〃A　man　unmistakably　answering　to　the　description　of　Monsieur　Robert
  Darzac　…　same　height；　slightly　stooping；　putty…coloured　overcoat；
  bowler　hat　…　purchased　a　cane　similar　to　the　one　in　which　we　are
  interested；　on　the　evening　of　the　crime；　about　eight　o'clock。
  Monsieur　Cassette　had　not　sold　another　such　cane　during　the　last　two
  years。　　Fred's　cane　is　new。　　It　is　quite　clear　that　it's　the　same
  cane。　　Fred　did　not　buy　it；　since　he　was　in　London。　　Like　you；　I
  think　that　he　found　it　somewhere　near　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac。　　But
  if；　as　you　suppose；　the　murderer　was　in　The　Yellow　Room　for　five；
  or　even　six　hours；　and　the　crime　was　not　committed　until　towards
  midnight；　the　purchase　of　this　cane　proves　an　incontestable　alibi
  for　Darzac。〃
  CHAPTER　XIII
  〃The　Presbytery　Has　Lost　Nothing　of　Its　Charm；　Nor　the　Garden
  Its　Brightness〃
  A　week　after　the　occurrence　of　the　events　I　have　just　recounted　…　on
  the　2nd　of　November；　to　be　exact　…　I　received　at　my　home　in　Paris　the
  following　telegraphic　message：　〃Come　to　the　Glandier　by　the　earliest
  train。　　Bring　revolvers。　　Friendly　greetings。　　Rouletabille。〃
  I　have　already　said；　I　think；　that　at　that　period；　being　a　young
  barrister　with　but　few　briefs；　I　frequented　the　Palais　de　Justice
  rather　for　the　purpose　of　famiiarising　myself　with　my　professional
  duties　than　for　the　defence　of　the　widow　and　orphan。　　I　could；
  therefore；　feel　no　surprise　at　Rouletabille　disposing　of　my　time。
  Moreover；　he　knew　how　keenly　interested　I　was　in　his　journalistic
  adventures　in　general　and；　above　all；　in　the　murder　at　the　Glandier。
  I　had　not　heard　from　him　for　a　week；　nor　of　the　progress　made　with
  that　mysterious　case；　except　by　the　innumerable　paragraphs　in　the
  newspapers　and　by　the　very　brief　notes　of　Rouletabille　in　the
  〃Epoque。〃　　Those　notes　had　divulged　the　fact　that　traces　of　human
  blood　had　been　found　on　the　muttonbone；　as　well　as　fresh　traces　of
  the　blood　of　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　…　the　old　stains　belonged　to
  other　crimes；　probably　dating　years　back。
  It　may　be　easily　imagined　that　the　crime　engaged　the　attention　of
  the　press　throughout　the　world。　　No　crime　known　had　more　absorbed
  the　minds　of　people。　　It　appeared　to　me；　however；　that　the　judicial
  inquiry　was　making　but　very　little　progress；　and　I　should　have　been
  very　glad；　if；　on　the　receipt　of　my　friend's　invitation　to　rejoin
  him　at　the　Glandier；　the　despatch　had　not　contained　the　words；
  〃Bring　revolvers。〃
  That　puzzled　me　greatly。　　Rouletabille　telegraphing　for　revolvers
  meant　that　there　might　be　occasion　to　use　them。　　Now；　I　confess　it
  without　shame；　I　am　not　a　hero。　　But　here　was　a　friend；　evidently
  in　danger；　calling　on　me　to　go　to　his　aid。　　I　did　not　hesitate　long；
  and　after　assuring　myself　that　the　only　revolver　I　possessed　was
  properly　loaded；　I　hurried　towards　the　Orleans　station。　　On　the　way
  I　remembered　that　Rouletabille　had　asked　for　two　revolvers；　I
  therefore　entered　a　gunsmith's　shop　and　bought　an　excellent　weapon
  for　my　friend。
  I　had　hoped　to　find　him　at　the　station　at　Epinay；　but　he　was　not
  there。　　However；　a　cab　was　waiting　for　me　and　I　was　soon　at　the
  Glandier。　　Nobody　was　at　the　gate；　and　it　was　only　on　the　threshold
  of　the　chateau　that　I　met　the　young　man。　　He　saluted　me　with　a
  friendly　gesture　and　threw　his　arms　about　me；　inquiring　warmly　as
  to　the　state　of　my　health。
  When　we　were　in　the　little　sitting…room　of　which　I　have　spoken；
  Rouletabille　made　me　sit　down。
  〃It's　going　badly；〃　he　said。
  〃What's　going　badly？〃　I　asked。
  〃Everything。〃
  He　came　nearer　to　me　and　whispered：
  〃Frederic　Larsan　is　working　with　might　and　main　against　Darzac。〃
  This　did　not　astonish　me。　　I　had　seen　the　poor　show　Mademoiselle
  Stangerson's　fiance　had　made　at　the　time　of　the　examination　of　the
  footprints。　　However；　I　immediately　asked：
  〃What　about　that　cane？〃
  〃It　is　still　in　the　hands　of　Frederic　Larsan。　　He　never　lets　go
  of　it。〃
  〃But　doesn't　it　prove　the　alibi　for　Monsieur　Darzac？〃
  〃Not　at　all。　　Gently　questioned　by　me；　Darzac　denied　having；　on
  that　evening；　or　on　any　other；　purchased　a　cane　at　Cassette's。
  However；〃　said　Rouletabille；　〃I'll　not　swear　to　anything；　Monsieur
  Darzac　has　such　strange　fits　of　silence　that　one　does　not　know
  exactly　what　to　think　of　what　he　says。〃
  〃To　Frederic　Larsan　this　cane　must　mean　a　piece　of　very　damaging
  evidence。　　But　in　what　way？　　The　time　when　it　was　bought　shows　it
  could　not　have　been　in　the　murderer's　possession。〃
  〃The　time　doesn't　worry　Larsan。　　He　is　not　obliged　to　adopt　my
  theory　which　assumes　that　the　murderer　got　into　The　Yellow　Room
  between　five　and　six　o'clock。　　But　there's　nothing　to　prevent　him
  assuming　that　the　murderer　got　in　between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock
  at　night。　　At　that　hour　Monsieur　and　Mademoiselle　Stangerson；
  assisted　by　Daddy　Jacques；　were　engaged　in　making　an　interesting
  chemical　experiment　in　the　part　of　the　laboratory　taken　up　by　the
  furnaces。　　Larsan　says；　unlikely　as　that　may　seem；　that　the　murderer
  may　have　slipped　behind　them。　　He　has　already　got　the　examining
  magistrate　to　listen　to　him。　　When　one　looks　closely　into　it；　the
  reasoning　is　absurd；　seeing　that　the　'intimate'　…　if　there　is　one
  …　must　have　known　that　the　professor　would　shortly　leave　the
  pavilion；　and　that　the　'friend'　had　only　to　put　off　operating　till
  after　the　professor's　departure。　　Why　should　he　have　risked　crossing
  the　laboratory　while　the　professor　was　in　it？　　And　then；　when　he
  had　got　into　The　Yellow　Room？
  〃There　are　many　points　to　be　cleared　up　before　Larsan's　theory　can
  be　admitted。　　I　sha'n't　waste　my　time　over　it；　for　my　theory　won't
  allow　me　to　occupy　myself　with　mere　imagination。　　Only；　as　I　am
  obliged　for　the　moment　to　keep　silent；　and　Larsan　sometimes　talks；
  he　may　finish　by　coming　out　openly　against　Monsieur　Darzac；　…　if
  I'm　not　there；〃　added　the　young　reporter　proudly。　　〃For　there　are
  surface　evidences　against　Darzac；　much　more　convincing　than　that
  cane；　which　remains　incomprehensible　to　me；　all　the　more　so　as
  Larsan　does　not　in　the　least　hesitate　to　let　Darzac　see　him　with
  it！　…　I　understand　many　things　in　Larsan's　theory；　but　I　can't　make
  anything　of　that　cane。
  〃Is　he　still　at　the　chateau？〃
  〃Yes；　he　hardly　ever　leaves　it！　…　He　sleeps　there；　as　I　do；　at　the
  request　of　Monsieur　Stangerson；　who　has　done　for　him　what　Monsieur
  Robert　Darzac　has　done　for　me。　　In　spite　of　the　accusation　made　by
  Larsan　that　Monsieur　Stangerson　knows　who　the　murderer　is　he　yet
  affords　him　every　facility　for　arriving　at　the　truth；　…　just　as
  Darzac　is　doing　for　me。〃
  〃But　you　are　convinced　of　Darzac's　innocence？〃
  〃At　one　time　I　did　believe　in　the　possiblity　of　his　guilt。　　That
  was　when　we　arrived　here　for　the　first　time。　　The　time　has　come
  for　me　to　tell　you　what　has　passed　between　Monsieur　Darzac　and
  myself。〃
  Here　Rouletabille　interrupted　himself　and　asked　me　if　I　had　brought
  the　revolvers。　　I　showed　him　them。　　Having　examined　both；　he
  pronounced　them　excellent；　and　handed　them　back　to　me。
  〃Shall　we　have　any　use　for　them？〃　I　asked。
  〃No　doubt；　this　evening。　　We　shall　pass　the　night　here　…　if　that
  won't　tire　you？〃
  〃On　the　contrary；〃　I　said　with　an　expression　that　made　Rouletabille
  laugh。
  〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　no　time　for　laughing。　　You　remember　the
  phrase　which　was　the　'open　sesame'　of　this　chateau　full　of　mystery？〃
  〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃perfectly；　…　'The　presbytery　has　lost　nothing　of　its
  charm；　nor　the　garden　its　brightness。'　It　was　the　phrase　which　you
  found　on　the　half…burned　piece　of　paper　amongst　the　ashes　in　the
  laboratory。〃
  〃Yes；　at　the　bottom　of　the　paper；　where　the　flame　had　not　reached；
  was　this　date：　23rd　of　October。　　Remember　this　date；　it　is　highly
  important。　　I　am　now　going　to　tell　you　about　that　curious　phrase。
  On　the　evening　before　the　crime；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　23rd；
  Monsieur　and　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　were　at　a　reception　at　the
  Elysee。　　I　know　that；　because　I　was　there　on　duty；　having　to
  interview　one　of　the　savants　of　the　Academy　of　Philadelphia；　who
  was　being　feted　there。　　I　had　never　before　seen　either　Monsieur　or
  Mademoiselle　Stangerson。　　I　was　seated　in　the　room　which　precedes
  the　Salon　des　Ambassadeurs；　and；　tired　of　being　jostled　by　so　many
  noble　personages；　I　had　fallen　into　a　vague　reverie；　when　I　scented
  near　me　the　perfume　of　the　lady　in　black。
  〃Do　you　ask　me　what　is　the　'perfume　of　the　lady　in　black'？　　It　must
  suffice　for　you　to　know　that　it　is　a　perfume　of　which　I　am　very　fond；
  because　it　was　that　of　a　lady　who　had　been　very　kind　to　me　in　my
  childhood；　…　a　lady　whom　I　had　always　seen　dressed　in　black。　　The
  lady　who；　that　evening；　was　scented　with　the　perfume　of　the　lady　in
  black；　was　dressed　in　white。　　She　was　wonderfully　beautiful。　　I
  could　not　help　rising　and　following　her。　　An　old　man　gave　her　his
  arm　and；　as　they　passed；　I　heard　voices　say：　'Professor　Stangerson
  and　his　daughter。'　　It　was　in　that　way　I　learned　who　it　was　I　was
  following。
  〃They　met　Monsieur　Robert　Darzac；　whom　I　knew　by　sight。　　Professor
  Stangerson；　accosted　by　Mr。　Arthur　William　Rance；　one　of　the
  American　savants；　seated　himself　in　the　great　gallery；　and　Monsieur
  Robert　Darzac　led　Mademoiselle　Stangerson　into　the　conservatory。　　I
  fol