The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-05-20


Mile. Stangerson in the pavilion thar
he would have been in the middle o
the night, with Daddy Jacques sleep
ing In the attic. So he shut the yesti
bule window. That explains VIII,
neither NJ. ~Stangerson nor the keeper
who were at some distance from thu
pavilion, had heard the revolver shot.
"Then be went back 10 the yellow
room. Mile. Stangerson came In. What
passed must have taken place very
quickly. Mademoiselle tried to call fol
help, but the man had seized her by
the throat. Her hand had sought and
grasped the revolver which she had
been keeping In the drawer Of her
night table, since she had come TO fear
the threats OF her pursuer. The muir
derer was about to strike her on the
head with the mutton bone, n terrible
weapon In the hands Of n Larsan or
Ballmeye-. but she fred in time, and
the shot wounded the hand that held
the weapon. The bone fell to the floor
covered with the blood OF the murder
er, who staggered, clutched at the wall
for support, imprinting on 1t the red
marks, and. fearing another bullet.
fed.
"She saw him pass through the labo-
ratory and listened. He was long at
the window. At length he jumped
from 1t. She few TO 1t and shut 1t.
The danger past. all her thoughts were
Of her father. Had he either seen or
heard? At any cost to herself she
must keep this from him. Thus when
NJ. Stangerson returned he found the
door Of the yellow room closed and his
daughter In the laboratory bending
over her desk ut work.
Turning toward NJ. Darzac, Rouleta-
bile cried:
you know the truth. Tell us, then,
If that Is not how things happened"
II don't know anything about It," re-
piled NJ. Darzac.
Il admire you for your silence" said
Rouletabille, 'but If Mile. Stangerson
knew Of your danger she would release
you from your oath. She would beg
Of you to tell all she has confided to
you. She would be here to defend
yOu.'
NJ. DarZac made no movement nor
bile sadly.
However" said the young report
or, ''since mademoiSelle is not here l
must do 1t myself. But, believe me,
NJ. Darzac, the only means to save
Mile. StangerSon and restore her to
her reason is to secure your acquittal.'
What is this secret motive that
compels Mile. Stangerson to hide her
knowledge from her father!' asked
the president.
That, monsieur, l do not know
said Rouletabille. ut is no business
of mine"
The president, turning to Nj. Darzac,
e~ndeavored to induce him to tell what
he knew.
ID you still refuse. monsieur, to tell
us how you employed your time during
The attempts on the life Of Mile. Stan
g~erson?"
II cannot tell you anything, mon
sieur.'
The president turned to Rouletabille
as If appealing for an explanation.
1--WE must assume, NJ. President, that
NJ. Robert Darzac's absences are close
ly connected with Mile. Stangerson's
secret and that NJ. Darzac feels him
1t may be that Larsan, who since his
three attempts has had everything in
training TO cast suspicion on NJ. Oar
FAC, had fixed on just those occasions
for a meeting with NJ. Darzac at a
spot most compromising. Larsan is
cunning enough to have done that"
The president seemed partly con-
WINGED; but, still curious, he asked:
but what is this secret of Mile.
Stangerson?"
That l cannot tell you" said Roule-
tabille. II think. however, you know
enough now TO acquit NJ. Robert Oar
FAC, unless Larsan should return. and
don't think he will" he added, with a
laugh.
Zone question more.' said the prcsI-
dent. Admitting your explanation.
we know that Larsan wished to turn
suspicion on NJ. Robert Darzac, but
why should he throw suspicion on
Daddy Jacques also2"
There came in the professional de
~tective, monsieur. who proves himself
an u%nraveler Of mysteries. by annihi-
lating the very proofs he had accurnu-
lated. He's a very cunning man. and
a similar trick had often enabled him
to turn suspicion from himself. He
proved the innocence OF one before ae.
cusing the other. You can easily be
lieve, monsieur. that so complicated q
scheme as this must have been long
and carefully thought out in advance
by Larsan. He found the opportunity
to rob Daddy Jacques OF a pair Of ia
boots and a CASTOR Basque cap. which
the servant had tied up IN a haadker.
chief with the intention Of carrying
them to a friend, a charcoal burner ON
the road to Epinay. When The crime
was discovered DADDY Jacques had
Immediately recognized these objects
a. his. They were extremely com
DrOmfRing which expsagpc III. Ss~x-~.~