Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-21
CHAPTER XIV.
ROvletabiIle Knows the Two Halves
Of the Murderer.
IcoNrrNUED.l

HNWNN lot tne SeGOnu tlue dlulVSt
murdered Unfortunately she
was in too weak state to bear
Nhe seyerer injuries Of this second at
tack as well as she had those Of the
first She had received three wounds
IN the breast from the murderer's
knife, and she lay long between life
and death. Her stirling physique, how
ever, saved her; but. though she recov-
cred physically, it was found that her
mind had been affected The slightest
aIlusion to the terrible incident sent
her into delirium, aud the arrest of
Robert Darzac which followed on the
day following the tragic death Of the
keeper seemed to sink her fine intelli-
gence into complete melancholia.
Robert Darzac arrived at the chateau
toward half past g. I saw him hurry
ing through the park his hair and
clothes in disorder and his face dead
~ white Rouletabille and l were look
ing out of a window in the gallery.
He saw us and gave a despairlng cry.
'I'm too late"
RouletabiHe answered, "She lives~
A minute later Darzac had gone into
Adlle. Stangerson's room, and through
the door we could hear his hearuend-
Eng sobs.
''There's a fate about this placer
grOaned Rouletabille. "Some internal
gods must be watching over the mis-
fortunes Of this family If had not
been drugged l would have saved
Mile Stangerson. \ l should have 81
fenced him forever. And the keeper
would not have been killed'
M. Darzac came in to speak with us.
His distress was terrible. Rouleta-
billie told him everything prepara-
tions for Mile. Stangers0n's safety, his
plans for either capturing or for dis
posing Of the assailant forever and
how he would have succeeded had it
not been for the drugging.
"If only you had trusted me!' said
the young man in a low tone. IF you
had but begged Mile. Stangerson to
confde in me! But then, everybody
here distrusts everybody else. The
daughter distrusts her father and even
her lover. While you ask me to pro-
tect her, she is doing all she can TO
Illustrate me. That was why ] came
on the scene too later
At M. Robert Darzac's request Roule-
tabille described the whole scene.
Leaning on the wall to prevent him
self from falling, he had made his way
to Mile. Stangerson's room, while we
were running after the supposed muir
derer The anteroom door was open,
and when he entered he found Mile.
StangersOn lying partly thrown over
the desk Her dressing gown was
dyed with the blood flowing from her
bosom. Still under the influence Of
the drug, he felt he was walking in a
horrible nightmare.
He went back to the gallery auto
matically, opened a window, shouted
his order to fire and then returned TO
the room. He crossed the deserted
boudoir. entered the drawing room and
tried to rouse NJ. Stangerson, who was
lying on sofa. NJ. Stangerson rose
stupidly and let himself be drawn by
Rouletabile into the room, where, on
seeing his daughters body he uttered
a heartrending cry. Both united their
feeble strength and carried her to her
bed
On his way TO rejoin us Rouletabille
passed by the desk. On the floor near
it, he saw a large packet lie lcnelt
down, and, finding the wrapper loose,
he examined it and made out an cnor-
nous quantity Of papers and photo
graphs. On one Of the papers he read
New differential electroscopic con-
denser Fundamental properties of sub
stance intermediary between ponder
able matter and imponderable ether"
Strange irony of fate that the profess
Ors precious papers should be restored
TO him at the very time when an at
tempt was being made to deprive him
of his daughters life What are pa
pers worth to him now?
The morning following that awful
night saw NJ. de MarQuet once more at
the chateau with his registrar and gem
darmes. or course we were all ques-
toned. Rouletabille and / had already
agreed on what to say. kept back
any information as to my being In the
dark closet and said nothing about the
drugglng. We did not wish 20 suggest
in any way that Mile, Stangerson had
been expecting her nocturnal visitor.
Arthur Rance told everybody In a
manner so natural that IL astonished
me that he had last seen the keeper
toward II O'Clock OF that fatal night.
He had come for his vallse. he said,
which be was 70 take for him early
next morning 10 the St Michel station,
and had been kept out fate running
after poachers. Arthur Rance had, IN
deed, intended TO leave the chateau
ana according 10 his habit. to walk to
the stction.
NJ. Stangerson confirmed what Rance
a ell .TlIr~o thar he had not asked