Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-29


place In the professors absence from
his daughter | had To find ont just
when he left her The professor had
stated that AT the time when he and
his daughter were about 10 re-enter
the laboratory he was met by the
keeper and held in conversation about
the cutting Of some wood and the
pOachers. Mile. StangersOn was not
with him then. since the professor said
1 left the keeper and rejoined my
daughter. who was at work in the
laboratory.
1T was during that short interval Of
time that the tragedy took place. That
is certain. In my minds eye | saw
Mile. Stangerson re-enter the pavilion.
90 to her room TO take of her hat and
6nd herself faced by the murderer. he
had been in the pavilion for some time
waiting for her He had arranged TO
pass the whole night there He had
taken of Daddy Jacques boots. he
had removed the papers from the cabl.
net and had then slipped under the
bed. Finding the time long he had
risen. gone again into the laboratory.
then into the vestibule. looked into the
garden and had seen. coming toward
the pavilion. Mile. StangersOn-aione.
He would never have dared to attack
her AT that hour if ne had not found
her alone His mind was made up.
He would he more at ease alone with
Mile. Stangerson in the pavilion than
he would have been In the middle OF
the night. with Daddy Jacques sleep
ing in the attic So he shut the vesti-
bule window That explains why
neither NJ. StangersOn nor the keeper,
who were at some distance from the
pavilion. had heard the revolver shot.
Then he went back 10 the yellow
room. Mile. Stangerson came in. What
passed must have taken place very
quickly. MademOiselle tried 10 call for
help. but the man had seized her by
the throat Her hand had sought and
gFaSped the revolver which she had
been keeping In the drawer Of her
night table. since she had come TO fear
the threats Of her pursuer. The muir
derer was about To strike her on the
head with the mutton bone. q terrible
weapon in the hands OF a Larsan OF
ballmeyer. but she fired in time. and
the shot wounded the hand that held
the weapon. The bone fell 10 the floor
covered with the blood OF the murder
er, who staggered. clutched ut the wall
for support, imprinting on il the red
marks. and. fearing another bullet.
fed.
''She saw him pass through the labO-
ratory and listened He was long at
the window. At length he jumped
from it. She few to it aud shut II.
The danger past all her thoughts were
of her father Had he either seen or
heard: At any cost to herself she
must keep this from him Thus when
NJ. StangersOn returned he found the
door of the yellow room closed and his
daughter in the laboratory bending
over her desk at work.
Turning toward NJ Darzac. Rouleta-
bile cried:
You know the truth. Tell US. then,
If that is not how things happened"
Il don't know an! thing about It." re-
,i,ied " Dsrzac.
II admire you for your silence Ga ID
ROuletabille. but If Mile. Stangerson
knew Of your danger she would release
you from your oath. She would beg
u you TO tell all she has confided to
you She would be here to defend
YOU
u. DarZac made no movement nor
uttered word. He looked ar Rouleta-
bile sadly.
However" said the young report
er, since mademoiselIe is not here
must do 1t myself. But. believe me,
Al. Darzac. the only means to save
Mile. StangersOu and restore her to
her reason is to secure your acquittal."
What is this secret motive that
compels Mile. StangersOn to hide her
knowledge from her father?' asked
the president.
That, monsieur l do not know"
said Rouletabilie. 1t is no business
Of mine"
The president, turning to NJ. Darzac,
endeavOred to induce him to tell what
he knew.
do you still refuse, monsieur, to tell
us how you employed your time during
the attempts on the life Of Mile. Stan
gersouF'
Il cannot tell you anything, mon
sieur."
The president turned to RouIetabiIIe
as II appealing for an explanation.
I'VE must assume. NJ President, that
NJ Robert Darzac's absences are close
ly connected with Mile. Stangerson's
secret and that NJ. Darzac feels him
self IL honor bound to remain silent
Ii may be that ,Larsan, who since his
three attempts has had everything In
training 10 cast suspicion on NJ. Oar
zac, had fixed on just those occasions
for meeting with NJ. Darzac at a
spot most compromising. Larsan is
cunning enough to have done that"
The president seemed partly con-
WINGED; but, still curious, he asked:
But what is this secret OF Mile
Stnunerson -