The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-04-15


this is all he wonld tell me. His antici.
patton Of coming danger had come to
him solely from tbs coincidence hat
Nile. StangersDn had been twice at
tacked, and both times when he had
beeA absent. Now a man 90 moved
who aheuid still 70 away must be act
ing under compulsioD-must be obey.
ing q wM stronger than his own. That
was how I reasoned. and I told him SO.
He replied Perhaps I asked him II
Mule. Sfaagerson vas compelling him.
He protested that she was not His de-
termination to 60 TO Paris had been
taken without any conference with
Nile. stangerson.
ITO cut the story short, he repeated
hat his belief in the possibility OF a
fresh attack was founded entirely on
the extraordinary coincidence. II any
thing happens to Mile. Stangerson.' he
said, 1T would be terrible for both Of
us-for her, because her life would be
In danger; for me. because could mel
Their defend her from the attack no"
tell of where | had been. | am perfect
ly aware OF the suspicious cast on me
The examining magistrate and NJ. Lar
san are both on the point Of believing
In my guilt. Larsan tracked me the
last time l went to Paris, and | had all
the trouble in the world to get rid Of
him.
why do you not tell me the name
Of the murderer now II you know IT,
| cried.
M. Darzac appeared extremely trou-
bled by my question and replied to me
In a hesitating tone:
"I2 | know the name of the muir.
derer? Why, how could I know his
namsi'
II at once replied, From Mile. Stan
gerson.'
HE grew SO pale that l thought he
was about to faint, and l saw that |
had hit the right nail on the head.
Mademoiselle and he knew the name
Of the murderer! When he recovered
himself, he said to me: I Am going to
leave you. Since you have been here
| have appreciated your exceptional in.
teligence and your uneQualed inge-
nuity. But | ask this service OF you.
Perhaps ] an wrong to fear an attack
during the coming night. but as !
must act with foresight | count on you
10 Illustrate any attempt that may be
made
Have you spoken Of all this to NJ
Stangerson?'
mo. | do not wish him to ask me.
as you just now did, for the name OF
the murderer. | tell you all this, NJ.
Rouletabille, because | have great.
very great, confidence In you. 1 know
that you do not suspect me-
The poor man spoke In jerks. lie
was evidently suffering. | pitied him,
the more because | felt sure that he
would rather allow himself to be kill
ed than tell me who the murderer was.
AS for Mile. Stangerson. | felt that
she would rather allow herself to be
murdered than denounce the man Of
the yellow room and Of the inexplica-
bic gallery. The man must be domi-
mating her or both 10y some inScruta-
bic power They were dreading moth.
ing so much as the chance Of NJ. Stan.
nrson knowing that his daughter was
held 10y her assailant. made Nj.
Darzac understand that he had ex-
planned himself sufficiently and that
he might refrain from telling me any
more than he had already told me. l
promised him to watch through the
night. He insisted that | should es-
tablish an absolutely impossible bar.
rier about Mile. Stangerson's cham.
Der, around the boudoir where the
nurses were sleeping and around the
dra wing room where since the affair
OF the incxplicahle gallery NJ. Stanger-
son had slept. In short, ] was to put
a Gordon round the whole apartment.
From his insistcnce | gathered that
Nj. Darzac intended not only to make
1t impossible for the expected man TO
reach the chamber Of Mile. Stauger-
son. but to make that impossibility so
yisibly clear that. seeing himself ex.
pected. he would at ono go away.
That was how J interpreted his hnal
words when we parted. You may men
ton your own suspicious Of the expect
ed attack to NJ. Stangerson. to Daddy
Jacques. to Frederic Larsan and to
anybody In the chateau
"When he was gone ] began to think
that | should have to use even a great
er cunning than his 10 that II the man
should come that night he might not
for a momen suspect that his coming
had been expected. certainly!
would allow him to get In far enough.
30 that. dead or alive. I might zee his
face clearly. He must be got rid OF.
Mile. Stangerson must be freed from
this continual impending danger"
The landlady reappeared at that mo-
ment. bringing in the traditional bacon
omelet. Rouietabille chafed her a III.
tie. and she took the char with the
most charming good humor.
"She Is much jollier when Daddy
Matthew is in bed win - rheuma-
tism." Rouletabille said 10 me.
when he had finished his omeIet
and we were again alone R~ouletabllie
continued the tale OF his condolences.
When eenf vou INV toin~~o- tAS.