The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-09-16
so have I. said Rouletabine.

young reporter Then he added with
emphasis. NJ Darsae Is an honest
man.
"Are you sure OF thatT" asked Lar
san. We'll. am sure he is not So
it's fight. thenT"
''Yes. II Is a fight But shah beat
you. NJ Frederic Larsan."
youth never doubts anything" said
the great Fred laughingly and held out
his hand to me by way OF conclusion.
Rouletabille's answer came like an
echo:
mot anythingF'
Suddenly Larsan, who had risen TO
wish US good night. pressed both his
hands to HIS chest and staggered. He
was obliged to lean on Rouletabille for
support and to save himself from fall
ing.
"Oh. OH" he cried what Is the
matter with me? Have been poison
. edY'
/ He looked at US with haggard eyes.
| We questioned him vainly He did
/ not answer us. He had sunk into an
armchair, and we could not get
word from him. We were extremely
distressed, both ON his account and on
our own, for we had partaken of all
the dishes he had eaten. BE seemed
to be out Of pain, but his heavy head
had fallen on his shoulder and his eye
lids were tightly closed. Rouletabille
bent over him, listening for the beat
ings Of the heart.
Ny friends face, however, when he
stood up, was as calm as 1t had been
a moment before agitated.
"He is asleep" he said.
He led me to his chamber, after clos
Ing Larsan's room.
'The drug?" 1 asked. Does Mile
Stangerson wish to put everybody to
sleep tonight?'
'Perhaps," replied Rouletabille. But
could see he was thinking Of some
thing else
sTBut what about usT' l exclaimed.
"How do we know that we have not
been druggedT
'Do you feel indisposed2" Rouleta-
bile asked me coolly.
mot In the least"
"Do you feel any inclination to go to
sleepT'
''None whatever"
"Well, then, my friend. smoke this
excellent cigar"
And he handed me a choice Havana,
one NJ. Darzac had given him, while
he lit his brierwood-his eternal brier-
wood.
We remained in his room until about
10 O'Clock without word passing be-
tween us. Buried in an armchair, Roule-
tabille sat and smoked steadily, his
brow in thought and a faraway look
in his eyes. On the stroke of 10 he
took off his boots and signed me to do
the same Standing in our socks, he
said in so low a tone that l guessed
rather than heard the word:
Revolver
drew my revolver from my jacket
pocket
Cock It," he said
I did as he directed
Then, moving toward the door Of his
caution; 1t made no sound. We were
in the "off turning" gallery Rouleta
billie made another sign to me which
understood to mean that l was to
take up my post in the dark closet,
When l was some distance from him
he rejoined me and embraced me. and
then saw him, with the same precau-
ton, return to his room. Astonished
by his embrace and somewhat disquiet-
ed by it, | arrived at the right" gal
lery without difficulty, crossing the
landing place and reaching the dark
closet.
Before entering 1t l examined the
curtain cord of the window and found !
that l had only to release 1t from its
fastening with my fingers for the cur
tain to fall by its own weight and
hide the square of light from Roule-
tabille, the signal agreed upon. The
sound of a footstep made me halt be-
fore Arthur RANGES door. He was not /
vet in bed, then! How was it that,
being in the chateau, he had not dined
with NJ. Stangerson and his daughter? !
| had not seen him at table with them
1T the moment when we looked in.
retired into the dark closet.
found myself perfectly situated.
could see along the whole length Of
the gallery. Nothing. absolutely moth
ing, could pass there without my see
ing it.
l waited about an hour, and during
all that time / saw nothing unusual.
The rain, which had begun to come
down strongly toward o'clock, had
now ceased.
My friend had told me that prob
ably nothing would occur before mid
night or / O'clock In the morning. 1t
was not more than half past IL, how
ever, when heard the door of Arthur
RANGES room open very slowly, The
door remained open for minute,
which seemed to me a long time. AS
It opened into the gallery-that is to .
say, outward-I could not see what
was passing in the room behind the
ioor.