Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-02-18
The Mystery of
The Yellow Room
HAI>O0-N
COPYRIGHT, 1908,
BY BRENTANO'S

l us ups.
While search is being made for the
criminal we had better try to find out
the motive for the crime. That will
advance us little," he said. Turning
toward NJ. Stangerson, he continued
In the even, intelligent tone indicative
of a strong character, 'T understand
that mademoiselle was shortly to have
been marrled?"
The professor looked sadly at NJ.
Robert DarZac.
with my friend here, whom 1
should have been happy to call my son
with NJ. Robert Darzac"
Mile. Stangerson is much better
and is rapidly recovering from her
wounds. The marriage is simply de-
layed, is it not, monsieur?" insisted
the chief of police.
81 hope So"
What! Is there any doubt about
thatT
NJ. Stangerson did not answer NJ
Robert DarZac seemed agitated. | saw
that his hand trembled as it fingered
bis watch chain. NJ. Dax coughed, as
did NJ. de Marquet. Both were evi-
IDENTIFY embarrassed.
"You understand. NJ Stangerson," he
said, that in an affair so perplexing as
this we cannot neglect anything. We
must know all, even the smallest and
seemingly most futile thing concern
Ing the victim. information apparently
| tho In a.
doubt that this marriage will take
place? You expressed a hope, but the
hope implies a doubt Why do you
doubt?"
M. Stangerson made a visible effort
to recover himself.
Eyes, monsieur" he said at length.
'sYou are right. 1t will be best that
you should know something which If ]
concealed 1t might appear to be Of i'm
portance. M. Darzac agrees with me
In this"
M. Darzac, whose pallor at that mo,
ment seemed to me to be altogether
abnormal, made sign of assent.
gathered he was unable to speak
| II want you to know, then" contin-
ued M. Stangerson, that my daughter
has sworn never to leave me and ad-
heres firmly to her oath In spite of all
my prayers and all that have argued
| to induce her to marry. We have
known NJ. Robert Darzac many years.
| He loves my child and ! believed that
she loved him, because she only re-
Gently consented to this marriage,
which l desire with all my heart. /
| am an old man, monsieur, and it was
happy hour to me when knew that
after / had gone she would have at
her side one who loved her and who
would help her in continuing our COM
mon labors. love and esteem NJ
Darzac both for his greatness of heart
and for his devotion to science. But
| two days before the tragedy, for
know not what reason, my daughter
declared to me that she would never
marry M. Darzac."
A dead silence followed M. Stanger-
sons words. 1t was moment fraught
with suspense.
| did mademoiselle give you any ex-
| planation-did she tell you what her
motive was?" asked NJ. Dax.
"She told me she was too old to mar.
ry; that she had waited too long. She
said she had given much thought to
the matter, and while she had q great
esteem, even affection, for NJ. Darzac
she felt it would be better If things
remained as they were"
"That is very strange" muttered NJ.
Dax.
Strange" repeated NJ. de Marquet.
"You'll certainly not find the mo-
tive there, M. Dax," NJ. Stangerson
said, with cold smile.
"In any case, the motive was not
theft" said the chief impatiently.
"Oh, we are quite convinced OF
that" exclaimed the examining magis
trate.
At that moment the door Of the lab.
oratory opened, and the officer in
charge Of the gendarmes entered and
handed a card to the examining magis.
trate. M. de Marquet read it and ut.
tered half angry exclamation.
''This is really too muchw he cried.
"What is it% asked the chief.
"It's the card Of young reporter
engaged on the Epoque, NJ. Joseph
Rouletabille. 1t has these words writ
ten on 1t, Zone of the motives of the
crime was robbery"
The chief smiled.
"Ah, young Rouletabille! I've heard
Of him. He is considered rather clev.
er. Let him come in"
M. Joseph Rouletabille entered the
laboratory, bowed to US and waited
for NJ. de Marquet to ask him to ex
plain his presence.
You pretend, monsieur, that you
know the motive for the crime and
that that motive-in the face of all
the evidence that has been forthcom
ing-was robberyT
"No, monsieur; do not pretend that
I do not say that robbery was the mo
tive for the crime, and don't believe
it was"
''Then what is the meaning of this
cardT
"It means that robbery was one OF