Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-01


II forgot to ask you" said. 'if we
are to make any allusion to tonights
business when we are with this police
man. ] take 1t we are not. Is that
soy'
Evidently We are going to operate
slonc. on our own personal account"
$50 that all the glory win be ours?-
Rouletabille laughed.
We dined with Frederic Larsan IN
his room. He told us he had just
come In and invited us to be seated at
table. We ate our dinner In the best
Of humors, and / had no difficulty in
appreciating the feelings of certainty
which both Rouletabille and Larsan
felt. Rouletabille told the great Fred
that had come on chance visit and
that he had asked me to stay and help
him In the heavy batch of writing he
had to get through for the Epoque
| was going back to Paris, he said, by
the IL O'Clock train, taking his copy,
which took story form, recounting
the principal episodes in the mysteries
OF the Chandler. Larsan smiled at the
explanation like man who was not
fooled and politely refrained from max
Ing the slightest, remark on matters
which did not concern him.
With Infinite precautions as to the
words they used and even as to the
tones of their voices, Larsan and
| 'Rouletabille discussed for long time
Mr.. Arthur RANGES appearance at the
chateau and his past in America,
about which they expressed a desire
to know more, at any rate so far as
his relations with the stangersons At
one time Larsan, who appeared to me
to be unwell, said, with an effort,
u think, NJ, Rouletabille, that we've
not much more to do at the Chandler
and that we shan't sleep here many
more nights"
Il think so, too, M. Fred"
"Then you think the conclusion Of
the matter has been reached?'
y think, indeed, that we have moth
ing more to find out" replied Rouleta-
billie.
"Have you found your crimlnalp p"
asked Larsan.
'"Have your
"Yes"
$50 have l." said Rouletabille.
"Can 1t be the same manY
Il don't know If you have swerved
from your original idea," said the
young reporter. Then he added with
emphasis, m. Darsac is an honest
manv
.Are you sure Of that?" asked Lar
san. ''Well, I am sure he is not. So
it's fight, then?"
Eyes. 1t is a flght. But ! shall beat
you, M. Frederic Larsan,"
'Touth never doubts anything" said
the great Fred laughingly and held out
his hand to me by way of conclusion.
Rouietabille's answer came like an
eeh2l
mot anything"
Suddenly Larsan. who had risen to
wish US good night, pressed both his
hands to his chest and staggered. He
was obliged to lean on Rouletabille for
support and to save himself from fall
ing.
"Oh, OH" he cried. "what is the
matter with me? Have been poison
ed?"
He looked at us with haggard eyes.
We questioned him yainly. He did
not answer us. He had sunk into an
armchair, and we could not get a
word from him. We were extremely
distressed. both on his account and on
our own, for we had partaken Of all
| the dishes he had eaten. He seemed
to be out Of pain. but his heavy head
had fallen on his shoulder and his eye
lids were tightly closed Rouletabille
bent over him. listening for the beat
ings Of the heart.
| stood up. was as calm as 1t had been
a moment before agltated.
| "He is asleep" he said.
| He led me to his chamber, after clos
ing Larsan's room.
"The drugY asked Does Mile.
Stangerson wish to put everybody to
sleep topight7"
"Perhaps." replied Rouletabille. But
I could see he was thinking of some
thing else.
"But what about us?" exclaimed.
"How do we know that we have not
been drugged?"
"pn you feel indisposed'" Rouleta.
billie asked me coolly.
"Not In the least"