The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-03-18
The Mystery Of
The Yellow Room
By CASTOR LEROUx * COPYRIGHT by '' ssrxrASos
BY CASTOR LEROUX

for laughing. You remember the
phrase which was the open sesame OF
this chateau full of mystcryE'
YES" | said. "perfectly, The pres
bytcry has lost nothing Of It's charm
nor the garden It's brightness 1t was
the phrase which YOU found on the
half burned piece If paper among the
ashes IN the laboratory"
yes. At the bottom Of the paper,
where the flame had not reached, was
this date, I'D ~ October. Remember
this date; It IL highly important. ! am
now going 10 tell you about that curl
Gus phrase. ON the evening before the
crlme-tbat Is to say, on the 23d-M.
and Mile. Stangerson were AZ n recep-
| ton at the Elysoc. I know that, be
cause | was there on duty. having TO
Interview one ~ the servants of the
Academy Of Philadelphia who was be
ing fctcd there, | had never before
seen either VI. or Mile. Stangcrson. |
was seated in the room which prcccdes
the Salon dcs Ambassadors, and, tired
! Of being jostled 10y SO many noble per
souages, I had fallen into "A vague
t~evcrie, when | scented near me the
perfume Of the lady In black,
"Do you ask me what Is tho perfume
Of the lady in black" IT must suffice
you to know that It Is n perfume Of
which | nm very fond. because It was
that Of Il lady who had been very kind
10 me In my childhood, Il lady whom !
had always seen dressed I'm black. The
lady who that evening was scented
with the perfume OF the lady In black
was dressed In white. She was won
derfully beautiful. | could not help
rising and following her. An old man
gave her his arm, and as they passed
l heard voices say, Professor Stranger.
son and his daughter 1t was in that
way l learned who it was | was fol-
lowing.
'They met NJ. Robert DarZac, whom
l knew by sight. Professor Stanger-
son, accosted by Mr.. Arthur William
Rance, one OF the American savants
seated himself in the great gallery,
and NJ. Robert Darzac led Mile. STAN
gerson into the conservatory. | fol-
lowed. The weather was very mild
that evening. The garden doors were
open. Mile. Stangerson threw n ichu
shawl over her shoulders. and | plain.
~ saw that 1t was sshe who was beg
ging M. Darzac to go with her into the
garden. | continued to follow, inter
ested by the agitation plainly exhibited
by the bearing OF NJ. Darzac. They
slowly passed along the wall abutting
on the Avenue Marigny. | took the
central alley, walking parallel with
them, and her crossed over for the
purpose Of getting nearer to them.
The night was dark. and the grass
deadened the sound Of my steps. They
had stopped under the vaclllating light
of II gas jet and appeared to be both
bending over n paper held by Mile.
Stangcrson. reading something which
deeply Interested them. | stopped IN
the darkness and silence.
Neither OF them saw me, aud | dis
tinctly heard Mile. S~tangerson repeat
as she was refolGing the paper, The
prcsbytery has lost nothing IF its
charm nor the garden It's brightness
IL MIS- Sill III " itHt u oth' uttt hlhS
and dcspairing AMI was followed by a
burst Of such nervous laughter that |
think her words will never cease to
sound IN my ears. But another phrase
was uttered by NJ. Robert DarZac.
Must | commit a crime. then. to win
you?' He was In an extraordinarily
agltated state. He took the hand OF
AyllA A,.1 hAtl IL Pom 8.
long time his lips. and | thought
from the OF his shoulder,
that he vas CRYING. Then they we,
away.
When | returned to the great gal
lery." continued i;ouletabille. II saw
no more Of NJ. Robert DarZac. and |
was not to see him again until after
the tragedy ut the Chandler. Made.
moiselle was near MIR. Rance, who was
talking with much animation. his eyes
during the conversation glowing with
a singular brightness. Mile. Stranger
son | thought. was not even listening
To what hc was saving, her face eX-
pressing perfect Indifference, Ills
face was the red face of a drunkard
ticb VI atd Allif. taiSNlHpl tttN it
went to The bar and remained there. |
Joined him and rendered him some lit.
tie service IN the midst OF the press
ing crowd. He thanked me and told
me he was returning to America three
days later-that is To say, on the Goth,
the day after the crime. l talked with
him about Philadelphia. lie told mt
he had lived there for five and TWEEN
ty years and that 1t was there he had
met the illustrious Professor Stranger
son and his daughter. He drank a
great deal OF champagne. aud when I
left him he was very nearly drunk.
"Such were my experiences on that
evening. and ! leave You To imagine
what effect the news Of the attempted
murder OF Mile. Stangerson produced
on me-with what force those words
I%pronounced by N. Robert Darzac,
Must l commit a crime. then, to win
your required to me. 1t was not this
phrase, however, that | repeated To
him when we met here at Chandler,
The sentence OF the presbytery and the