and
I lost sight of them. At this time of the season, every year, I have
generally returned to my apartment in the chateau for the winter; but
this year I said to myself that I would not quit the pavilion before
my father had finished the resume of his works on the 'Dissociation of
Matter' for the Academy. I did not wish that that important work, which
was to have been finished in the course of a few days, should be delayed
by a change in our daily habit. You can well understand that I did not
wish to speak of my childish fears to my father, nor did I say anything
to Daddy Jacques who, I knew, would not have been able to hold his
tongue. Knowing that he had a revolver in his room, I took advantage of
his absence and borrowed it, placing it in the drawer of my night-table.

"Q. You know of no enemies you have?

"A. None.

"Q. You understand, mademoiselle, that these precautions are
calculated to cause surprise?

"M. Stangerson. Evidently, my child, such precautions are very
surprising.

"A. No;--because I have told you that I had been uneasy for two
nights.

"M. Stangerson. You ought to have told me of that! This misfortune
would have been avoided.

"Q. The door of The Yellow Room locked, did you go to bed?

"A. Yes, and, being very tired, I at once went to sleep.

"Q. The night-light was still burning?

"A. Yes, but it gave a very feeble light.

"Q. Then, mademoiselle, tell us what happened.

"A. I do not know whether I had been long asleep, but suddenly I
awoke--and uttered a loud cry.

"M. Stangerson. Yes--a horrible cry--'Murder!'--It still rings
in my ears.

"Q. You uttered a loud cry?

"A. A man was in my chamber. He sprang at me and tried to strangle
me. I was nearly stifled when suddenly I was able to reach the
drawer of my night-table and grasp the revolver which I had
placed in it. At that moment the man had forced me to the foot
of my bed and brandished in over my head a sort of mace. But
I had fired. He immediately struck a terrible blow at my head.
All that, monsieur, passed more rapidly than I can tell it, and
I know nothing more.

"Q. Nothing?--Have you no idea as to how the assassin could
escape from your chamber?

"A. None whatever--I know nothing more. One does not know what
is passing around one, when one is