The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-01-09
CHAPTER l.
In Which We Begin Not to
Understand.

caused so much ink to flow?
On the 25th Of October, 1892,
the following note appeared in the lat
est edition Of the Temps:
"a frightful crime has been commit
ted at the Chateau du Chandler, on the
border Of the forest of Sainte Gene
We've, above Epinay-sur-Orge, at the
house Of Professor Stangerson. In the
night, while the master was working
in his laboratory, an attempt was made
to assassinate Mile. Stangerson, who
was sleeping in the yellow room,'
chamber adjoining this laboratory.
The doctors do not answer for the life
of Mile. Stangerson."
The impression made on Paris by
this news may be easily imagined. AL
ready at that time the learned world
was deeply interested In the labors OF
Professor Stangerson and his daugh-
ter. These labors-the first that were
attempted in radiography-served to
open the way for NJ. and Nine. Curie
to the discovery of radium. 1t was
expected the professor would shortly
read to the Academy of Sciences SEN
sational paper on his new theory, the
dissertation Of matter, theory des-
tined to overthrow from its base the
whole Of official science, which basel
itself on the principle Of the conserya-
tion Of energy.
On the following day the newspapers
were full of the tragedy. The Matin
,,ubl;sboJ tbo foIlawipn, article nntitla1
"A Supernatural Crime"
'These are the only Details" wrote
the anonymous writer in the Natin.
1--WE have been able to obtain concern
ing the crime of the Chateau du Clan
dier. The state of despair in which
Professor Stangerson is plunged and
the impossibility Of getting any infor-
nation from the lips Of the victim
have rendered our investigations and
those of justice so difficult that at
present we cannot form the least idea
of what has passed in the yellow room
in which Mile Stangerson, in her night
dress, was found lying on the floor In
the agonies Of death. We have at least
been able to interview Daddy jacques,
as he is called in the country, an old
servant In the Stangerson family.
Daddy Jacques entered the yellow
room at the same time as the profess
sor. This chamber adjoins the labo-
ratory. Laboratory and yellow room
are IN a pavilion at the end of the
park, about thousand feet from the
chateau.
"'It was half past IL at night this
honest old man told us, 'and l was In
the laboratory, where NJ. Stangerson
was still working, when the thing hap
pened. / had been cleaning and put
ting instruments in order all the even
ing and was waiting for NJ, Stangarson
to 60 to bed Mile. Stapgerson had
worked with her father up to midnight
When the twelve strokes OF midnight
had been sounded by the cuckoo clock
in the laboratory she rose. kissed NJ
Stangerson and bade him good night
To me she said Good night, Daddy
Jacques. as she passed into the vel
low room. We heard her lock the
door and shoot the bolt, so that
could not help laughing and said tc
monsieur: There's mademoiselle dou
bic locking herself in. She must be
afraid of "the Bette du Bon Dieu."
monsieur did not even hear me. hi
was so deeply absorbed in what ht
was doing. Just then we heard the
distant miawing Of cat. us tha'
going to keep us awake all night?"
said to myself, for 1 must tell you
monsieur, that, to the end of October
live in an attic of the pavilion ovel
the yellow room. so that mademoisclit
should not be left alone through the
night in the lonely park, 1t was th'
fancy of mademoiselle TO spend tbs
1ne weather IN the pavilion. No doub
she found IT more cheerful than th'
chateau and. for the four years 1t hat
been built, she had never failed t.
take up her lodging there In the spring
With the return of winter mademoi
selle returns to the chateau. for Their
is no fireplace in the yellow room.
ave were staring In the pavil