stop the mar riage.
 Wiping the precipitation from his forehead. Rouletabille remarked:
 "Sainclair. can you ever forget Lar Ean's eyesy Do you remember. The presbytery has not lost its charm or the garden it's brightnessY"
 I pressed the boys hand. It was burning hot 1 tried to calm him. but he paid no attention to anything said.
 And it was after the wedding-Just a few hours after the wedding-that be chose to appear!' he cried. "rhere isn't anything else to think. is there. SainclairT'
 -Oh. Nj. Darzac is not a child to be frightened at bogies. But we must hope-we must hope. mustn't we. Satn- clair. that he is mistaken? Oh. it isn't n II be true. Oh. Sainclair. il would be too terribler
 had never seen Rouletabille so deeply agiiated. even at the time of the most terrible events at the Clan dier. He arose from his chair and walked up aud down the room. casting aside any object which came in his way and repeating over and over: "No. no. It's too terrible. too terribler'
 But. my dear boy. you frighten me. What Is there you know that you have not told meT'
 '1 am going to tell you. The situa- ton is horrible. Why didn't that will lain dieF'
 And. after all. how do you know that he is not deudY'
 Look here. Sainclair-don'e talk-be quiet. please You see. If he Is alive wish to God that were dead!'
 If he is alive you must live to de- fend that poor woman"
 '-Ah. that Is true. You have said the only thing that makes me want to live. To defend her. will not think of myself again"
 And RouIetabille smiled, a smile which almost frightened me. 1 threw my arm around him and begged him to tell me why he was so terrified. why he spoke of his own death and why he smiled so strangely.
 RouletabilIe looked down and stead lily into my eyes. Then he said:
 You shall know all. Sainciair. You shall know as much as 1 do. and when you do you will be as unhappy as | nm. for you are kind and you are fond of me"
 Then be strengthened back his shoul- ders as though he had already cast off a burden and pointed in the direction of the railway.
 We shall leave here in an hour." he said. There is no direct train from Flu to Paris in the winter. We shall not reach Paris until o'clock. But that will give us plenty of time to pack our trunks and take the train that leaves the Lyons station at 9 o'clock for Marseilles and Mentone."
 He did not ask my opinion on the course which he had laid out. He was taking me to Mentone. just as he mad brought me to Trepot. He was well aware that in the present crisis 1
 
 l thought of the perfume of the Lady in Black. but l kept silence. He had said he would tell me all. He led me out to the getty. The wind was still blowing gale. RouIetabille closed bis eyes as if in a dream
 'lt was here," he said that I last saw her"
 He looked down at the stone bench beside which we were standing.
 
 In another half hour we were at Flu. We aIighted. and the horse and car riase stood motiunIess upon the street. The driver had gone into a saloon. We entered the cool shades of a nigh Gothic church which faced upon the square. The young reporter gazed sorrowfully at the square battiements of the city hall whieh extended to- ward us the hostile lance of its soiled and weather beaten flag: at the Cafe de Paris. at Ihe silent houses. at the shops and the library. Was 1t there that the boy had bought those first new books for which the Lady in Black had paid?
 Nothing hns changed"
 f1t QTeW rne lutO d ullic SlIttl duu stopped again in front of q tiny temple of the Jesuit style. After having push ed open little low door Rouletabille bade me enter. and we found our selves inside a beautiful mortuary chapel.
 ''The college chapeI."' whispered Rouleta bile.
 There was no person in the chapel. We crossed the room hastily. Ou the left wall Roulptabilie tapped very gen. tly a kind of drum. which gave out a queer. mufiled sound.
 We are in luck" he said We are inside the college. and the concierge has not seen me. He would remember me"
 What harm would that have doneT'
 Just at that moment man with bare head and a bunch of keys at his side passed through the room. and Rouletabille drew me into the shadow.