Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-01-23
CHAPTER XIV.
Rouleiabille Knows the Two Halves
 of the Murderer.

lIvII for the second time almost lU murdered. Unfortunately she C9 was in too weak state to bear the severer injuries of this second at tack as we'll as she had those of the first She had received three wounds fin the breast from the murderer's knife. and she lay long between life and death. Her strong physique. how ever, saved her; but. though she recov- cred physically. it was found that her mind had been affected. The slightest allusion to the terrible incident sent her into dellrlum. and the arrest of Robert Darzac. which followed on the day following the tragic death of the keeper. seemed to sink her fine intelli- gence into complete melancholla. Robert Darzac arrived at the chateau toward half past Q. ! saw him hurry tug through the park, his hair and clothes in disorder and his face dead ly white. Rouletabille and were look ing out of window in the gallery. He saw us and gave despairing cry. "I'm too latew
 Rouletabille answered. ''She livesr' A minute later Darzac had gone into Mile. Stangerson's room. and through the door we could hear his heartrend- ing sobs.
 
 There's a fate about this placer groaned Rouletabille Some internal gods must be watching over the mis- fortunes of this family! If had not been drugged I would have saved Mile. Stangerson. should have si- fenced him forever. And the keeper would not have been killedr Nj. Darzac came in to speak with us. His distress was terrible. Rouleta- bile told him eyerything-h prepara- tions for Mile. Stangerson's safety, his plans for either capturing or for dis posing of the assailant forever and how he would have succeeded had 1t not been for the drugglng.
 If only you had trusted me!' said the young man in low tone. "lf you had but begged Mile. Stangerson to confldc in me, But, then. everybody here dlstrusts everybody else. The daughter distrusts her father and even her lover While you ask me to pro tect her. she Is doing all she can to frustrate me. That was why l came on the scene too later'
 At Nj. Robert Darzac's request Roule- tabille described the whole scene. Leaning on the wall to prevent him self from falling. he had made his way to Mile. Stangerson's room, while We were running after the supposed mur- derer. The anieroom door was open, and when be entered he found Mile. stangerson lying partly thrown over the desk. Her dressing gown was dyed with the blood flowing from her bosom. Still under the influence of the drug. he felt he was walking in q horrible nightmare.
 He went back to the gallery auto matically. opened q window, shouted his order to fire and then returned to | the room. He crossed the deserted boudoir. entered the drawing room and tried to rouse NJ. Stangerson. who was lying on sofa M. Stangerson rose stupidly and let himself be drawn by ] Rouletabille. into the room. where. on seeing his daughters body. he uttered heartrending cry. Both united their feeble strength and carried her to her bed
 On his way to rejoin us Rouletabille passed by the desk. On the floor, near 1t. he saw large packet. He knelt down, and, finding the wrapper loose. he examined 1t and made out an enor- nous quantity of papers and photo graphs. On one of the papers he read New differential electroscopic con- denser Fundamental properties of sub stance intermediary between ponder able matter and imponderable cther." Strange irony of fate that the profess or's precious papers should be restored to him at the very time when an at tempt was being made to deprive him of his daughters life! What are pa pers worth to him now?
 
 The morning following that awful night saw NJ. de Marquet once more at the chateau with his registrar and gen. darmes. Of course we were all ques- tioned. Rouletabille and had already agreed on what to say. kept back any information as to my being in the dark closet and said nothing about the drugging. We did not wish to suggest in any way that Mile. Stangerson had been expecting her nocturnal visitor.
 Arthur Rance told everybody in a manner so natural that it astonished me that he had last seen the keeper toward n o'clock of that fatal night. He had come for his valise, he said, which he was to take for him early next morning to the St. Michel station, and had been kept out late running after poachers. Arthur Rance had, in- deed, intended to leave the chateau and, according to his habit, to walk to the station.
 M. Stangerson confirmed what Rance had said, adding that he had not asked rn,n, .yf,n xrtt1, Ixav~ Aoooroa hto