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persons were in the laboratory！ I can't make it out！〃
〃The robbery；〃 said the reporter； 〃could only have been committed
before the attack upon Mademoiselle Stangerson in her room。 When
the murderer entered the pavilion he already possessed the
brass…headed key。〃
〃That is impossible；〃 said Monsieur Stangerson in a low voice。
〃It is quite possible； Monsieur； as this proves。〃
And the young rascal drew a copy of the 〃Epoque〃 from his pocket；
dated the 21st of October （I recall the fact that the crime was
committed on the night between the 24th and 25th）； and showing us
an advertisement； he read：
〃'Yesterday a black satin reticule was lost in the Grands Magasins
de la Louvre。 It contained； amongst other things； a small key with
a brass head。 A handsome reward will be given to the person who
has found it。 This person must write； poste restante； bureau 40； to
this address： M。 A。 T。 H。 S。 N。' Do not these letters suggest
Mademoiselle Stangerson？〃 continued the reporter。 〃The 'key with
a brass head' … is not this the key？ I always read advertisements。
In my business； as in yours； Monsieur； one should always read the
personals。' They are often the keys to intrigues； that are not
lways brass…headed； but which are none the less interesting。 This
dvertisement interested me specially； the woman of the key surrounded
it with a kind of mystery。 Evidently she valued the key； since she
promised a big reward for its restoration！ And I thought on these
six letters： M。 A。 T。 H。 S。 N。 The first four at once pointed to
a Christian name； evidently I said Math is Mathilde。 But I could
make nothing of the two last letters。 So I threw the journal aside
and occupied myself with other matters。 Four days later； when the
evening paper appeared with enormous head…lines announcing the murder
of Mademoiselle Stangerson； the letters in the advertisement
mechanically recurred to me。 I had forgotten the two last letters；
S。 N。 When I saw them again I could not help exclaiming；
'Stangerson！' I jumped into a cab and rushed into the bureau No。
40； asking： 'Have you a letter addressed to M。 A。 T。 H。 S。 N。？'
The clerk replied that he had not。 I insisted； begged and entreated
him to search。 He wanted to know if I were playing a joke on him；
and then told me that he had had a letter with the initials
M。 A。 T。 H。 S。 N； but he had given it up three days ago； to a lady
who came for it。 'You come to…day to claim the letter； and the day
before yesterday another gentleman claimed it！ I've had enough of
this；' he concluded angrily。 I tried to question him as to the two
persons who had already claimed the letter； but whether he wished
to entrench himself behind professional secrecy； … he may have
thought that he had already said too much； … or whether he was
disgusted at the joke that had been played on him … he would not
answer any of my questions。〃
Rouletabille paused。 We all remained silent。 Each drew his own
conclusions from the strange story of the poste restante letter。
It seemed； indeed； that we now had a thread by means of which we
should be able to follow up this extraordinary mystery。
〃Then it is almost certain；〃 said Monsieur Stangerson； 〃that my
daughter did lose the key； and that she did not tell me of it；
wishing to spare any anxiety； and that she begged whoever had found
it to write to the poste restante。 She evidently feared that； by
giving our address； inquiries would have resulted that would have
apprised me of the loss of the key。 It was quite logical； quite
natural for her to have taken that course … for I have been robbed
once before。〃
〃Where was that； and when？〃 asked the Chief of the Surete。
〃Oh！ many years ago； in America； in Philadelphia。 There were
stolen from my laboratory the drawings of two inventions that might
have made the fortune of a man。 Not ouly have I never learnt who
the thief was； but I have never heard even a word of the object of
the robbery； doubtless because； in order to defeat the plans of the
person who had robbed me； I myself brought these two inventions
before the public； and so rendered the robbery of no avail。 From
that time on I have been very careful to shut myself in when I am
at work。 The bars to these windows； the lonely situation of this
pavilion； this cabinet； which I had specially constructed； this
special lock； this unique key； all are precautions against fears
inspired by a sad experience。〃
〃Most interesting！〃 remarked Monsieur Dax。
Monsieur Rouletabille asked about the reticule。 Neither Monsieur
Stangerson nor Daddy Jacques had seen it for several days； but a few
hours later we learned from Mademoiselle Stangerson herself that the
reticule had either been stolen from her； or she had lost it。 She
further corroborated all that had passed just as her father had
stated。 She had gone to the poste restante and； on the 23rd of
October； had received a letter which； she affirmed； contained nothing
but a vulgar pleasantry； which she had immediately burned。
To return to our examination； or rather to our conversation。 I must
state that the Chief of the Surete having inquired of Monsieur
Stangerson under what conditions his daughter had gone to Paris on
the 20th of October； we learned that Monsieur Robert Darzac had
accompanied her； and Darzac had not been again seen at the chateau
from that time to the day after the crime had been committed。 The
fact that Monsieur Darzac was with her in the Grands Magasins de la
Louvre when the reticule disappeared could not pass unnoticed； and；
it must be said； strongly awakened our interest。
This conversation between magistrates； accused； victim； witnesses
and journalist； was coming to a close when quite a theatrical
sensation … an incident of a kind displeasing to Monsieur de
Marquet … was produced。 The officer of the gendarmes came to
announce that Frederic Larsan requested to be admitted； … a request
that was at once complied with。 He held in his hand a heavy pair
of muddy boots； which he threw on the pavement of the laboratory。
〃Here；〃 he said； 〃are the boots worn by the murderer。 Do you
recognise them； Daddy Jacques？〃
Daddy Jacques bent over them and； stupefied； recognised a pair of
old boots which he had； some time back； thrown into a corner of his
attic。 He was so taken aback that he could not hide his agitation。
Then pointing to the handkerchief in the old man's hand； Frederic
Larsan said：
〃That's a handkerchief astonishingly like the one found in The
Yellow Room。〃
〃I know；〃 said Daddy Jacques； trembling； 〃they are almost alike。〃
〃And then；〃 continued Frederic Larsan； 〃the old Basque cap also
found in The Yellow Room might at one time have been worn by Daddy
Jacques himself。 All this； gentlemen； proves； I think； that the
murderer wished to disguise his real personality。 He did it in a
very clumsy way … or； at least； so it appears to us。 Don't be
alarmed； Daddy Jacques； we are quite sure that you were not the
murderer； you never left the side of Monsieur Stangerson。 But if
Monsieur Stangerson had not been working that night and had gone
back to the chateau after parting with his daughter； and Daddy