to her room and put it in order。 Her father was all the time with
her； working。 So that after the first phase she did not re…enter
her chamber till midnight。 Daddy Jacques was there at ten o'clock；
as he was every night； but he went in merely to close the blinds
and light the night…light。 Owing to her disturbed state of mind
she had forgotten that Daddy Jacques would go into her room and
had begged him not to trouble himself。 All this was set forth in
the article in the 'Matin。' Daddy Jacques did go； however； and； in
the dim light of the room； saw nothing。
〃Mademoiselle Stangerson must have lived some anxious moments while
Daddy Jacques was absent； but I think she was not aware that so
many evidences had been left。 After she had been attacked she had
only time to hide the traces of the man's fingers on her neck and
to hurry to the laboratory。 Had she known of the bone； the cap；
and the handkerchief； she would have made away with them after she
had gone back to her chamber at midnight。 She did not see them； and
undressed by the uncertain glimmer of the night light。 She went to
bed； worn…out by anxiety and fear … a fear that had made her remain
in the laboratory as late as possible。
〃My reasoning had thus brought me to the second phase of the tragedy；
when Mademoiselle Stangerson was alone in the room。 I had now to
explain the revolver shots fired during the second phase。 Cries of
'Help！ … Murder！' had been heard。 How to explain these？ As to the
cries； I was in no difficulty； since she was alone in her room these
could result from nightmare only。 My explanation of the struggle and
noise that were heard is simply that in her nightmare she was haunted
by the terrible experience she had passed through in the afternoon。
In her dream she sees the murderer about to spring upon her and she
cries； 'Help！ Murder！' Her hand wildly seeks the revolver she had
placed within her reach on the night…table by the side of her bed；
but her hand； striking the table； overturns it； and the revolver；
falling to the floor； discharges itself； the bullet lodging in the
ceiling。 I knew from the first that the bullet in the ceiling must
have resulted from an accident。 Its very position suggested an
accident to my mind； and so fell in with my theory of a nightmare。
I no longer doubted that the attack had taken place before
Mademoiselle had retired for the night。 After wakening from her
rightful dream and crying aloud for help； she had fainted。
〃My theory； based on the evidence of the shots that were heard at
midnight； demanded two shots … one which wounded the murderer at
the time of his attack； and one fired at the time of the nightmare。
The evidence given by the Berniers before the examining magistrate
was to the effect that only one shot had been heard。 Monsieur
Stangerson testified to hearing a dull sound first followed by a
sharp ringing sound。 The dull sound I explained by the falling of
the marble…topped table； the ringing sound was the shot from the
revolver。 I was now convinced I was right。 The shot that had
wounded the hand of the murderer and had caused it to bleed so that
he left the bloody imprint on the wall was fired by Mademoiselle in
self…defence； before the second phase； when she had been really
attacked。 The shot in the ceiling which the Berniers heard was the
accidental shot during the nightmare。
〃I had now to explain the wound on the temple。 It was not severe
enough to have been made by means of the mutton…bone； and
Mademoiselle had not attempted to hide it。 It must have been made
during the second phase。 It was to find this out that I went to
The Yellow Room； and I obtained my answer there。〃
Rouletabille drew a piece of white folded paper from his pocket； and
drew out of it an almost invisible object which he held between his
thumb and forefinger。
〃This； Monsieur President；〃 he said； 〃is a hair … a blond hair
stained with blood； … it is a hair from the head of Mademoiselle
Stangerson。 I found it sticking to one of the corners of the
overturned table。 The corner of the table was itself stained with
blood … a tiny stain … hardly visible； but it told me that； on
rising from her bed； Mademoiselle Stangerson had fallen heavily
and had struck her head on the corner of its marble top。
〃I still had to learn； in addition to the name of the assassin；
which I did later； the time of the original attack。 I learned
this from the examination of Mademoiselle Stangerson and her
father； though the answers given by the former were well calculated
to deceive the examining magistrate … Mademoiselle Stangerson had
stated very minutely how she had spent the whole of her time that
day。 We established the fact that the murderer had introduced
himself into the pavilion between five and six o'clock。 At a
quarter past six the professor and his daughter had resumed their
work。 At five the professor had been with his daughter； and since
the attack took place in the professor's absence from his daughter；
I had to find out just when he left her。 The professor had stated
that at the time when he and his daughter were about to re…enter
the laboratory he was met by the keeper and held in conversation
about the cutting of some wood and the poachers。 Mademoiselle
Stangerson was not with him then since the professor said： 'I left
the keeper and rejoined my daughter who was at work in the
laboratory。'
〃It was during that short interval of time that the tragedy took
place。 That is certain。 In my mind's eye I saw Mademoiselle
Stangerson re…enter the pavilion； go to her room to take off her
hat； and find herself faced by the murderer。 He had been in the
pavilion for some time waiting for her。 He had arranged to pass
the whole night there。 He had taken off Daddy Jacques's boots； he
had removed the papers from the cabinet； and had then slipped under
the bed。 Finding the time long； he had risen； gone again into the
laboratory； then into the vestibule； looked into the garden； and
had seen； coming towards the pavilion； Mademoiselle Stangerson
… alone。 He would never have dared to attack her at that hour； if
he had not found her alone。 His mind was made up。 He would be
more at ease alone with Mademoiselle Stangerson in the pavilion；
than he would have been in the middle of the night； with Daddy
Jacques sleeping in the attic。 So he shut the vestibule window。
That explains why neither Monsieur Stangerson； nor the keeper； who
were at some distance from the pavilion； had heard the revolver shot。
〃Then he went back to The Yellow Room。 Mademoiselle Stangerson came
in。 What passed must have taken place very quickly。 Mademoiselle
tried to call for help； but the man had seized her by the throat。
Her hand had sought and grasped the revolver which she had been
keeping in the drawer of her night…table； since she had come to
fear the threats of her pursuer。 The murderer was about to strike
her on the head with the mutton…bone … a terrible weapon in the
hands of a Larsan or Ballmeyer； but she fired in time； and the shot
wounded the hand that held the weapon。 The bone fell to the floor
covered with the blood of the murderer； who staggered； clutched at
the wall for support … imprinting on it the red marks … and； fearing
another bullet； fled。
〃She saw him pass through the laboratory； and listened。 He was long
at the window。 At length he jumped from it。 She flew to it and
shut it。 The danger past； all her thoughts were of her father。 Had
he either seen or heard？ At any cost to herself she must keep this
from him。 Thus when Monsieur Stangerson returned； he found the door
of The Yellow Room closed； and his daughter in the laboratory；
bending over her desk； at work！〃
Turning towards Monsieur Darzac； Rouletabille cried： 〃You know the
truth！ Tell us； then； if that is not how things happened。〃
〃I don't know anything about it；〃 replied Monsieur Darzac。
〃I admire you for your silence；〃 said Rouletabille； 〃but if
Mademoiselle Stangerson knew of your danger； she would release you
from your oath。 She would beg of you to tell all she has confided
to you。 She would be here to defend you！〃
Monsieur Darzac made no movement； nor uttered a word。 He looked
at Rouletabille sadly。
〃However；〃 said the young reporter； 〃since Mademoiselle is not here；
I must do it myself。 But； believe me； Monsieur Darzac； the only
means to save Mademoiselle Stangerson and restore her to her reason；
is to secure your acquittal。〃
〃What is this secret motive that compels Mademoiselle Stangerson to
hide her knowledge from her father？〃 asked the President。
〃That； Monsieur； I do not know；〃 said Rouletabile。 〃It is no
business of mine。〃
The President； turning to Monsieur Darzac； endeavoured to induce
him to tell what he knew。
〃Do you still refuse； Monsieur； to tell us how you employed your
time during the attempts on the life of Mademoiselle Stangerson？〃
〃I cannot tell you anything； Monsieur。〃
The President turned to Rouletabille as if appealing for an
explanation。
〃We must assume； Monsieur President； that Monsieur Robert Darzac's
absensions are closely connected with Mademoiselle Stangerson's
secret； and that Monsieur Darzac feels himself in honour bound to
remain silent。 It may be that Larsan； who； since his three attempts；
has had everything in training to cast suspicion on Monsieur Darzac；
had fixed on just those occasions for a meeting with Monsieur Darzac
at a spot most compromising。 Larsan is cunning enough to have done
that。〃
The President seemed partly convinced； but still curious； he asked：
〃But what is this secret of Mademoiselle Stangerson？〃
〃That I cannot tell you；〃 said Rouletabille。 〃I think； however；
you know enough now to acquit Monsieur Robert Darzac！ Unless
Larsan should return； and I don't think he will；〃 he added； with
a laugh。
〃One question more；〃 said the President。 〃Admitting your
explanation； we know that Larsan wished to turn suspicion on Monsieur
Robert Darzac； but why should he throw suspicion on Daddy Jacques
also？〃
〃There came in the professional detective； Monsieur； who proves
himself an unraveller of mysteries； by annihilating the very proofs
he h