Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-01-28

wounding the man with the first sho;
OF the revolver, she would doubtless
have escaped the blow with the bone
But she had certainly employed her re-
volver too late. The first shot devi-
ated and lodged in the ceiling. 1t was
the second only that took effect"
Having said this, NJ. Darzac knocked
at the door of the pavilion. | must
confess to feeling a strong impatience
to reach the spot where the crime had
been committed. 1t was some time be-
fore the door was opened by a man
whom | at once recognized as Daddy
! Jacques
He appeared to be we'll over sixty
| years of age. He had a long white
beard and white hair. on which he
wore nat Basque cap. He was dress
ed in complete suit of chestnut col
ored velveteen, worn at the sides; sa-
bots were on his feet. He had rather
a waspish looking face, the expression
of which lightened, however, as soon
as he saw NJ. Darzac.
Friends" said our guide. Nobody
In the pavilion. Daddy Jacques?
Il ought not to allow anybody to en-
ter, NJ. Robert, but of course the order
does not apply to you. These gentle
men Of justice have seen everything
there is to be seen and made enough
drawings and drawn up enough re-
ports
Excuse me, NJ. Jacques, one ques-
ton before anything else" said Roule-
tabille.
What is it, young MANI If l can
answer it,
did your mistress wear her hair in
bands that evening? You know what
l mean-over her forehead?"
mo, young man. My mistress never
wore her hair in the way you suggest.
neither on that day nor on any other.
She had her hair drawn up, as usual.
so that her beautiful forehead could be
seen, pure as that of an 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 key to open it.
Then we entered the vestibule, a small
well lit room paved with square red
tiles.
"Ah, this Is the window by which
the murderer escapedp said Roule-
tabille.
$50 they keep on saying, monsieur;
so they keep on saying. But If he had
gone off that 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 revolverr"
Rouletabille had already opened the
| window and was examining the shut
! ters.
Were these closed at the time of the
crime?
"And fastened with the iron catch
inside" said Daddy Jacques, "and
am quite sure that the murderer did
not get out that way"
Are there any blood stainsY
"Yes-on the stones outside-but
blood Of whatp
"Ah," said Rouletabille, "there are
footmarks visible on the path! The
ground was very moist. l will look
into that presently"
"Nonsensew said Daddy jacques.
"The murderer did not go that way"
(which way did he go, thenP
How do / knowT
Rouletabille looked at everything,
smelled everything. He went down on
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 1t is all dirty. Too many persons
have tramped over 1t. They wouldn't
let me wash 1t, but on the day of the
crime ! had washed the floor thor
oughly, and if the murderer had cross
ed 1t with his hobnailed boots l should
not have failed to see where he had
been. He has left marks enough In
mademoiselle's chamber"
| Rouletabille rose
when was the last time you washed
these tilesT he asked, and he fixed on
Daddy Jacques most searching look.
"Why-as l told you-on the day of
the crime, toward half past 5-while
mademoiselle and her father were TAX
Ing a little walk before dinner here In
this room. They dined in the labora-
| tory. The next day the examining
magistrate came and saw all the marks