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o'clock。 He was right there before me； and I could afford to wait。
You ought to have suspected； because when we were talking of the
murderer's arrival； I said to you： 'I am quite sure Larsan will be
here to…night。'
〃But one important point escaped us both。 It was one which ought
to have opened our eyes to Larsan。 Do you remember the bamboo cane？
I was surprised to find Larsan had made no use of that evidence
against Robert Darzac。 Had it not been purchased by a man whose
description tallied exactly with that of Darzac？ Well； just before
I saw him off at the train； after the recess during the trial； I
asked him why he hadn't used the cane evidence。 He told me he had
never had any intention of doing so； that our discovery of it in
the little inn at Epinay had much embarrassed him。 If you will
remember； he told us then that the cane had been given him in London。
Why did we not immediately say to ourselves： 'Fred is lying。 He
could not have had this cane in London。 He was not in London。 He
bought it in Paris'？ Then you found out； on inquiry at Cassette's；
that the cane had been bought by a person dressed very like Robert
Darzac； though； as we learned later； from Darzac himself； it was
not he who had made the purchase。 Couple this with the fact we
already knew； from the letter at the poste restante； that there was
actually a man in Paris who was passing as Robert Darzac； why did
we not immediately fix on Fred himself？
〃Of course； his position at the Surete was against us； but when we
saw the evident eagerness on his part to find convicting evidence
against Darzac； nay； even the passion he displayed in his pursuit
of the man； the lie about the cane should have had a new meaning
for us。 If you ask why Larsan bought the cane； if he had no
intention of manufacturing evidence against Darzac by means of it；
the answer is quite simple。 He had been wounded in the hand by
Mademoiselle Stangerson； so that the cane was useful to enable him
to close his hand in carrying it。 You remember I noticed that he
always carried it？
〃All these details came back to my mind when I had once fixed on
Larsan as the criminal。 But they were too late then to be of any
use to me。 On the evening when he pretended to be drugged I looked
at his hand and saw a thin silk bandage covering the signs of a
slight healing wound。 Had we taken a quicker initiative at the
time Larsan told us that lie about the cane； I am certain he would
have gone off； to avoid suspicion。 All the same； we worried Larsan
or Ballmeyer without our knowing it。〃
〃But；〃 I interrupted； 〃if Larsan had no intention of using the cane
as evidence against Darzac； why had he made himself up to look like
the man when he went in to buy it？〃
〃He had not specially 'made up' as Darzac to buy the cane； he had
come straight to Cassette's immediately after he had attacked
Mademoiselle Stangerson。 His wound was troubling him and； as he
was passing along the Avenue de l'Opera； the idea of the cane came
to his mind and he acted on it。 It was then eight o'clock。 And
I； who had hit upon the very hour of the occurrence of the tragedy；
almost convinced that Darzac was not the criminal； and knowing of
the cane； I still never suspected Larsan。 There are times 。。。〃
〃There are times；〃 I said； 〃when the greatest intellects …。。。〃
Rouletabille shut my mouth。 I still continued to chide him； but；
finding he did not reply； I saw he was no longer paying any
attention to what I was saying。 I found he was fast asleep。
CHAPTER XXIX
The Mystery of Mademoiselle Stangerson
During the days that followed I had several opportunities to question
him as to his reason for his voyage to America； but I obtained no
more precise answers than he had given me on the evening of the
adjournment of the trial； when we were on the train for Paris。 One
day； however； on my still pressing him； he said：
〃Can't you understand that I had to know Larsan's true personality？〃
〃No doubt；〃 I said； 〃but why did you go to America to find that out？〃
He sat smoking his pipe； and made no further reply。 I began to see
that I was touching on the secret that concerned Mademoiselle
Stangerson。 Rouletabille evidently had found it necessary to go to
America to find out what the mysterious tie was that bound her to
Larsan by so strange and terrible a bond。 In America he had learned
who Larsan was and had obtained information which closed his mouth。
He had been to Philadelphia。
And now； what was this mystery which held Mademoiselle Stangerson
and Monsieur Robert Darzac in so inexplicable a silence？ After so
many years and the publicity given the case by a curious and
shameless press； now that Monsieur Stangerson knows all and has
forgiven all； all may be told。 In every phase of this remarkable
story Mademoiselle Stangerson had always been the sufferer。
The beginning dates from the time when； as a young girl； she was
living with her father in Philadelphia。 A visitor at the house；
a Frenchman； had succeeded by his wit； grace and persistent
attention； in gaining her affections。 He was said to be rich and
had asked her of her father。 Monsieur Stangerson； on making
inquiries as to Monsieur Jean Roussel； found that the man was a
swindler and an adventurer。 Jean Roussel was but another of the
many names under which the notorious Ballmeyer； a fugitive from
France； tried to hide himself。 Monsieur Stangerson did not know
of his identity with Ballmeyer； he learned that the man was simply
undesirable for his daughter。 He not only refused to give his
consent to the marriage but denied him admission into the house。
Mathilde Stangerson； however； had fallen in love。 To her Jean
Roussel was everything that her love painted him。 She was indignant
at her father's attitude； and did not conceal her feelings。 Her
father sent her to stay with an aunt in Cincinnati。 There she was
joined by Jean Roussel and； in spite of the reverence she felt for
her father； ran away with him to get married。
They went to Louisville and lived there for some time。 One morning；
however； a knock came at the door of the house in which they were
and the police entered to arrest Jean Roussel。 It was then that
Mathilde Stangerson； or Roussel； learned that her husband was no
other than the notorious Ballmeyer！
The young woman in her despair tried to commit suicide。 She failed
in this； and was forced to rejoin her aunt in Cincinnati； The old
lady was overjoyed to see her again。 She had been anxiously
searching for her and had not dared to tell Monsieur Stangerson of
her disappearance。 Mathilde swore her to secrecy； so that her father
should not know she had been away。 A month later； Mademoiselle
Stangerson returned to her father； repentant； her heart dead within
her； hoping only one thing： that she would never again see her
husband； the horrible Ballmeyer。 A report was spread； a few weeks
later； that he was dead； and she now determined to atone for her
disobedience by a life of labour and devotion for her father。 And
she kept her word。
All this she had confessed to Robert Darzac； and； believing Ballmeyer
dead； had given herself to the joy of a union with him。 But fate had
resuscitated Jean Roussel … the Ballmeyer of her youth。 He had taken
steps to let her know that he would never allow her to marry Darzac
… that he still loved her。
Mademoiselle Stangerson never for one moment hesitated to confide
in Monsieur Darzac。 She showed him the letter in which Jean Roussel
asked her to recall the first hours of their union in their beautiful
and charming Louisville home。 〃The presbytery has lost nothing of
its charm； nor the garden its brightness；〃 he had written。 The
scoundrel pretended to be rich and claimed the right of taking her
back to Louisville。 She had told Darzac that if her father should
know of her dishonour； she would kill herself。 Monsieur Darzac had
sworn to silence her persecutor； even if he had to kill him。 He
was outwitted and would have succumbed had it not been for the
genius of Rouletabille。
Mademoiselle Stangerson was herself helpless in the hands of such a
villain。 She had tried to kill him when he had first threatened and
then attacked her in The Yellow Room。 She had； unfortunately；
failed； and felt herself condemned to be for ever at the mercy of
this unscrupulous wretch who was continually demanding her presence
at clandestine interviews。 When he sent her the letter through the
Post Office； asking her to meet him； she had refused。 The result
of her refusal was the tragedy of The Yellow Room。 The second time
he wrote asking for a meeting； the letter reaching her in her sick
chamber； she had avoided him by sleeping with her servants。 In that
letter the scoundrel had warned her that； since she was too ill to
come to him； he would come to her； and that he would be in her
chamber at a particular hour on a particular night。 Knowing that
she had everything to fear from Ballmeyer； she had left her chamber
on that night。 It was then that the incident of the 〃inexplicable
gallery〃 occurred。
The third time she had determined to keep the appointment。 He
asked for it in the let