Page:Mystery of the Yellow Room (Grosset Dunlap 1908).djvu/222

 magistrate and Monsieur Larsan are both on the point of believing in my guilt. Larsan tracked me the last time I went to Paris, and I had all the trouble in the world to get rid of him.'

"'Why do you not tell me the name of the murderer now, if you know it?' I cried.

"Monsieur Darzac appeared extremely troubled by my question, and replied to me in a hesitating tone:

"'I?—I know the name of the murderer? Why, how could I know his name?'

"I at once replied: 'From Mademoiselle Stangerson.'

"He grew so pale that I thought he was about to faint, and I saw that I had hit the nail right on the head. Mademoiselle and he knew the name of the murderer!  When he recovered himself, he said to me: 'I am going to leave you.  Since you have been here I have appreciated your exceptional intelligence and your unequalled ingenuity.  But I ask this service of you.  Perhaps I am wrong to fear an attack during the coming night; but, as I must act with foresight, I count on you to frustrate any attempt that may be made. Take every step needful to protect Mademoiselle Stangerson.  Keep a most careful watch of her room.  Don't go to sleep, nor allow yourself one moment of repose.  The man we dread is remarkably cunning—with a cunning that has never been equalled.  If you keep watch his very cunning may save her; because it's impossible that he should not know that you are watching; and knowing it, he may not venture.'