Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-02-25
CHAPTER XII tcontinued.)

10 return 10 our examination, or,
rather, to our conversation. | must
state that the chief of police. having In
quired OF NJ. Stangerson under what
conditions his daughter had gone to
Paris on the Goth of October, we learn
ed that NJ Robert Darzac had accom-
again seen at the chateau from that
time until the day after the crime had
been committed. The fact that NJ. Oar
zac was with her in the department
store when the reticule disappeared
could not pass unnoticed and. 1t must
be said, strongly awakened our in
terest.
This conversation between magis-
trates, accused, victim. witnesses and
journalist was coming to a close when
quite a theatrical sensation-an Incl
dent of kind displeasing to NJ. de
Marquet-was produced. The officer of
the gendarmes came to announce that
Frederic Larsan requested to be ad-
mitted-a request that was at once
complied with He held in his hand
heavy pair of muddy boots, which he
threw on the pavement Of the labora-
tory
Here" he said, "are the boots worn
by the murderer. Do you recognize
them. Daddy Jacques?"
Daddy Jacques bent over them and,
stupefied, recognized pair of old boots
which he had some time back thrown
into a corner of his attic. He was so
taken aback that he could not hide his
agitation.
Then, pointing to the handkerchief In
the old mans hand. Frederic Larsan
said:
That's handkerchief astonishingly
like the one that was found in the yel-
Tow room.
II know" said Daddy Jacques. trem-
bling. they are almost alike"
"And then," continued Frederic Lar
san. ''the old Basque cap also found in
the yellow room might at one time
have been worn by Daddy Jacques
himself. All this. gentlemen. proves. l
think. that the murderer wished to dis
guise his real personality. He did 1t in
very clumsy way. or, at least. so 1t
appears to us. Don't be alarmed,
Daddy Jacques. We are quite sure
that you were not the murderer. You
never left the side Of NJ. Stangerson.
Put II NJ. Stangerson had not been
working that night and had gone back
to the chateau after parting with his
daughter, and Daddy Jacques had gone
TO sleep In his attic, no one would have
doubted that he was the murderer. He
owes his safety. therefore, to the
ragedy having been enacted too soon
the murderer. no doubt, from the ST.
ience in the laboratory. imagined that
1t was empty and that the moment for
action had come. The man who had
been able to introduce himself here so
mysteriously and to leave so many evi-
dences against Daddy jacques was,
there can be no doubt, familiar with
the house. At what hour exactly he
entered, whether in the afternoon or in
the evening, l cannot say. One ia.
mlliar with the proceedings and per-
sons of this pavilion could choose his
own time for entering the yellow
room"
He could not have entered It If any
body had been In the laboratory" said
NJ. de Marquet.
How do we know that" replied
Larsnn. "There was the dinner In the
laboratory, the coming and going Of
the servants In attendance. There was
a chemical experiment being carried
on between 10 and IL o'clock with NJ.
Stangerson, his daughter, and Daddy
Jacques engaged at the furnace in
corner Of the high chimney. Who can
say that the murderer-an intimate, u
friend-did not take advantage Of that
moment to slip into the yellow room
after having taken off his boots in the
iavatory?
1T is very improbable" said NJ.
Stangerson.
Doubtless, but It is not impossible.
1 assert nothing. AS to the escape
from the pavilion, that's another thing
the most natural thing in the world"
For moment Frederic Larsan paus-
ed-a moment that appeared to US
very long time. The eagerness with
which we awaited what he was going
10 tell us may be imagined.
Il have not been In the yellow room,"
he continued. ''but 1 take 1t for grant
ed that you have satisfied yourselves
that he could have left the room only
by way Of the door. 1t is by the door,
then. that the murderer made his way
out. At what time? At the moment
when 1t was most easy for him to do
Scat the moment when 1t became
most explainable-so completely ex-
piainable that there can be no other
explanation. Let US go over the mo-
ments which followed after the crime
mad been committed. There was the
nrst moment, when NJ. Stangerson
and Daddy Jacques were close to the
door ready to bar the way. There was
the second moment during which
Daddy Jacques was absent and NJ.
Stangerson was left alone before the
door. There was third moment,
when M. Stangerson was ioined by the