Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-02-18

him into the vestibule, and we did. He
led us toward the lavatory and begged
Nj. de Marquet to kneel beside him.
This lavatory is lit by the glass door,
and when the door was open the light
which penetrated was sufficient to
light it perfectly. NJ. de Marquet and
NJ. Joseph Rouletabille knelt down on
the threshold, and the young man
pointed to spot on the pavement.
THE stones of the lavatory have not
been washed by Daddy Jacques for
some time" he said THAT can be
seen by the layer of dust that covers
them. Now notice here the marks of
two large footprints and the black ash
| they left where they have been. That
ash is nothing else than the charcoal
dust that covers the path along which
you must pass through the forest in
order to get directly from Epinay to
the Chandler. You know there is a
little village of charcoal burners at
that place who make large quantities
of charcoal. What the murderer did
was to come here at midday, when
there was nobody at the pavilion, and
attempt his robbery"
"But what robbery? Where do you
see any signs Of robbery? What proves
to you that a robbery has been COM
mittedT' we all cried at once.
What put me ON the trace Of it,
continued the journalist.
WAS this" interrupted NJ. de Mar
quet, still on his knees.
Evidently" said Rouletabille.
And NJ. de Marquet explained that
there were on the dust of the pave
ment marks of two footsteps as well
as the impression, freshly made. of a
heavy rectangular parcel, the marks
Of the cord with which it had been
fastened being easily distinguished.
You have been here, then, NJ. Rou-
letabille? l thought l had given Or
ders to Daddy Jacques, who was left
in charge Of the pavilion, not to allew
anybody to enter"
Don't scold Daddy Jacques. came
here with NJ. Robert Darzac.'
"Ah, indeedw exclaimed M. de Mar
quet disagreeably. casting a side
glance at NJ. Darzac, who remained
perfectly silent.
when / saw the mark of the parcel
by the side Of the footprints | had no
doubt as to the robbery" replied NJ.
Rouletabille. "The thief had not
brought parcel with him. He had
made one here-a parcel with the
stolen objects no doubt-and he put it
In this corner, intending to take It
away when the moment came for him
to make his escape He had also
placed his heavy boots bAside the par.
eel, for, see, there are no marks OF
steps leading to the marks left by the
boots, which were placed side by side.
That accounts for the fact that the
Iiurderer left no trace of his steps
..hen he fed from the yellow room,
nor any in the laboratory, nor in the
vestibule. After entering the yellow
room In his boots he took them off,
finding them troublesome or because
he wished to make as little noise as
possible. The marks made by him In
going through the vestibule and the
laboratory were subsequently washed
out by Daddy Jacques. Having for
some reason or other taken off his
boots, the murderer carried them in
his hand and placed them by the side
of the parcel he had made. By that
time the robbery had been accomplish
ed. The man then returned to the
yellow room and slipped under the
bed, where the mark of his body Is
perfectly visible on the floor and even
on the mat, which has been slightly
moved from its place and creased.
Fragments of straw also recently
torn bear witness TO the murderer's
movements under the bed"
''Ies, yes. We know all about that"
said n. de MarGuet.
"The rob5er had another motive for
returning to hide under the bed" CON
tinued the astonishing boy journalist.
you might think that he was trying
to hide himself quickly on seeing,
through the vestibule window. NJ and
Mile. Stangerso about to enter the
pavilion. 1t would have been much
easier for him to have climbed up to
the attic and hidden there, waiting
for an opportunity to get away, If his
purpose had been only flight. No. no,
He had to be in the yellow room"
Here the chief intervened
That's not at all bad, young man.
l compliment you. II we do not know
yet how the murderer succeeded in
getting away we can at any rate see