The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-03-19
The Mystery Of
The Yellow Room
By CASTOR LEROUx 4. COPYRIGHT by 'S SsEnrAnos
COPYRIGHT. 1908.
BY BRENTANO'S

halves to tho murderer and the name
Of only one of them. went to Amer
lea for the name of the other half"
I was too puzzled to answer. Just
then we entered the witness room.
and Rouletabille was Immediately sur
rounded. He showed himself very
friendly to all except Arthur Rance.
to whom he exhibited marked cold
ness Of manner. Frederic Larsan
came In also. Rouletabille went up
and shook him heartily by the hand.
His manner toward the detective
showed that he had got the better of
the policeman. Larsan smiled and
asked him what he had been doing in
America. Rouletabille began by tell
ing him some anecdotes of his voyage.
They then turned aside together, APP
parently with the object o. speaking
eonfdentialy.
On the stcole of half past Joseph
Rouletabilie was again brought in. 1t
is impossible for me to picture the
tense excitement which appeared on
every face as he made his way to the
bar. Darzac rose to his feet, frightful-
ly pale.
The president, addressing Rouleta-
billie said gravely:
Il will not ask you TO take the oath,
because you have not been regularly
summoned, but l trust there is no need
to urge upon you the gravity of the
statement you are about TO make"
Rouletabille looked the president
quite calmly and steadily in the face
and replied
Yes, monsieur"
TAT your last appearance here" said
the PRESIDENT 1--WE had arrived ut the
point where yoik'wcre TO tell us how
the murderer escaped and also his
name Now. NJ 1saAletabille. we await
your exrlanatien.''a
VERY well. monsieur" began my
friend amidst profound silence. Il
had explained how 1t was impossible
for the murderer to get away without
being seen. And yet he was there
with us in the court"
"And you did not see him? At least
that is what the prosecution declares"
"Noi We all of us saw him, NJ. lie
PRESIDENT cried Rouletabille.Tl.
"Then why was he not arrestedY
because no one besides myself
knew that he was the murderer. 1t
would have spoiled my plans to have
haG him arrested, and | had then no
proof other than my own reasoning.
was convinced we had the murderer
before us and that we were actually
looking at him. i have now brought
what ! consider the indisputable
proof
Speak out, monsieur. Tell us the
murdcrers name"
you will find II on the list Of names
present in the court on the night OF
NO tragedy" replied Rouletabille.
The people present in the courtroom
began showing impotence. Some Of
them even called for the name and
were silenced by the usher.
'sThe list includes Daddy Jacques,
Bernier. the concierge, and Mr.. Arthur
Rance" said the president "Do you
accuse any Of these?"
mo, monsieur
"Then do not understand what you
are driving at. There was no other
person at the end Of the court"
Eyes, monsieur, there was not { the
end, but above the court, who was
leaning out of the window"
do you mean Frederic LarsanT ex-
claimed the president.
Eyes, Frederic Larsan.' replied Roule
tabille in ringing tore. Frederic
Larsan Is the murderer.
The courtroom became Immediately
filed with loud aud indignant protests.
SO astonisbed was he that the presi-,
dent did not attempt tc quiet 1t. The
quick silence which followed was bro
ken by the distinctly whispered words
from the lips Of RoOert Darzac:
TITS Impossible! He's mad!
"You dare to accuse Frederic Larsan,
monsieur asked thu president. IF
you are not m11. what are your
proofs?'
Proofs, monsierr? Do you want
proofs? Wei here is one," cried Roule-
tabille shriIIy. Let Frederic Larsan
be calledw
usher. call Frederic LarsaD."
The usher hurried to the side door,
opened 1t and disappeared. The door
remained open, while all eyes turned
expectantly toward 1t. The clerk re-
appeared and, stepping forward, said:
IN. President, Frederic Larsan Is
not here. He left at about A o'clock
and has not been seen since"
'"That is my proofr' cried Rouleta-
billie triumphantly.
Explain yourself" demanded the
president.
MY proof is Larsan's flight" said
the young reporter. HE will not come
back. You will see no more Of Fred
eric Larsan."
unless you are playing with the
court, monsieur, why did you not ac-
cuse him when he was present? He
would then have answered YOU"
HE could give no other answer than
the one he has now given by his
flight"
I'VE cannot believe that Larsan has
fed. There was no reason for his do
ing so. Did he know you'd make this
charger
He did. 1 told him / would"