Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-04
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Act Of Mile. Stan6esssn.
Il" q YnOU remember me. monsieur?'
XI asked Rouletnbillc. TIL,
American extended his IN nd

IX asked Rouletnbillc. TIL,
American extended his hand
~ and Rouletabillc. relaxing hi.
frOwn. shook It and introduced Mr.
Arthur Rance to me. He invited hin
to share our meal.
mo. thanks. I breakfasted with NJ
Stangerson."
Arthur Rance spoke French perfect
| ~. almost without an accent.
| II did not expect to have the pleas
ure OF seeing you again. monsieur.
thought you were to have left France
the day after the reception at the
Elysee."
| Roulctabille and I, outwardly indif
ferent, listened most intently for every
word the American would say.
The mans purplish red face. hi.
heavy eyelids. the nervous twitchings
all spoke Of his addiction to drink
How came It that 80 sorry a specimen
Of man should be so intimate Will
NJ. Stnngerson?
| Some days later learned from Fred
eric Larsan-who. like ourselves. wa.
surprised and mystifed by Rance.
appearance nnd reception ut the cha
teau-that Mr.. Rance had been an I'm
ebriate for about fifteen years only
that 1t is to say. since the professor
and his daughter left Philadelphia
During the time the StanEersons lived
In America they were very intimate
with Arthur Rance. who was one OF
the most distinguished phrcnologists Of
the new world. Owing to new expert
ments he had made enormous strides
beyond the science Of Gall and Lava
ter. The friendliness with which he
was received at the Chandler may be
cxpiaineu py the ract that he had rem.
dered Mile. Stangerson n great service
by stopping. at the peril Of his own
life. the runaway horses Of her car
riage. The immediate result Of that
could. however. have been no more
than a mere friendly association with
the Stangcrsons, certainly not 4 love
affair.
Frederic Larsan did not tell mo
where he had picked up this informa.
:ion but he appeared to be quite sure
81 what he said.
The American must have been at
least forty-fve years old. He spoke in
a perfectly natural tone in reply to
Rouletabille's question.
ut put on my return to America
when I heard Of the attack on Mile.
Stangerson. wanted to be certain
the lady had not been killed, and I
shall not go away until she is perfectly
recovered"
Like Larsan. Rance thought that
Robert Darzac had something to do
with the matter. He did not mention
him by name. but there was no room to
doubt whom he meant He told us he
was aware Of the efforts young Roule-
tabille was making to unravel the
tangled skein Of the yellow room mys-
terry. He explained that NJ. Stanger.
son had related to him all that had
taken place in the inexplicable gallery.
He several times expressed his regret
at NJ. Darzac's absence from the cha
teau on all these occasions and thought
that n. Darzac had done cleverly in
allying himself with NJ. Joseph Roule-
later to discover the murderer. He
spoke the last sentence with uncon-
cealed irony. Then he rose, bowed to
us and left the inn.
Rouietabille watched him through
the window.
AN odd fish, that" he said.
do you think he'll! pass the night at
the Glandier" asked.
To my amazement the young report
err answered that 1t was a matter Of
entire Indifference to him whether he
did or not
AS to how We spent our time during
the afternoon. all need say Is that
Rouletabile led me to the grotto Of
Sainte Genevieve and all the time
talked OF every subject but the one
with which we were most interested.
Toward evening was surprised to
find Rouletnbillc making none Of the
preparations l had expected him to
make. / spoke to him about 1t when
night had come on and we were once
more in his room. He replied that all
his arrangements had already been
made. aud this time the murderer
would not get away from him.
expressed some doubt on this, re-
Winding him Of his disappearance in
the gallery, and suggested that the
same phenomenon might occur again.
He answered that he hoped 1t would.
He desired nothing more. I did not
insist. knowing by experience how use
less that would have been. He told
me that. with the help Of the con-
cierges, the chateau had since early
dawn been watched in such n way
that nobody could approach II without
his knowing It and that he had no con.
Germ for those who might have left II
and remained without.
1t was then G o'clock by his watch.
Rising, he made sign to me to follow
him, and. without In the least trying
to conceal his movements or the sound
of his footsteps, he led me through the
gallery. We reached the right" gal.
lery and came to the landing place,
which We crossed. We then continued
our way IN The gallery Of the left wing.
passing Professor Stangerson's apart
ment.
At the far end Of the gallery, before
coming to the donjon. is the room &C.
cupied by Arthur Rance, We knew
that. because we had seen him at the
window looking on to the court. The
door Of the room opens on to the end
OF the gallery. exactly facing the east