The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-09-16


assailant, you can imagine she would
not be grateful to me II / brought the
man OF the yellow room and the mex
plicabIe gallery bound and gagged "a
her father / realize now that II
am TO save the unhappy lady l must
silence the man and not capture him.
To kill a human being Is no small
thing. Besides. that's not my business
unless the man himself makes 1t my
business. On the other hand, to render
him forever silent without the lady's
assent and confidence is to act on ones
own initiative and assume knowledge
Of everything with nothing for basis.
Fortunately, my friend, have guessed
mo. / have reasoned 1t all out. All
that / ask Of the man who is coming
tonight is to bring me his face so that
1t may enter
Unto the circle2"
Exactly And his face won't sur
prise mer'
"But l thought you saw his face on
the night when you sprang into the
chamber?'
"only imperfectly. The candle was
on the floor, and his beard
"Win he wear his beard this even
ing"
81 think l can say for certain that he
will. But the gallery is light and now
know--or at least my brain knows
and my eyes viii see."
"If we are here only to see him and
let him escape. why are we armedT'
Because, If the man of the yellow
room and the inexplicable gallery
knows that know, he is capable of
doing anything! We should then have
to defend ourselves"
"And you are sure he will come to-
nightT
"As sure as that you are standing
there! This morning, at half past 10
o'clock, Nile. Stangerson, in the clever
est way in the world, arranged to have
no nurses tonight. She gave them
leave of absence for twenty-four hours,
under some plausible pretexts, and did
not desire anybody to be with her but
her father, while they are away. Her
father, VINO is to sleep in the boudoir,
has gladly consented to the arrange
ment. Darzac's departure and what
he told me, as well as the extraor-
binary precautions Mile. Stangerson Is
taking to be alone tonight, leaves me no
room for doubt. She has prepared the
way for the coming Of the man whom
Darzac breads"
"And what we saw her do was done
to send her father to sleep"
eyes"
sThen there are but two of US for
tonight's work.
"Four: the concierge and his wife
will watch at all hazards. l don't set
much value on them before, but the
concierge may be useful after, II
there's to be any killing"
"Then you think there may bep'
eff he wishes il"
"Why haven't you brought in Daddy
Jacques? Have you made no use OF
him today?"
mo" replied Rouletabille sharply.
I kept silence for awhile; then, anx-
Ious to know his thoughts, asked him
point blank:
"Whv not tell Arthur Rance? He
NAV be of great assistance to us?'
ooh" said Rouletabille GROSSLY,
"then you want to let everybody into
Mile. Stangerson's secrets? Come, let
us go to dinner 1t Is time. This
evening we dine in Frederic Larsan's
room-at least If he is not on the heels
Of Darzac. He sticks to him like a
leech. But anyhow, If he is not there
now am quite sure he will be to-
night He's the one l am going to
knock overr'
At this moment we heard noise In
the room near rs
at must be he" said Rouletabille.
II forgot to ask you / said, ''if we
are to make any allusion to tonight's
business when we are with this police
man. take 1t we are not Is that
SOP
Evidently. We are going to operate
alone. on our own personal account"
$50 that all the glory Will be oursY
Rouletabille laughed.
We dined with Frederic Larsan In
his room. He told us he had Just
come in and invited us to be seated at
table. We ate our dinner In the best
Of humors, and l had no difficulty In
the feelings of certainty
which both Rouletabille and Larsan
felt. Rouletabille told the great Fred
that l had come on chance visit and
that he had asked me to stay and help !
him In the heavy batch of writing he
had to get through for the Epoque, 7
was going back to Paris, he said, by
the II O'Clock train. taking his copy. |
which took a story form, recounting
the principal episodes In the mysteries
Of the Chandler. Larsan smiled at the
explanation like a man who was not
fooled and politely RETAINED from max
Ing the slightest remark on matters
which did not concern him.
With infinite precautions as to the
words they used and even as to the
tones of their voices, Larsan and
discussed for a long time