The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-03-04
A dead silcncc followed NJ. Stanger

"Dld madcmoiSellc give you any eX-
PLANTATION did she tell you what her
motive was asked VI. IaX.
"She told me She was too old TO mar
~: that She had waited too long. She
said she had given much thought to
the matter. and while she had a great
esteem. even affection. for NJ. Darzac
she felt Il would be better il things
remained as they were"
THAT Is very strange" muttered NJ.
DaX.
Strange repeated NJ. de Marquet.
You'll certainly not find the mo-
tive there, VI. Dax." NJ. Stangerson
said, with Il cold smile.
In any case. the motive was not
theft said the chief impatiently.
ooh. We are quite convinced q
that exclaimed the examining magis
trate.
At that moment the door OF the lab
oratory opened. and the officer il
charge OF the gendarmes entered and
handed a card TO the examining magis-
trate. VI. de MarQuet read 1t and ut
tered n half angry exclamation.
This is really too much" he cried.
What is it?" asked the chief.
Its the card OF q young reporter
engaged on the EpoQue, a NJ. Joseph
Rouletabllle. IL has these words writ
ten on 1t. lone Of the motives OF the
crime WAS robbery"
The chief smiled.
"Ah. young Rouletabille. I've heard
Of him. He is considered rather clev-
er. Let him come in"
NJ. Joseph Rouletabille entered the
laboratory, bowed TO US and waited
for NJ. lie Marquet TO ask him to ex-
plain his presence.
"You pretend, monsieur, that you
know the motive for the crime and
that that motive-in the face Of all
the evidence that has been forthcom.
ing-was robbery|'
NO, monsieur: | do not pretend that.
I do not say hat robbery was the mo
tive for the crime. and don't believe
II was"
"Then what is the meaning Of this
cardf'
1T means that robbery was one OF
the motives for the crime"
"Nha leads you 10 think that
III you will be good enough to &C
company me | will show you"
The young man asked us TO follow
him into tho vestibule. and we did. He
led us toward the lavatory and begged
NJ. de M%arquet to kneel beside him.
This l%avatory is lit by the glass door.
and when the door was open the light
which penetrated was sufficient To
light II perfectly. VI. de Marquet and
VI. Joseph i~,ouictabille knelt down on
the threshold, and the young man
pointed 10 a spot on the pavement.
The stones Of the lavatory have not
been washed by Daddy Jacques for
some time" he said. That can he
seen by the layer 81 dust that covers
them. Now notice here the marks Of
two large footprints and the black ash
they left where they have been. That
ash Is nothing else than the charcoal
dust that covers the path along which
YOU u pass through the forest IN
order 70 get directly from Epinay to
the Chandler. You know there Is a
little village II charcoal burners az
that place who make large quantities
Of charcoal. What the murderer did
was 70 come here at midday. when
there was nobody at the pavilion. and
attempt his robbery"
But what robbery: Where do you
see any signs ~ robbery? What proves
to you that a robbery has been con.
mitted:" We all cried at once
What put me on the trace OF It.
continued the journalist.
Was this" interrupted NJ. de Mar
quet. still! on his knees.
Evidently" said Rouletabille.
And NJ. lie Marquet explained that
there We're On The dust Of the pave
ment marks Of two footsteps as well
as the impression. freshly made, Of a
heavy rectangular parcel. the marks
Of the cord With which II had been
fastened being easily distinguished.
You have been here. then. NJ. Rou-
ietabiilc? | thought ! had given or
NtlS " iftNha JdNIa'N' II NdS iN4N
In charge Of the pavilion. not to allow
anybody TO enter"
Don't scold Daddy Jacques. Icame
here with VI. Robert DarZac."
".Ah. indeed" exclaimed NJ. de Mar
quet dlsagrceably. casting a side
glance at Nj. Darzac. who remained
perfectly silent.
when ! saw the mark Of the parcel
by the side Of the footprints l had no
doubt as to the robbery" replied NJ.
Rouletabille. The thief had not
brought a parcel with him. He had
made one here-a parcel with the
stolen objects 10 doubt-and he put II
In this corner. intending to take Il
away when the moment came for him
to make his escape. He had also
placed his heavy boots beside the par.
eel, for, see, there are no marks Of
steps leading to the marks left by the
boots, which were placed side by side.
That accounts for the fact that the
murderer left no trace Of his steps
when he fed from the yellow room.
nor any In the laboratory, nor in the
vestibule. After entering the yellow
room In his boots he took them Oh.
| finding them Troublesome mr. hocaura