Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-18

trees TO the right of US, said
That's where the murderer came
from TO get into the pavilion"
As there were other patches of trees
Of the same sort between The great
oaks. | asked why The murderer had
chosen that one rather than any of the
others Roulctahlle answered mo by
pointing to the path which ran quite
close TO the thiclet 90 the door of the
pavilion.
THAT path IS. as you sec. topped
with gravel he said. The man must
have passed along It going to the pa.
vilion. since no traces OF his steps have
been found on the soft ground. The
man didn't have wings; he walked,
but he walked on the gravel, which
left no impression Of his tread. The
gravel hns. in fact. been troddcn by
many other feet. since tho path IS the
most direct way between the pavilion
snd the chateau. AS to the thickot,
made of the sort Of shrubs that don't
fioslrish IN the rough season laurcls
and fuchsias- IT offered the murderer
sufficient hiding place until it was
time for him TO mako his way 20 the
pavilos It was while hiding In that
cIump of trees that he saw NJ. and
Mile. Staneerson and then Daddy
Jacques leave the pavilion Gravel
has been spread nearly, very nearly,
up TO the windows Of the pavilion. The
footprints of a man parallel with the
wall. marks which we will examine
presently and which I have already
seen, prove that he only needed &c
make one stride to find himself In
front Of the vestibule window, left
open by Daddy Jacques The man
drew himself up by his hands and en-
tered the vestibule.'
"After all, it Is very possible I said
"If / did not reason rs do in re.
gard to this gravel" Rouletabille went
on. Il should have to assume bal
loon. So don't say thing is possible
when it could not he otherwise. We
know now how the man entered by
the window. and We also know the
moment at which he entered during
the 5 o'clock walk of The professor
anu llIS UtaNt-ilt'i nv Ia va 'i'N
presence Of the chambermaid, who haG
come 10 clean up the yellow room, in
the laboratory when NJ. StangersoN
and his daughter returned from their
walk at half past ! permits us to af-
firm that at half past the murderer
was not in The chamber under the bed
unless he was in COLLISION with the
4. al 4
Darzacf"
NJ. Darzac shook his head and said
he was sure Of tho chambcrm9id'
fidelity and that she was thorough
ly honest ana devoted servant
"Bcsides." he aided, at . o'clock
NJ. Stangerson went into the room to
fetch his daughters hat"
There is that also" said Rouleta-
bile.
THAT the man entered by the win
dow at the time YOU say, | admit" /
said, but why did he shut the win
dow? 1t was an act which would nee
essarily draw the attention Of those
who had left it open"
1T may be the window was not shut
at once" replied the Young reporter.
But If he did shut the window it was
because of the bend in the gravel path
a dozen yards from the pavilion and
on account Of the three oaks that are
growing at that spot"
VIVA. do you mean b. that asked
Nj. DarZac. who had followed us and
listened with almost breathlcss atteu-
ton to all that Roulctsbille had said.
"I'll explain all 10 You later on, mon
sieur, when I think the moment to he
ripe for doing so. But l don't think
] have anything of more importance
to Say on this affair If my hypothesis
Is justified"
And what Is your hypothcsis?'
"You will never know If it does not
turn out to be the truth. 1t is Of much
too grave a nature TO speak Of IL 50
long as it continues TO be only a by.
pothess"
Have you at least some idea as to
who tho murderer is"
"No. monsieur ! don't know who
the murderer is. But don't I've afraid
NJ. Robert Darzac. ! shall know"
could not but observe that NJ. Oar.
Hac was deeply moved, and | suspect.
ed that ROuletablllc's confident asser.
ton was not pleasing 70 him. Why
] asked myself if he was really afraid
that the murderer should be discover.
ed, was he helping the reporter to find
him? My young friend seemed 10
have received the same impression
for he said bluntly:
IN. Darzac, don't You want mo tc
find out who the murderer VASE
"Oh, | should like 70 Kill him with
my own hand" cried Mllc Stancer
sons fiance, with a vehcmcncc that
amazed me-
81 believe you said Roulctabills
gravely. "But You have not answered
my question"
We were passing by the thicknt OF
which The young reporter lad spoken
TO us minute before I entered Il
and pointed out evident Traces OF d
man who had bee. hi1GCn there
Rouletahn.n ONE more wa ri"ht.
"Ycs. yes" he said. I'VE lqvc TO q
with n thing or flesh ana blood. who
uses tho Same means t'Ht wa 30. III
oil como olit On those lines"
Having said tAis, Ly "slei ~. fo
the paper patcrn of thn foo>ur'u
which l." l"1 -iDrn r3o go taiH care
~ aHd an..l.d +, ,,.a very clear foo'
mar; lahi"d '!e III -.' ".ip' h
tril II ii.r