Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-11

IsvW, " no Ui' tue rr-rr-,nc ~,
gallery was both that person and the
assassin? I went over in my mind
what ! had seen. had seen Mt one
and the same time NJ. Stangcrson and
the murderer, Daddy Jacques and the
murderer, myself and the murderer, so
that the murderer then. could not he
either NJ Stangcrson. Daddy jacques
or myself. Had I seen Frederic LAR
san and the murderer ut the same
time? No. Two seconds had passed.
during which lost sight Of the MUIR
dcrcr, for, as I have noted in my pa
pers, he arrived two seconds before
Nj. Stangepson. Daddy Jacques and
myself at the meeting point of the two
galleries. That would have given Lar
san time TO go through the off turn
ing gallery. snatch off his false beard,
return and hurry with us as II, like us,
In pursuit of the murderer. I was sure
now had got hold Of the right end in
my reasoning. With Frederic Larsan
was now always associated in my mind
the personality Of the unknown Of
whom I was I'm pursuit-thc murderer.
in other words
THAT revelation staggered me.
tried to regain my balance Ivy going
over the evidences previously traced,
but which had diverted my mind and
led me away from Frederic Larsan.
What were these evidences?
"rirst.-I had seen the unknown IN
Nile. Stangerson's chamber. On going
to Frederic Larsan's room / had found
Larsan sound asleep.
"Second.-The ladder.
"Thlrd--I had placed Frederic Lar
san at the end Of the off turning gal
lcry and had told him that I would
rush into Mile. Stangerson's room to
try to capture the murderer. Then l
returned to Nile. Stangerson's cham
Der, whore had seen the unknown.
THE first evidence did not disturb
me much. 1t is likely that when l de-
scended from my ladder, after having
seen the unknown in Me. StInger
sons chamber, Larsan had already fin
ished what he was doing there. Then,
while | was re-entering the chateau.
Larsan went back to his own room
and. undressing himself. went to sleep.
"Nor did the second evidence trouble
me. If Larsan were the murderer he
could have no use for ladder. but
the ladder might have been placed
there to give all appearance TO the
murderer's entrance from without the
chateau. especially as Larsan had ac-
cused DarZac and Darzac was not in
the chateau that night. Further, the
ladder might have been placed there
to facilitate Larson's fight in case Of
absolute necessity.
But the third evidence puzzled me
altogether Having placed I.arsan at
the end Of the off turning gallery.
could not explain how he had taken
advantage of the moment when I had
gone to the left wing Of the chateau to
find NJ. Stangerson and Daddy Jacques
to return to Mile. Stangerson's room.
1t was a very dangerous thing to do.
He risked being captured. and he knew
it. And he was very nearly captured.
lie had not had time to regain his
post. as he had certainly hoped to do.
He had. then. very strong reason for
returning to his room. AS for myself.
when I sent Daddy Jacques to the end
Of the right gallery natural lily
thought that Larsan was still at his
post. Daddy Jacques in going to his
post had not looked when he passed
TO see whether Lnrsan was at his post
or not.
What. then. was the urgent reason
which had compelled Larsan to go to
the room a second time? I guessed it
to be some evidence of his presence
there. He had left something very
important in that room. What was it:
| And had he recovered It? | begged
Nine. Bcrnicr. who was accustomed to
clean the room. to look. and she found
pair Of eyeglasses--this pair, NJ
PRESIDENT
And Rouleta billie drew the eyeglasses
Of which we know, from his pocket.
when / saw these eyeglasses" be
continued. ~ was utterly loGpused
l had never seen I.arsan wear eye
glasses. What did they mean? Sd
denly l exclaimed to myself. I wonder
II he is long sighted" had never seen
Larsan write. He might then be long
sighted. The police would certainly
know and also know il the glasses
We're his. Such evidence would be
damning. That explained Larsan's re-
turn. know now that Larsan or
Ballmeyer Is long sighted and that
these glasses belonged to him.
II now made one mistake. ! was not
satisfied with the evidence had OBJ
tanned. I wished to see the mans
face. Had I refrained from this the
second terrible attack would not have
occurred"
But" asked the president, why
should Iarsan go to Mile. Stangerson's
room at all? Why should be twice at
tempt to murder herr"
because he loves her. NJ. President
THAT Is certainly Il reason but
at is the only reason He was mad
ly In love, and because of that and
other things he was capable Of com
hitting any crime"
"Did Mile. Stangerson know this?
Yes, monsieur. but she was ignorant
OF the fact that the man who was pur'
suing her was Frederic Larsan; other
wise, of course, he would not have
been allowed to be Mt the chateau.
noticed when he was in her room aft
er the incident in the gallery that he
kept himself in the shadow and that ht
kept his head bent down. lie was
| Ii, g. la