The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-09-23
CHAPTER xxi
The Incredible Body.

healthy sleep that had seen fan upon
Frederic I-arsan. He had -succumbed
to the influence of the same drug that
had been mixed with our food. How
was It. then, that | also had not been
overcome by it? reflected that the
drug must have been put into our
wine, because that would explain my
condition. never drink when eating
Naturally inclined to obesity. | am re-
stricted to a dry diet I shook Roule-
tabille, but could not succeed in wax
ing him. This, no doubt, was the
work OF Mile. Stangerson.
She had certainly thought it neces-
sary to guard herself against this
young man as well as her father. /
recalled that the steward in serving
as had recommended an excellent
Chablis which, no doubt, had come
from the professors table.
More than quarter Of an hour
passed l resolved under the pressing
circumstances to resort to extreme
measures. l threw a pitcher Of cold
water over Rouletabilles head. He
opened his eyes. / beat his face and
raised him up / felt him stiffen in
my arms and heard him murmur, go
on, 20 on, but don't make any noise"
/ pinched him and shook him until he
was able to stand up. We were saved!
"They sent me to Sleep" he said,
"Ah, / passed an awful quarter of an
hour before giving way. But it is
over now Don't leave me"
n AAny,1 sScs
than we were thrilled by frightful
cry that rang through the chateau,
veritable death cry.
"Malheurr' roared RouletabiIle. 1--WE
shall be too late!"
He tried to rush to the door, but he
was too dazed and fell against the
wall l was already in the gallery, re-
volver In hand, rushing like mad
man toward Mile. Stangerson's room.
The moment | arrived at the intersec-
ton Of the "off turning gallery and the
fright" gallery saw figure leaving
her apartment, which in a few strides
had reached the landing place.
was not master of myself. / fred.
The report from the revolver made a
deafening noise, but the man continued
his flight down the stairs. | ran be-
hind him, shouting: Stop! Stop, or
will kill your AS l rushed after him
down the stairs | came face to face
with Arthur RanceN coming from the
left wing of the chateau. yelling:
"What is it? What is it?" We ar
rived almost at the same time at the
foot of the staircase. The window OF
the vestibule was open. We distinctly
saw the form of a man running away.
Instinctlvely we fred our revolvers in
his direction. He was not more than
ten PAGES In front Of us. He stag
gered and we thought he was going to
fall We had sprung out of the win
dow, but the man dashed off with re-
newed vigor. was in my socks, and
the American was barefooted. There |
being no hope of overtaking him, we
fred our last cartridges at him. But
he still kept on running. going along |
the right side of the court toward the |
end of the right wing of the chateau
which had no other outlet than the |
door of the little chamber occupied by !
the forest keeper.
The man, though he was evidently
wounded by our bullets, was now
twenty yards ahead of us. Suddenly, !
behind us, and above our heads. win .
dow in the gallery opened and we
heard the voice Of Rouletabille crying
out desperately:
'Fire, Bernier! Fire|
At that moment the clear moonlight
night was further lit by broad fash.
Nv its light we saw Daddy Bernier
with his gun on the threshold OF the
donjon door.
He had taken good aim. The shadow
fell. But as It had reached the end OF
the right wing Of the chateau. 1t fell
on the other side Of the angle OF the
building-that Is to say, we saw II
about to fall, but not the actual sink
ing to the ground Bernier, Arthur
Rance and myself reached the other
side twenty seconds later. The shadow
was lying dead at our feet.
Aroused from his lethargy by the
cries and reports. Larsan opened the
window of his chamber and called out
TO us. hOuletdDlile, puA'S AWAY Z
Joined us at the same moment. and
cried out TO him: 4
"He is dcad-is deadW 4
$50 much the better" he said. Take
him into the vestlbule Of the chateau" /
Then as IL on second thought. he said 4
"No-no! Let us put him in his own :
room"
Rouletabille knocked at the door.
Nobody answered. Naturally this did
not surprise me-
"IIe is evidently not there. otherwise
he would have come out" said the re-
porter. "Let us carry him to the YES
thule then"
Since reaching the dead shadow, 2
thick cloud had covered the moon ana
darkened the night, SO that we were
unable TO make out the features. Dad