The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-10-21


-Sbe saw him pass through the Iabo-
rat0Fy and listened he was long At
the window. Al length be jumped
from Il She Jew 10 Il and shut n.
The danger past. an her thoughts were
OF her father Had be either seen or
heandi At any cost 70 herself she
must keep this from him. Thus when
NJ. Stargerson returned be found the
door Of the yellow room closed and his
daughter IN the laboratory bending
over her desk al work -
Turning toward NJ. Darzae. Rouleta-
billie cried:
''YOu know the truth! Tell US. then.
II that IS not how things happened"
Il don't know anything about II. I" ~
piled NJ Darzac
Il admire you for your silence" said
Rouletabille. but If Mile Stangerson
knew of your danger she would release
you from your oath She would beg
Of you to tell all she has confided to
you. She would be here to defend
your
NJ Darzac made no movement nor
uttered a word. He looked at Rouleta-
billie sadly
However said the young report
er, "since mademoisele is not here /
must do it myself But believe me,
NJ. Darzac. the only means to save
Nile. Stangerson and restore her TO
her reason is to secure your acquittaL"
what is this secret motive that
compels Mile. Stangerson to hide her
knowledge from her father" asked
the president.
THAT monsieur. l do not know"
said Rouletabille. at is no business
of mine"
The president. turning to NJ. Darzac,
endeavored to induce him to tell what
he knew.
do you still refuse, monsieur, to tell
us how you employed your time during
the attempts on the life of Mile Stan
gersonT
81 cannot tell you anything, mon
Eieur"
The president turned to Rouletabille
as If appealing for an explanation.
1--WE must assume, M. President, that
d. Robert Darzac's absences are close
ly connected with Mile. Stangerson's
secret and that M. Darzac feels him
self In honor bound to remain silent.
It may be that Larsan, who since his
three attempts has had everything In
training to cast suspicion on M. Oar
FAC, had fixed on just those occasions
for a meeting with NJ. Darzac at a
spot most compromising. Larsan is
cunning enough to have done that"
The president seemed partly con-
WINGED; but, still curious, he asked:
"But what is this secret of Mile.
StAngerson"
'"That l cannot tell you" said Roule-
tabille. II think, however, you know
enough now to acquit M. Robert Oar
FAC, unless Larsan should return, and
/ don't think he WILL" he added, with a
laugh.
zone question more" said the presi-
dent. Admitting your explanation,
we know that Larsan wished to turn
suspicion on M. Robert Darzac, but
why should he throw suspicion on
Daddy Jacques alsoT'
there came In the professional de-
tective, monsieur, who proves himself
an unraveler Of mysteries, by annihi-
lAting the very proofs he had accumu-
lated. He's a very cunning man, and
4 similar trick had often enabled him
10 turn suspicion from himself He
proved the innocence of one before &C
cusing the other. You can easily be-
ieve, monsieur, that 30 complicated q
scheme as this must have been long
md carefully thought out in advance
1y LarSan. He found the opportunity
% rob Daddy Jacques of a pair Of old
ooots and a CASTOR Basque cap, which
he servant had tied up in a handker-
thief with the intention Of carrying
hem TO friend, charcoal burner on
he road to Epinay. When the crime
vas discovered Daddy Jacques had
recognized these objects !,
% his. They were extremely COM :
which explains his distress c
L the time when we spoke to him v
bout them. LArsan confessed 1t all to \
me-"
CHAPTER XVII. t