Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-16

jacques 4iiiNe you luduc no use VI
him today?"
NO replied Rouletabille sharply
I kept silence for awhile; then, anx-
ious to know his thoughts, asked him
point blank:
"Why not tell Arthur Rance? lie
may be Of great assistance to usf'
ooh" said Rouletabille Grossly,
'then you want to let everybody into
Mile. Stangerson's secrets2 Come, let
us go to dinner. 1t IS time. This
evening we dine in Frederic Larsan's
room-at least II he is not on the heels
Of Darzac. He sticks to him like a
leech. But anyhow, II be is not there
now ! am quite sure he viii be to-
night. He's the one ! am going to
knock overr'
At this moment we heard noise in
the room near u.s.
1T must be he" said Rouletabille.
Il forgot to ask you" / said, "if we
are to make any allusion to tonight's
business when we are with this police
man 1 take it we are not. Is that
soT'
Evidently. We are going to operate
alone, on our own personal account"
$50 that all the glory will 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
approaching the feelings of certainty
which both Rouletabille and Larsan
felt. Rouletabille told the great Fred
that I had come on a 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 II o'clock train, taking his copy,
which took a story form, recounting
the principal episodes in the mysteries
Of the Chandler. Larsan smiled at the
explanation like a 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 a 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:
Il think, M Rouletabille, that we've
not much more to do at the Chandler
and that we shan't sleep here many
more nights"
II think so, too, NJ. Fred"
Then you think the conclusion Of
the matter has been reachedW
II think, indeed, that we have moth
ing more to find out" replied Rouleta-
billie
Have you found your criminalP"
asked Larsan.
'Have your
yes"
$50 have l." said Rouletabille.
Can it 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, IN. Darsac is an honest
manr'
Are you sure of that?" asked Lar
san Wen, l am sure he is not. So
it's a fight, then?"
yes, it is a fight. But 1 shall beat
YOU. NJ Frederic IarSan."
youth never doubts anything" said
the great Fred laughingly and held out
his hand to me by way of conclusion.
Rouletabille's answer came like an
echo.
Not anythingr'
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,
ooh, oh" he cried. what is the
matter with me? Have 1 been poison
edY'
He looked at us with haggard eyes.
We questioned him vainly. He did
not ans WeE us. he udu 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
Ny friends face however, when he
stood up was as calm as it had been
a moment before agitdted.
''He is asleep" he said
He led me to his chamber after clos
ing Larsan's room.
THE drugP l asked. Does Mile.
Stangerson wish to put everybody to
sleep tonightY
Perhaps" replied Rouletabille But
I could see he was thinking of some
thing else.