The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-01-21

cO tAAt Z
seen, pure as that Of III unborn child.
Rouletabille grunted and set to work
examining the door. finding that 1t fas-
tened itself automatically. He salts
fed himself that 1t could never remain
open and needed n key to open II.
Then we entered the NeStibule, a small,
well lit room paved with square red
tiles.
"Ab. this is The window by which
the murderer escaped" aid Roule-
tabille.
$50 they keep on saying, monsieur;
SO they keep on saying. But If he had
gone off tina way we should have been
sure to have seen him. We are not
blind. neither NJ. Stangerson nor ! nor
the concierges who are in prison. Why
have they not put me in prison, too, on
account Of my r%evolver:'
Rouletabille had already opened the
window aud was examining the shut
tiers.
Were these closed at the time of the
crime
And fastened with the iron catch
inside" said Daddy Jacques, land l
am quite sure that the murderer did
not get out that way"
Are there any blood s~tains:'
"Yes-on the stones outside-but
blood of What?'
All" said RouIetabille, there are
footmarks visible on the path. The
ground was very moist. l will look
into that presently"
NONSENSE said Daddy Jacques.
1.-The murderer did not go that way"
(which way did he go, them"
"How do i know"
Rouletabille looked at everything,
smelled everything. He went down OF
his knees and rapidly examined every
one Of the paving tiles. Daddy jacques
went on:
"Ah, you can't find anything, mon.
sieur. Nothing has been found. And
now it Is all dirty. Too many persons
have tramped ove It. They wouldn't
let me wash il. but CT the day IF tn
crime | had washed the floor thor
oughly, and if the murderer had cross
ed 1t with his hobnailed boots should
not have failed to SEQ where he had
been. He has left marks enough :"
madcmoisclle's chamber"
Roufetabillc rose.
when was the last time you washed
these tiles:' he asked. and he fixed ou
Daddy Jacques a most searching look.
"Why-aS | told you-on the day of
the crime, toward half past 5-Whi'"
mademoiscllc ard her father were tai;
ing n little walk before dinner here /.
this room. They dinod in the lahorl-
tory. The next day the eXamjuiu-
magistrate came and saw all the marks
there were on the floor as plainly as !
I they had been made with ink on w!it.
paper. Well. neither in the laboratory
nor in the ycStibulo. which were boz.
as clean as Il new pin. were there any
traces Of Il mans footmarkS. Sine"
they have been found near this win
dow outside. he must have made his
way through the ceiling Of the yellow
room into the attic. then cut his WY
through the roof and dropped to IL"
ground outside the vestibule window.
But there's no hole. neither in the cell
Ing Of the yellow room nor In the rouf
OF my attic: that's absolutely certain
SO, you see. We know nothinG-nOth-
ing. And nothing will ever be known,
It's q mystery Of the devils own max.
ing"
I Rouletabille went down upon his
knees again almost in front Of a small
lavatory at the back Of the vestibule
In that position he remained for about
a minute.
"Wcll:' 7 asked him when he gpt
up.
"Oh, nothing very important. \ drcp
Of blood he replied. turning toward
Daddy Jacques as lie spoke. while
you were washing fhc laboratory and
this vestibU!" was the vestibulc WIN.
dow opcn:" lc asked.
"No. monsieur. L was closed. Bat
after 1 had done washing the aoor !
1t some charcoal for monsieur In tn
laboratory furnace. and - 1t II
with Old newspapers II smoked. 50 |
oItltit bbt.l lllc IEitDNS II tAN ilBO-
ratCry and this II to make 4 current
OF air, Then | shut those n the labo.
ratory AID left this one open when !
went out. When ! returned e The
pavilion this window had been closed
and monsieur and mademoiSelle worh
already at work In the laboratory
M. or Mile. Stancerson had no
doubt shut it:"
mo doubt"
You did not ask thcm?"
NO"
} After a close scrutiny Of the little
lavatory and Of the staircase leading
up to the attic RouletaMlle-to whom
we seemed no longer to ~exist-entered
laboratory. | followed him.
was, I confess. In a state Of great ex.
citement. Robert Darzac lost none Of
my friends movements. AS for me
my eyes were drawn at once to the
door Of the yellow room. II was closed
and. as I Immediately saw, partially
shattered and out of commission.
Ny friend, who went abou his work
methodically. silently studied the room