The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-10-14

..Nor ala lie sc.rd evidence trouble
Ne II Larsan we're the murderer be
-ould have no nse for a ladder. but
ne ladder mi-hf have been placed
there 10 give an appearance 70 the
murderer's entrance from without the
chateau. especially as Larsan had ae-
cused Darzac and Darzac was not In
the chateau thar night Further. the
ladder might have been placed there
to facilitate Larsan's digit In case OF
absolute necessity
But the third evidence puzzled me
altogether. Having placed Larsan at
the end OF the of turning gallery.
could not explain how he had taken
advantage Of the moment when ! had
gone to the left wing Of the chateau 70
find NJ. Stangerson and Daddy Jacques
TO return to Mile. StangersOn's room.
1t was very dangerous thing to do
He risked being captured. and he knew
1T. And he was very nearly captured.
He had not had time to regain his
post. as he had certainly hoped to do.
He had. then. a very strong reason for
returning to his room. AS for myself.
when l sent Daddy Jacques to the end
of the right gallery | naturally
thought that Larsan was still at his
post Daddy Jacques in going to his
post had not looked when he passed
to see whether Larsan was at bis post
or not.
what. then, was the urgent reason
which had compelled Larsan to go to
the room second time? | guessed 1t
to be some evidence Of his presence
there. He had left something very
important in that room. What was 1T
And had he recovered it? | begged
Nine. Bernier who was accustomed to
clean the room. to look, and she found
a pair of eyeglasses-this pair. M
President"
And Rouletabille drew the eyeglasses,
Of which we know, from his pocket.
"When | saw these eyeglasses" he
continued 81 was utterly nonplused.
1 had never seen Larsan wear eye
glasses. What did they mean? Sud
denly / exclaimed to myself, I wonder
If he is long sighted | had never seen
Larsan write He might then be long
sighted The police would certainly
know and also know If the glasses
were his. Such evidence would be
damning. That explained Larsan's re-
turn. know now that Larsan or
Ballmeyer is long sighted and that
these glasses belonged to him.
II now made one mistake. | was not
satisfied with the evidence ! had OBJ
tanned. I wished to see the mans
face. Had | refrained from this the
second terrible attack would not have
occurred"
But" asked the president. why
should Larsan go to Mile. Stangerson's
room at all? Why should be twice at
tempt to murder herT'
BECAUSE he loves her, NJ. President"
'sThat is certainly a reason. but
at is the only reason. He was mad
iy in love, and because of that and
other things he was capable of COM
hitting any crime
Ibid Nile Stangerson know thisT'
Eyes, monsieur but she was ignorant
Of the fact that the man who was pur-
suing her was Frederic Larsan; other
wise, of course, he would not nave
been allowed to be at the chateau
noticed when he was In her room aft
er the incident in the gallery that he
kept himself in the shadow and that be
kept his head bent down He was
looking for, the lost eyeglasses. Mile.
Stangerson knew I.arsan under anoth-
err name
m. Darzac," asked the president
did Mile. Stangerson in any way con-
6de in you on this matter? How Is 1t
that she has never spoken about 1t to
any one? If you are innocent she
would have wished to spare you the
pain of being accused"
mile. StaDgerson told me nothing"
replied NJ Darzac.
Does what this young man say APP
pear probable to your the president
asked.
Mile Stangerson has told me moth
ing" he replied stolidly.
How do you explain that on the
night of the murder of the Keeper"
the president asked, turning to Roule-
tabille, 1.-THE murderer brought back the
papers stolen from NJ Stangerson?
How do you explain how the murderer
gained entrance into Mile. Stangerson's
locked roomT
"The last question is easily answer
ed A man like Larsan or Ballmeyer
could have had made duplicate keys.
AS to the documents, think Larsan
had not intended to steal them at first
Closely watching mademoiselle with
the purpose of preventing her mar
rage with M. Robert Darzac, he one
day followed her and monsieur into
the department store There he got
uoscaccion of. tho reffcule. which she