The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-20
CHAPTER XVI.
A Living Tomb and q Battling
 Murder.

h FlY thoughts turned to Rouleta- ltM bile. What was he doing now? |? HI Why had he gone away? As I I@ lay there puzzling my brain over the outcome of the affair I heard some one knocking at my door. It was Pere Bernier. who brought me a brief note from my friend which had been handed to Pere Jacques by a little lad from the village. Rouletabille wrote:
 I shall return early in the morning. Get up as soon as this reaches you and be good enough to go fishing for my break fast and catch some of the fine trout which are so plentiful among the rocks near the Point of Garibaldi- Do not lose an instant Thanks and remembrances- ROULETABILLE-
 This communication gnve me more food for thought. for l knew by ex- perience that whenever Rouletabille seemed most occupied with trivial mat ters his activity was really most thor oughly engaged with important sub jects.
 I dressed myself in haste, provided myself with some old tackle which was furnished me by Bernier and set out to obey the request of my young friend As I went out of the north gate, having encountered nobody at that early hour of the morning Git was about o'clockl, I was joined by Mime Edith, to whom I showed what Roule- tabille had written The young wom- m was greatly dejected over the un- explained absence of her uncle. re- marked that the letter was ''so queer that it made her nervous" and she in- formed me that she intended to follow me to the trout streams.
 We started to fish for Rouletabille's trout Mrs. Rance and both removed our shoes and stockings, but I con- cerned myself more about the dainty bare feet of my pretty hostess than about my own. She clambered into the pools and crept among the rocks with grace which enchanted me more than dared express. Suddenly we both desisted from our task and prick ed up our ears at the same moment. We heard cries from the shore where the grottoes are. We distinguished a little group. the persons in which were making gestures of appeal We hastily rushed to the Leach, and in a few sec onds we learned that, attracted by moans, two fishermen had just dis covered in a cave in the grotto of Ro- meo and Juliet an unfortunate human being who had fallen into the chasm and who must have been there help less for several hours.
 The quick conjecture which rushed into both our minds at once proved to be the right one. It was Old Bob who had been fished out of the cave. When he had been drawn up on the beach In the full light of day he certainly presented a pitiable spectacle. His beautiful black coat was torn and cov- cred with mud, and his white shirt was as black as tar. Mme Edith burst into tears and nearly went into mysteries when she found that the old man had a broken collar bone and a sprained foot. And he was so pale that he looked as if he were going 70 die on the spot.
 Happily the case was far less seri- o1s than it at first appeared Ten minutes later he was. according to his own orders, stretched out on his bed in his room in the square tower. But could any one believe that he abso- lutely refused to be undressed, even SO far as to have his coat removed, be- fore the arrival of the doctors? Mime. Edith. more and more nervous, in- stalled herself as his nurse, but when the physicians came Old Bob ordered his niece not only to leave his room, but to go out of the square tower all together And he insisted that the door should be locked after her.
 This last precaution was a great sur prise to us all. We were assembled In the Court sf the Bold, M. and Mime. Darzac, Arthur Rance and myself. as well as Pare Bernier, who haunted my footsteps, awaiting the news. When Mime. Edith quilted the tower after the arrival of the medical men she came to us and said:
 Let us hope that his injuries won't be serious. Old Bob is solid as a rock What did I tell you about him? I have made him confess. the old sin