The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-03-13

/ "Who can tell that, should we learn
| the secret Of her mystery, 1t would not
precipitate a tragedy more terrible
than that which had already been en-
acted here? Who can tell if it might
not mean her death? Yet it had
brought her close to death. and we
still knew nothing, or, rather, there
are some of us who know nothing.
But I-if knew who. should know
all. Who? Who? Not knowing who.
l must remain silent out of pity for
her. For there is no doubt that she
knows how he escaped from the yellow
room. When know who l will speak
to him-to him.
| "She looked at us now, with a far;
away look in her eyes. as If we were
not in the chamber. NJ. Stangerson
broke the silence. He declared that,
| henceforth he would no more absent
himself from his daughters apart
ments. She tried to oppose him In
vain. He adhered firmly to his pur-
pose He would install himself there
this very night, he said. Solely con-
cerned for the health of his daughter,
he reproached her for having left her
bed. Then he suddenly began talking
to her as If she were little child. He
smiled at her and seemed not to know
either what he said or what he did.
The illustrious professor had lost his
head. Mile. Stangerson IN tone of
tender distress said, Father, father!
Daddy Jacques blows his nose. and
Frederic Larsan lumself Is obliged to
turn away 10 hide his emotion. For
myself, | am able neither to think or
feel. l felt a contempt for myself.
1T was the first time that Frederic
Larsan, like myself, found himself
face to face with Mile. Stangerson
since the attack In the yellow room.
Like me, he had insisted on being al
lowed to question the unhappy lady,
but he had not, any more than had l,
been permitted. To him, as to me, the
same answer had always been given:
Mile. Stangerson was too weak to re-
ceive us. The questionings of the eX-
amining magistrate had overfatigued
her. 1t was evidently intended not to
give us any assistance In our re-
searches. was not surprised, but
Frederic Larson had always resented
this conduct. 1t is true that he and
had totally different theory Of the
crime. | still catch myself repeating
from the depths Of my heart: Save
her! Save her without his speaking!
Who is he-the murderer? Take him
and shut his mouth. But M. Darzac
made it clear that in order to shut his
mouth he must be killed. Have l the
right to kill Mile Stangerson's MUIR
derer? No, had not. But let him
only give me the chance! Let me find
out whether he Is really creature Of
flesh and blood! Let me see his dead
body, since it cannot be taken alive.
"If ! could but make this woman,
who does not even look at us, under
stand! She is absorbed by her fears
and by her fathers distress Of mind.
And can do nothing to save her. Yes,
will go to work once more and ac-
complish wonders.
II move toward her. l would speak
to her. l would entreat her to have
confidence In me. / would, in a word,
make her understandable alone-that
know how the murderer escaped
from the yellow room, that l have
guessed the motives for her secrecy,
and that l pity her with all my heart.
But By her gestures she begged us to
leave her alone, expressing WEAKNESS
and the need for immediate rest. NJ.
Stangerson asked us to 60 back to our
rooms and thanked us. Frederic Lar
san and bowed to him, and, followed
by Daddy jacques, we regained tho
gallery. l heard Larsan murmur:
Strange! Strange! He made a sign
to me to go with him into his room.
On the threshold he turned toward
Daddy Jacques.
Ibid you see him distinctly he
asked.
: "'Who?
1.-THE man.
"'Saw him! Why. he had big red
beard and red hair
"That's how he appeared to me-
> said.
land to me- said Larsan.
= AhO 6iCut iiCo anu WclC ulOhc
In his chamber now to talk over this
thing. We talked for an hour. turn
: ing the matter over and viewing II
from every side. From the questions
put by him, from the explanation
which he gives me, 1t is clear to me
that in spite of all our senses he Is
persuaded the man disappeared by
some secret passage in the chateau
known to him alone.
He knows the chateau he said t.
me; he knows 1t well.'
HE is a rather tall man, vel
built suggested.
He is as tall as he wants to be,
I murmured Fred.
II understand said But how d.
I you account for his red hair ant
I beardT
: TOO much beard, too much hair
I false says Fred.
"That's easily said. You are al
: ways thinking Of Robert Darzac. Yov
! can't get rid Of that idea! am Ger
tain that he Is innocent
= $50 much the better / hope Sc
: bat everything condemns him. Di'