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 lov