The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-04-08

ne llluSlTIouS pTOlcSStr udu ipHI ms
head. Mile. Stangcrson in a tone Of
tender distress said, Father, father?
Daddy Jacques blows his nose. ana
Frederic Larsan himself is obliged to
turn away to hide his emotion. For
myself, ! am able neither to think or
feel. | felt a contempt for myself.
1T was the first time that Frederic
I~.arsan, like myself. found himself
face 10 face with Mile. Stangerson
since the attack IN the yellow room.
Like me, he had insisted on being al
lowed to question the unhappy lady,
but he had not, any more than had /,
been permitted. TO him, AZ TO me, the
same answer had always been given:
Mile. StangerSon was too weak TO re-
ceive us. The q~uestiOningS or the ex-
amining magistrate had Overfatigued
her. II was evidently Intended not to
give us any assistance IN our re
searches. | vas not surprised, but
Frederic Larson had always resented
this conduct. 1t Is true that be and
had "A totally different theory OF the
crime. | still catch myself repeating
IlOIil Nut htlIllIo VI Aay Ch't" Wv
her. Save her without his speaking"
Who is he-the murderer, Take him
and shu his mouth. But NJ. Darzac
made 1t clear that I'm order to shut his
mouth he must be killed. Have | the
right to Kill Mile. Stangerson's muir
derer? No, | had not. But let him
only give me the chaucel Let me find
-, ..l.tJo, 10 g., -aaiI- a rraof Ira ,f
flesh and blood! Let me see his dead
body, since it cannot be taken alive.
III l could but make this woman.
who does not even look at us, under
stand. She is absorbed by her fears
and by her fathers distress OF mind.
And l can do nothing TO a her. Yes,
| will go to work 0ucs more aud &C
Complish wonders.
81 move toward her. I would speak
TO her. l would entreat her to have
confidence In me. ! would. In a word,
make her understandable slone-that
l know how the murderer esca ped
from the yellow room. that | have
guessed the motives for her secrecy,
and that | pity her with all my heart.
But by her gestures she begged US to
leave her alone, expressing WEAKNESS
and the need for immediate rest. NJ.
Stangcrson asked us TO go back to
rooms and thanked us, Frederic Lar
san and l bowed to him, and. followed
by Daddy Jacques. We regalned the
gallery. l heard Larsan murmur:
Strange. Strange He made q sign
to me to go with him into his room.
On the threshold he turned toward
Daddy Jacques.
Ibid you see him distinctly he
asked.
"'WhoY
1.-THE man.
Saw him! Why. he had a big red
beard and red hair
That's how he appeared to me- |
said.
"'And TO me- said Larsan.
"The great Fred and | were alone
In his chamber now to talk over this
thing. We talked for an hour. turn
ing the matter over and viewing it
from every side. From the questions
put 10y him. from the explanation
which he gives me, 1t IS clear to me
that in spite Of all our senses be Is
persuaded the man disappeared by
some secret passage In the chateau
known to him alone.
He knows the chateau he said to
me; he knows Il WELL
He Is = rather tall man. well
built / suggested.
He is as tall as he wants to be-
murmured Fred.
81 understand. | said. But how DO
YOU account for his red hair and
beard?
"'Too much beard, too much hair
false says Fred.
thinking OF Robert Darzac. You
can't get rid Of that idea! / am Ger.
tain that he is innocent
$50 much the better. / hope so.
but everything condemns him. Did
YOU notice the marks on the carpet
Come and look at them
~ have seen them. They are the
those we saw on the border OF the
lake.
"'Can you deny that they belong to
Robert Darzacf'
"'Of course one may he mistaken
"'Have you noticed that those foot.
prints only go in one direction, that
there are no return marks? When the
man came from the chamber. pursued
by all Of us. his footsteps left no traces
behind them
: HE had perhaps been in the cham
Der for hours. The mud from his boots
had dried. aud he moved with such
rap3dity OF the points Of his toes. We
NV him running. but we did not bear
hi steps
II suddenly put an end to this idle
chatter, void Of any logic. and made a
sign - Larsan to listen.
There, below, some one Il shutting
4 door
II r3se. Larsan follows me. We
descend to the ground door Of the
chateau lead him n the litfle aomi. |