The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-01-27

Are there any blood stains"
"Yes-on the stones outside-but
blood of whatT"
"Ah," said Rouletabille, there are
footmarks visible on the pathl The
ground was very moist. l will look
into that presently"
"Nonsensew said Daddy Jacques.
'The murderer did not 60 that way"
(which way did he 60, then"
"How do l knowT
Rouletabille looked at everything,
smelled everything. He went down on
his knees and rapidly examined every
one of the paving tiles. Daddy Jacques
went on:
"Ah. you can't find anything, mon
sieur. Nothing has been found. And
now 1t is all dirty. Too many persons
have tramped over it. They wouldn't
let me wash 1t, but on the day Of the
crime l had washed the floor thor
oughly, and if the murderer had cross
ed 1t with his hobnailed boots l should
not have failed to see where he had
been. He has left marks enough in
mademoiselle's chamber"
Rouletabille rose.
when was the last time you washed
these tiles" he asked, and he fixed ON
Daddy Jacques most searching look.
"Why-as l told you-on the day of
the crime, toward half past 5-while
mademoiselle and her father were talk
ing little walk before dinner here in
this room. They dined in the labora-
tory. The next day the examining
magistrate came and saw all the marks
there were on the floor as plainly as If
they had been made with ink on white
nor in the vestibule, which were both
as clean as a new pin, were there any
traces Of a mans footmarks. Since
they have been found near this win
dow outside, he must have made his
way through the ceiling Of the yellow
room into the attic, then cut his way
through the roof and dropped to the
ground outside the vestibule window.
But there's no hole, neither in the cell.
ing of the yellow room nor In the roof
of my attic; that's absolutely certain.
| So, you see, we know nothing-noth-
ing. And nothing will ever be known!
It's mystery Of the DEVILS own max
ing"
Rouletabille went down upon his
knees again almost in front Of small
lavatory at the back of the vestibule.
In that position he remained for about
q minute.
"Well" I asked him when he got
up,
"Oh, nothing very important. A drop
of blood" he replied. turning toward
Daddy Jacques as he spoke. "While
you were washing the laboratory and
this vestibule was the vestibule win
dow open?" he asked.
mo, monsieur, 1t was closed. But
after l had done washing the floor /
lit some charcoal for monsieur in the
laboratory furnace, and as lit 1t
with old newspapers 1t smoked, so /
opened both the windows in the labo-
Iatory and this one to make current
Of air. Then l shut those in the labo-
ratory and left this one open when I
went out. When l returned to the
pavilion this window had been closed
and monsieur and mademoiselle were
already at work in the laboratory"
IN. or Mile. Stangerson had no
doubt shut it?"
! "No doubt"
| you did not ask themp"
mo"
After a close scrutiny of the little
lavatory and Of the staircase leading
up to the attic Rouletabille-to whom
we seemed no longer to exist-entered
the laboratory. followed him.
was, I confess, in state Of great ex-
element Robert Darzac lost none of
my friends movements. As for me,
my eyes were drawn at once to the
door of the yellow room. 1t was closed
and, as I Immediately saw, partially
shattered and out of commission.
My friend, who went about his work
methodically, silently studied the room
in which we were. 1t was large and
well lighted. Two big windows-al-
most bays-were protected by strong
iron bars and looked out upon a wide
extent Of country.
The whole of one side of the labora-
tory was taken up with large Chin
ney, crucibles, ovens and such imple-
ments as are needed for chemical ex-
periments; tables loaded with vials,
papers. reports, an electrical machine
an apparatus, as M. DarZac Informed
me, employed by Professor Stangerson
to demonstrate the dissertation Of mat.
ter under the action of solar light
and other scientific implements.
Along the walls were cabinets, plain
or glass fronted, through which were
Visible microscopes. special photo
graphic apparatus and large quanti-
ty Of crystals.
Rouletabille, who was ferreting In
the chimney, put his fingers into one
of the crucibles. Suddenly he drew
himself up and held up a piece Of half
consumed paper In his hand. He step
ped up to where we were talking by
one of the windows.
Keep that for US, NJ. Darzac," he
said.
bent over the piece Of scorched
paper which NJ. Darzac took from the