Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-21

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Rance had had tea served him IN his
room because he had complained Of
slight indisposition.
Bernief testified, instructed by Roule
tnbille. that the keeper had ordered
him to meet him at a spot near the oak
grove for the purpose Of looking out
FOR poachers. Finding that the keeper
did not keep his appointment, be. Ber-
nler. had gone in search Of him. lie
had almost arrived at the donjon when
he saw a figure running swiftly IN a
direction opposite to him, toward the
right wing Of the chateau. He heard
revolver shots from behind the hg'sre
and saw Rouletabille at one Of the gal
lery windows. He heard ROuletabille
call out to him to fire, and he had fred.
He believed he had killed the man I'M
til he learned. after Rouletabille had
uncovered the body, that the man had
died from a knife thrust. Who had
given it he could not imagine. Nobody
could have been near the spot without
my seeing him." When the examining
magistrate reminded him that the spot
where the body was found was very
dark and that he himself had not been
able to recognize the keeper before
firing, Daddy Bernier replied that nei-
Their had they seen the other body. nor
had they found It. In the narrow
court, where Eve people were standing,
It would have been strange II the
other body, had It been there, could
have escaped The only door that
opened into the court was that Of the
keepers room, and that door was clos
ed, and the key of It was found in the
keepers pocket.
However that might be. the examin
ing magistrate did not pursue his in
curry further In this direction. He
was evidently convinced that we had
missed the man we were chasing and
we had come upon the keepers body
In our chase. This matter Of the keep
er was anether matter entirely. He
wanted to satisfy himself about that
without any further delay. Probably
It chimed in with the conclusions he
had already arrived at as to the keeper
and his intrigues with the wife Of
Matthew, the landlord of the Donjon
inn. This Matthew later in the after
noon was arrested and taken to Cor
bell in spite of his rheumatism. he
had been heard to threaten the keeper,
and, though no evidence against him
had been found at his inn, the evil
dence of carriers, who had heard the
threats, was enough to Justify his re-
tention.
The examination had proceeded thus
far when, to our surprise, Frederic
Larsan returned to the chateau. He
was accompanied by one of the en-
ployees of the railway. At that mo-
ment Rance and l were in the vesti-
bule discussing Matthews guilt or in
nocence, while Rouletabille stood
apart buried apparently in thought.
The examining magistrate and his reg
istrar were in the little green drawing
room. while Darzac was with the doc
tor and Stangerson in the lady's cham
Der. AS Frederic Larsan eRtered the
vestibule with the railway employee
Rouletabille and l at once recognized
him by the small blond beard. We ex-
changed meaning glances, Larsan had
himself announced to the examining
magistrate by the gendarme and en-
tered with the railway servant as Dad
DIV Jacques came out. Some ten min
utes went by, during which Rouleta-
billie appeared extremely impatient.
The door Of the drawing room was
then opened. and we heard the magis-
trate calling to the gendarme, who en-
tered. Presently he came out mount
ed the stairs and, coming back short
w. went in to the magistrate and said:
Monsieur, NJ. Robert Darzac VIII
not conner
"Whatl Not comet" cried NJ. de Mar
quet.
"He says he cannot leave Nile. stan
gerson in her present state"
every we'll" said NJ. &c Marquet
"Then Wen go to him."
M. de Marquet and the gendarmes
mounted the stairs. He made a sign to
Larsan and the railway employee to
follow. Rouletabille and went along
too.
On reaching the door of Mile Stan
gersons chamber NJ. de Marquet
Knocked. A chambermaid appeared 1t
was Sylvia, with her hair all In disor-
der and CONSERVATION showing on her
face
as NJ. stangerson within" asked the
magistrate.
Eyes, monsieur
"Tell him that / wish to speak with
him"
Stangerson came out. His appear
ance was wretched in the extreme.
"What do you wantY he demanded
of the magistrate MAY | not be left
in peace, monsieur
Monsieur" said the magistrate 1T
Is absolutely necessary that should
see NJ. Darzac at once. If YOU cannot
induce him to come shall be COM
pelled to use the help of the law
The professor made no reply. He
D Ha..aHt Ia n