The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-08-12


+ trates q what you saw and heard II
the garien Of the Elysee; neither e
them nor 60 anybody. / swear 10 yog
that | am Innocent. and know. / feel
that you believe me. but would rath
er be taken for the guilty man than
see justice go astray on that phrase
The presbytery has lost nothing OF
It's charm nor the garden It's bright
ness" The judges must know moth
ting about that phrase. All this mat
ter Is In your hands. Monsieur, I
leave II there. but forget the evening
at the Elysee. A hundred other roads
are open 10 you in your search for
the criminal win open them for
ron myself. I win helm Won WIN
you take mp your quarters here7 You
may remain here to do as you please
Eat. sleep here, watch my actions. the
actions of all here. You shall be mas
Der of the Chandler, monsieur, but for
get the evening at the Elyses.'"
Rouletabille here paused to take
bgeafh. | now understood what had
appeared so GnexplainabIe in the de-
msanor of NJ. Robert Darzac toward
mv friend and the facility with which
he young reporter had been able to
install himself on the scene of the
crime
Everything seems to be pointing
against him." continued my friend,
''and the situation is becoming ex-
ceedingly grave NJ Darzac appears
not to mind it much, but in that he Is
wrong / was interested only in the
health Of Mile. Stangerson, which was
daily improving, when something oc-
CURED that is even more mysterious
than-than the mystery Of the yellow
room"
'Tmpossible!" l cried. what could
be more mysterious than that?"
'Let us first go back to NJ. Robert
Darzac,v said Rouletabille, calming
me- II have said that everything
seems to be pointing against him. The
marks of the neat boots found by
Frederic Larsan appear to be really
he footprints OF Mile. Stangerson's
lance The marks made by the bicycle
nay have been made by his bicycle.
ae had usually left 1t at the chateau.
Why did he take 1t to Paris on that |
particular occasion? Was 1t because |
: was not going to return again to the |
hateau2 Was 1t because, owing to the
,realxing off Of his marriage, his rela-
IONS with the Stangersons were to !
easer All who are interested in the (
natter affirm that those relations were
. continue unchanged.
Frederic Larsan, however, believes
hat all intercourse was at an end.
rom the day when M. Darzac accom-
anied Mile. Stangerson to the depart
1ent store until the day after the
rime he had not been at the Chandler.
remember that Mile. Stangerson lost
err reticule containing the key with
From that day 10 the even
e at the Elysee the Earbonne pro-
4ssor and Mile. Stangerson did not
.e one another but they may have ,
ritten to each other. Mile. Stranger /
IN went to the postoffice to get let /
I
ebert Darzac, for, knowing nothing /
what had passed at the Elysee, Lar I
IN believes that 1t was NJ. Darzac q
mself who stole the reticule and the 9
" with the design of forcing her con- :
mt by getting possession Of the pre- y
ous papers Of her father-papers
hich he would have restored to him I
condition that the marriage engage
emit was to be fulfilled.
"All that would have been very
ubtful and almost absurd hypothe
], as Larsan admitted to me- but for
other and much graver circum-
ance. In the first place, here is
which / have not been able
explain-M. Darzac had himself on
= Oath gone to the postoffice to ask y
: the letter which mademoiselle had
lied for and received on the prevt-
3 evening The description of the
IN who made application tallies in
Dry respect with the appearance Of
Darzac, who In answer to the q
estions put to him by the examining re
gistrate denies that he went to the in
,toffice. Now. even admitting that AZ
J letter was written by him, which
10 not believe, he knew that Mile. -
Ingerson had received 1t since he ia
| seen It In her hands in the garden ha
the E1ysee. 1t could not have been nj
then, who had gone to the post
ce the day after the Oath to ask ~
a letter which he knew was no
ger there.
To me 1t appears clear that some &c
y strongly resembling him stole I'M
e. Stangerson's reticule and in that tn,
er had demanded of her something ha
lch she had not sent him. He must 10
q been surprised at the failure Of =,
demand: hence his application at ny
postoffice, to learn whether his let .
had been delivered to the person by
whom It had been addressed. Find
that 1t had been claimed, he had
ome furious. What had he de-
lded? Nobody but Mile. Stanger- mel
knows. Then on the day follow sta
1t Is reported that she has been AM
nkad during fhn NIGHT and fha TIL