The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-03-21

IL Jou WeIS OulJ SklllIul, ne con-
tinued. "But, no; you wish to be a
master,' and you are not fit to be a
journeyman."
"You are right" said Fanferlot pite.
ously, seeing that it was useless to de-
ny anything. "But how get on with an
affair like this, where there was not
even trace or sign to start from|
M. Lecoq shrugged his shoulders.
Poor fellow! Why, don't you know
that on the very day you were sent for
with the commissary to verify the rob-
berry you heidi do not say certainly,
but very probably held-in your great
stupid hands the means of knowing
whether the key Of the cashier or the
banker had been used when the rob-
berry was conmittedY
what do you meanT
"You want to know? I will tell you.
Do you remember the scratch you dis
covered on the safe door? You were
so struck by it that you exclaimed at
seeing it. You carefully examined it
and were convinced that it was a
fresh scratch. You thought, and right
ly, too, that this scratch was made at
the time Of the robbery. Now, with
what was it made? Evidently with a
key. That being the case, you should
have demanded the keys both Of the
banker and the cashier. One of them
would have had some particles of the
hard green paint sticking to it,
Fanferlot listened with open mouth
to this explanation. At the last words
he violently slapped his forehead with
his hand and cried out:
"Imbecilew
''You have spoken correctly" said M.
Lecoq. "Imbecile! This proof is be-
fore your eyes, and you do not see it!
This scratch is the only clew. If I
find the guilty party, it will be by
means of this scratch, and am deter
mined that will find him."
At a distance Fanferlot was very
brave, but in M. Lecoq's presence he
yielded to the influence which this ex-
traordinary man exercised upon all
who approached him. This exact in
formation, these minute details of all his
secret movements and even thoughts,
upset him. How had M. Lecoq obtain
ed them?
"Have you been long looking up this
case" he asked.
Probably. But I am not infallible
and may have overlooked some impor-
tant evidence. Take a seat and tell me
all you know"
One could not deceive M. Lecoq, SO
Fanferlot told the exact truth, rare
thing for him to do. However, as he
reached the end of his statement feel
ing of mortified vanity prevented his
telling how he had been fooled by Clip
sy and the stout man.
'Tt seems to me, Master Squirrel, that
you have forgotten something. How
far did you follow the empty coach"
Fanferlot despite his assurance blush
ed and hung his head.
"Oh," he stammered, "you know
about that? How did YOU
But sudden idea entered his brain.
He stopped short, bounded off his chair
and cried:
"Oh, know! You were the large
man with red whiskers."
Fanferlot's surprise gave so singular
an expression to his face that M. Lecoq
could not restrain smile.
"Then it was you," continued the be-
wildered detective. "You are the large
gentleman at whom l stared so as to
impress his appearance upon my mind,
and never recognized you! What an
actor you would make if you would go
on the stage! But was disguised, too
very we'll disguised"
every poorly disguised. 1t is only
just to you that I should tell you so.
Do you think that a heavy beard and
blouse are unrecognizable? The eye,
the eye! The art lies in being able to
change the eye. That is the secret"
This explained why the lynx eyed
Lecoq never appeared at the police Of
fee without his gold spectacles.
But" said Fanferlot, following up
his idea, "you have made the little girl
confess, which Nine. Alexandra could
not do? You know why she leaves the
Archangel, why she does not wait for
M. de Clameran and why she bought
calico dresses"
"She is following my advice"
"In that case," said the detective de-
jectedly, "there is nothing left for me
to do but to acknowledge myself an
ass"
mo. Squirrel" said M. Lecoq kindly,
"you are not an ass. You merely did
wrong in undertaking a task beyond
your capacity. Have you progressed
one step since you started in this af-
fair? No. That shows that, although
you are Incompatible as lieutenant.
you do not possess the qualities Of
general. l am going to present you
with an aphorism. Remember it and
let it be your guide in the future-'One
may shine in the second rank who
would be totally eclipsed in the first ="
Never had Fanferlot seen his patron
so talkative and good natured. Find
ing his deceit discovered, he had ex-
pected to be overwhelmed with a
storm, whereas he had escaped with a
little shower that had cooled his brain.
Lecoq's anger disappeared like one
of those heavy clouds which threaten
in the horizon for moment and then
are suddenly swept away by gust of
wind.