Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-01-21
BY GASTON LEROUX

AeNAC hO iOh6Cl ACll
him in ignorance Of the fact that we
were going to the Chandler for the
purpose of shaking hands with an "old
and intimate friend" NJ. Robert Dar-
zac-a man whom Rouletabille had
perhaps seen once in his life.
Poor Robertw continued the young
reporter, this dreadful affair may be
his death-he is so deeply in love with
Mile. Stangerson. 1t is to be hoped
that Mile. Stangerson's life will be
saved"
'Let us hope so. Her father told me
yesterday that II she does not recover
1t will not be long before he joins her
In the grave. What an incalculable
loss to science his death would bep'
'The wound on her temple is serious,
is it not?''
Evidently, but by a wonderful
chance it has not proved mortal. The
blow was given with great force"
Then it was not with the revolver
she was wounded" said Rouletabille.
glancing at me In triumph.
NJ. de Marquet appeared greatly en-
barrassed.
Il didn't say anything, l don't want
to say anything, will not say any
thing" he said. And he turned toward
his registrar as If he no longer knew
us.
But Rouletabille was not to be so
easily shaken of. He moved nearer to
the examining magistrate and, draw.
ing a copy of the Matin from his pock-
ct, he showed it to him and said:
There is one thing, monsieur, which
/ may inquire Of you without commit
ting an indiscretion. You have, Of
course, seen the account given in the
Matin? 1t is absurd. is it notT'
"Not in the slightest, monsieur"
what! The yellow room has but
one barred window. the bars Of which
have not been moved. and only one
door, which had to be broken open,
and the assassin was not foundr'
THAT'S so. monsieur; that's 30.
That's how the matter stands"
Rouletabille said no more. but plung-
ed into thought. A quarter of an hour
thus passed.
Coming back to himself again, he
said, addressing the magistrate:
How did Mile. Stangerson wear her
hair on that eveningr
II don't know" replied NJ. de Mar
quet.
THAT'S very important point" said
Rouletabille. Her hair was done up
in bands, wasn't It? / feel sure that
on that evening, the evening of the
crime. she had her hair arranged in
bands"
"Then you are mistaken, NJ. Roule-
tabille." replied the magistrate. mile.
Stangerson that evening had her hair
drawn up in knot on the top Of her
head, her usual way of arranging 1t.
her forehead completely uncovered.
can assure you, for we have carefully
examined the wound. There was no
blood on the hair, and the arrangement
of it has not been disturbed since the
crime was committed"
You are sure? You are sure that
on the night Of the crime she had not
her hair in bands?"
'Quite sure" the magistrate cottin-
ued, smiling, because remember the
doctor saying to me while he was ex-
amining the wound: 1t Is a great pity
Mile. Stangerson was In the habit Of
drawing her hair back from her fore
head. If she had worn 1t in bands
the blow she received on the temple
would have been weakened 1t seems
strange to me that you should attach
so much importance to this point"
"Oh, if she had not her hair in bands
! give it up," said Rouletabille, with a
despairing gesture.
"And was the wound on her temple
bad one?' he asked presently.
Terrible"
with what weapon was 1t nader
'That is a secret Of the investiga-
ton"
"Have you found the weapon-what-
ever 1t WASP
The magistrate did not answer.
"And the wound In the throat"
Here the examining magistrate read
lily confirmed the decision of the doc
tor that, If the murderer had pressed
her throat a few seconds longer, Mile.
Stangerson would have died Of stran-
gulation,
"The affair as reported In the Matin,"
said Rouletabille eagerly, "seems to me
more and more inexplicable. Can you
tell me. monsieur. how many openings
there are in the pavilion? mean
doors and windows"
"There are five," replied Monsieur
de Marquet, after having coughed once
or twice, but no longer resisting the
desire he felt to talk of the whole Of
the Incredible mystery Of the affair he
was investigating. "There are five, Of
which the door Of the vestibule is the
only entrance to the pavilion-a door
always automatically closed. which
cannot be opened, either from the out
er or inside, except with the two spe-
cial keys which are never out Of the
possession of either Daddy Jacques or
NJ. Stangerson. Mile. Stangerson had
no need for me, since Daddy Jacques
lodged In the pavilion and be-
he