Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-03-11

race and allow oneself to drop from It
into the court Of the chateau. Who
ever had entered by this road had evil
IDENTIFY not had key % the vestibule
door. But why should be thinking OF
my previous nights attempt with the
ladder? Because Of the open window.
left open perhaps by the negligence Of
servant? l rcclosed 1t, smiling at the
ease with which built a drama on the
mere suggestion of an open window.
again the cry Of the Bette du Bon
Dieu and then silence. The rain ceased
TO beat on the window. All in the cha
teau slept. / walked with infinite pre-
caution ON the carpet Of the gallery
On reaching the corner of the right
gallery / peered round it cautiously.
There was another lamp there with a
reflector which quite Lit up the several
objects in it, three chairs and some
pictures hanging ON the wall. What
was l doing there? Perfect silence
reigned throughout. Everything was
sunk in repose. What was the instinct
that urged me toward Nile. Stanger-
sons chamber? Why did voice with
in me cry, Go on to the chamber of
Nile. Stangersonr l cast my eyes
down upon the carpet on which was
treading and saw that my steps were
| being directed toward Mile. Stanger-
sons chamber by the marks Of steps
/ that had already been made there.
Yes. on the carpet were traces Of foot
steps stained with mud leading to the
chamber Of Nile. Stangerson. Horror.
horror! recognized In those foot.
prints the impression Of the neat boots
/ OF the murderer. He had come, then,
from without in this wretched night
If you could descend from the gallery
by way OF the window. by means of
the terrace. then you could get into the
chateau by the same means.
THE murderer was still In the cha
teau, for here were marks as of return
ing footsteps. He had entered by the
/ open window at the extremity Of the
'off turning gallery; he had passed
Frederic Larsan's door and mine, had
turned to the right and had entered
Nile. Stangerson's room, am before
the door OF her anteroom. 1t is open.
push it without making the least
noise. Under the door of the room it.
self / see a streak of light. / listen.
No sound, not even Of breathing. All.
il only knew what was passing in
the silence that is behind that door!
| find the door locked and the key turn
ed on the inner side, And the muir
derer is there perhaps. He must be
there. Will he escape this timer All
depends ON me. l must be calm. and
above all must make no false steps.
| must see into that room. can enter
! 1t by Mile. Stangerson's drawing room.
| But to do that / should have to cross
her boudoir, and while am there the
murderer may escape by the gallery
door. the door In front of which am
now standing.
81 am sure that no other crime Is be-
ing committed on this night, for there
Is complete silence in the boudoir,
! where two nurses are taking care Of
Mile. Stangerson until she is restored
to health.
"As ! am almost sure that the puF-
| derer is there, why do i not at once
give the alarm? The murderer may
perhaps escape. but perhaps may be
able to save Mile. Stangerson's life.
Suppose the murderer on this occasion
is not here to murder? The door has
been opened TO allow him to enter-by
whom? And it has been refastened-
| ~. x.-t,,,,,,s AflIa C4onoaroo,, Shufo har
self up in her apartment with her
nurses every night. Who turned the
key of that chamber to allow the MUIR
derer to enter2 The nurses, two faith
full domestics? The old chambermaid,
Sylvia? 1t is very improbable. Be-
sides, they slept In the boudoir, and
Nile. Stangerson, very nervous and
careful, NJ Robert Darzac told me,
sees TO ber own safety since she has
been well enough TO move about in her
room, which i have not yet seen her
leave. This nervousness and sudden
care on her part. which had struck
M. Darzac, had given me also food for
thought, At the time Of the crime In
the yellow room there can be no doubt
that she expected the murderer. Was
he expected this night? Was 1t she
herself who had opened her door to
4 him? Had she some reason for do
ing so? Was she obliged to do its
Was 1t q meeting for purposes Of
crime? Certainly It was not lovers
meeting. for 1 believe Mile. Stanger-
son adores N. DarZac.
sIt is possible that there was some
reason for the awful silence. My in
tervention might do more harm than
good. How could ] tell? How could
know might not any moment cause
another crime? If ! could only see
and know without breaking that 81
lence.
II left the anteroom and descended
the central stairs to the yestibule and
as silently as possible made my way
to the little room on the ground door
where Daddy Jacques bad been sleep.
ing since the attack made at the pa
| yflion
1 a - IL.