Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-29
The Mystery OF
The Yellow Room
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By GASTON LEROUX

udu uuA ntN uIu time " CicsAl LHcAu
q way. This led me TO the conclusion
that the two phases had taken place
one shortly after the other. She had
not had the opportunity, after leaving
her room and going back TO the labO-
raIOry 10 her father. to get back again
To her room and put il in order. Her
father was all the time with her. work
Ing. So that after the first phase she
did not re-enter her chamber till mid
night Daddy Jacques was there at 10
O'Clock. us he was every night. but he
went in merely 10 close the blinds and
light the night light. Owing to her
disturbed state of mind she had forgot.
ten that Daddy Jacques would go into
her room and had begged him not to
trouble himself All this was set forth
in the article in the Matin. Daddy
Jacques did go, however, and in the
dim light Of the room saw nothing.
Mile. SJangersOn must have lived
some anxious moments while Daddy
jacques was absent, but | think she
was not aware that so many evidences
had been left. After she had been al
tackled she had only time TO hide the
traces Of the mans fingers on her neck
and 10 hurry to the laboratory. Had
she known Of the bone. the cap and
the handkerchief she would have made
away with them after she had gone
back TO her chamber az midnight She
did not see them and undressed by the
uncertain glimmer OF the night light.
She went TO bed wornout by anxiety
and fear-a fear that had made her re-
main in the laboratory as late as pos
siUle
My reasoning had thus brought me
u the second phase of the tragedy
when Mile Stangerson was alone in
the room. had now 10 explain the
revolver shots fired during the second
phase. Cries of Help! Murderr had
been heard How to explain these?
As 10 the cries. vas In no difficulty
since she was alone in her room these
could result from nightmare only. My
explanation of the struggle and noise
that We're heard is simply that in her
nightmare she was haunted by the ter
rible experience she had passed through
in the afternoon. In her dream she
sees the murderer about to spring upon
her. and she cries. Help, Murder
Ter hand wildly seeks the revolver she
had placed within her reach on the
night table by the side Of her bed, but
her hand striking the table. Overturus
Il. and the revolver. falling TO the floor.
DISCHARGES itself. the bullet lodging in
the ceiling. I knew from rhe arst that
the bullet in the ceiling must have Fe-
suited from an accident. Its very posi-
Iion suggested an accident to my mind
and so fell in with my theory of a
nightmare. no longer doubted that
the attack mad taken place before
mademOiselle had retired for the night.
After wakening from her frightful
dream and crying aloud for help she
had fainted.
My theory. based on the evidence
Of the shots that were heard AT mid
night. demanded two shots-one which
wounded the murderer at the time of
his attack and one fred at the time
of the nightmare. The evidence given
by the BprnierS before the examining
magistrate WAS to the effect that only
ore shot had been heard NJ. Stan
gcrsOu testified to- hearing dull sound
first. followed by sharp ringing sound
Tie duh snund ! explained by the
falling OF the marble topped table: the
ringing sound was the shot from the
revolver was now convinced | was
right. The shot that had wounded the
hand Of the murderer ard had caused
II 10 bleed so that he left the bloody
Imprint on the wall was fred by
mademciselip in self defense before
the second phase. when she had been
really uTtIcked The shot in the cell
lng which the BPrniers heard was the
accidental Shot during the nightmare.
Il had row to explain the wound on
the temple. II was not severe enough
to have been made by means Of the
mutton bone. and mademoiselle had
not attempted 10 hide IL. Il mnst have
been made during the second phase
IL was to find this out that / went to
the yellow room, and ! obtained nv
answer there"
Rouletabille drew a piece of white
folded paper from his pocket and drew
out Of it an almost invisible object
which he held between his thumb and
forefnger
This. NJ. President" he said. els a
hair-a blond hair stained with blood
1t Is hair from the head Of Mile
StangersOn- found it sticking to one
OF the corners Of the overturned table
The corner Of the table was itseli
stained with blOod-a tiny stain-hard
ly visible. but II told me that on ris
ing from her bed Mile. Stangerson haL
fallen heavily and had struck her head
on the corner Of It's marble top.
Il had still to learn. in addition L
the name OF the assassin, which | die
later. the time Of the original attack
| learned This from the examination OF
Mile. StangersOn and her father. though
the answers given by the former wer,
well calculated TO deceive the examin
ing magistrate. Mile. Stangerson haC
stated very minutely how she haC