The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-04-17

to return TO Nile Stangersons room.
1t was very dangerous thing to do.
He risked being captured, and he knew
1t. And he was very nearly captured.
He had not had time to regain his
post, as he had certainly hoped to do.
He had, then, very strong reason for
returning to his room. AS for myself,
when sent Daddy Jacques to the end
of the right gallery l naturally
thought that Larsan was still at his
post. Daddy Jacques in going to his
post had not looked when he passed
to see whether Larsan was at his post
or not.
What. then, was the urgent reason
which had compelled Larsan to go to
the room secunu time! guessed II
to be some evidence of his presence
there. He had left something very
important in that room. What was it?
And had he recovered it? l begged
Nine. Bernier, who was accustomed to
clean the room. to look, and she found
a pair of eyeglasses-this pair, NJ.
Presidentw
And Rouletabille drew the eyeglasses,
of which we know, from his pocket.
When ! saw these eyeglasses" he
continued, 81 was utterly nonplused.
| had never seen Larsan wear eye.
glasses. What did they mean? Sud
denly | exclaimed to myself. 4 wonder
If he is long sighted! l had never seen
Larsan write. He might then be long
sighted. The police would certainly
know and also know If the glasses
were his. Such evidence would be
damning. That explained Larsans re-
turn. know now that Larsan or
Ballmeyer is long sighted and that
these glasses belonged to him.
Il now made one mistake. | was not
satisfied with the evidence ! had OBJ
tanned. i wished to see the mans
face. Had | refrained from this the
second terrible attack would not have
occurred"
But" asked the president, "why
should Larsan go to Mile. Stangerson's
room at all? Why should be twice at
tempt to murder her.?
because he loves her, Nj. President"
"That is certainly reason, but
at is the only reason. He was mad
ly In love, and because of that and
other things he was capable of COM
nitting any crime"
"Did Mile. Stangerson know this?"
"Yes, monsieur. but she was ignorant
OF the fact that the man who was pur-
suing her was Frederic Larsan: other
wise, of course, he would not have
been allowed to be at the chateau. !
noticed when he was in her room aft
er the incident in the gallery that he
kept himself in the shadow and that he
kept his head bent down. He was
looking for the lost eyeglasses. Mile.
Stangerson knew Larsan under anoth-
er name"
m. Darzac," asked the president,
did Milo. Stangerson in any way con-
fide In you on this matter? How is It
that she has never spoken about 1t to
any one? II you are innocent. she
would have wished to spare You the
pain of being accused"
mile. StaDgerson told me nothing"
replied NJ. Darzac.
"Does what this young man say Gp-
pear probable to you?" the president
asked.
mile. Stangerson has told me moth
Ing" he replied stolidly.
How do you explain that on the
night of the murder Of the keeper"
the president asked, turning to Roule-
tabille. ''the murderer brought back the
papers stolen from NJ. Stangersoni
How do you explain how the murderer
gained entrance into Mile. Stangerson s
locked roomT"
'"The last question Is easily answer
ed. man like Larsan or Ballmeycr
could have had made duplicate keys
AS to the documents. | think Larsan
had not intended to steal them nj first
Closely watching mademoiselle with
the purpose Of preventing her mar
riage with NJ. Robert Darzac. he ono
day followed her and monsieur into
the department store. There he got
possession of the reticule which she
lost or left behind. In that retlculc
was key with brass head. He did
not know there was any value attach
cd to the key till the advertisement II
the newspapers revealed II. He ther
wrote TO mademoiselle. as the adver
tisement requested. No doubt he ask
ed for meeting. making known to hel
that he was also the person who hat
for some time pursued her with hi