Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-27
vas indicated with admirable

ScrHtcH WAS luulCateQ WIN dnmlraDI0
exactnoss.
Now" said NJ. Lecoq "bere is our
scratch. 1t runs from top to bottom,
tarting from the hole in the lock, dag
onally and, you see. from left to right
that Is to say. 1t terminates on the side
next TO the private staircase leading to
the bankers apartments. Very deep
al the lock, 1t ends of in scarcely per.
ceptible mark"
~ see"
Naturally you thought tnat mis-
scratch was made by the person who
took the money. Let us soc if you
were right. / have here little iron
box, painted green like NJ. Fauvcls
safe. Take n key and try to scratch
it."
Without seeing through his chiefs
motive, the detective did as he was
bid, scratching vigorously with the
key.
The deuce" he said after several
attempts. This paint is awfully hard
TO move
VERY hard my friend and yct that
on the safe is still harder. So. you 500.
the scratch you discovered could not
have been made by the trembling hand
of thief letting the key slip
Il never should have thought Of
that. 1t certainly required great force
to make 50 deep II scratch"
eyes, but how was it done? I have
been racl,iug my brain for three days,
and only yesterday ] came to a con.
,.It I
SOC if our conjectures present enough
chances of probability to establish
starting point
VI. Lccoq abandoned the photograph
and, walking to the door communicat.
ing with his bedroom, took the key
from the lock.
come here, Fanfcrlot. and stand Ivy
my side. There, very well. SUPPOSE
that l want to open this door and you
don't want me to open it. When you
SEQ me about to put the key in the
lock, what would be your first i'm
pulse:'
''To put my hands on your arm and
draw it toward me quickly, so as to
prevent your introducing the key"
"Precisely so. Now let us try II.
Proceed
FanferIot obeycd. and the key held
by VI. Iecoq, pulled aside from the
lock. slipped along the door, making an
exact reproduction of the scratch in
the photograph.
"Oh. oh. OH exclaimed Fanferlot in
three different tones rs he stood star
Ing at the door.
~ ,1niarcio,I
asked NJ. Lecoq.
"Undcrstand. Why. a child could
understand it now. Nh, what man
YOU are, | see the scene as il l had
been present. Two persons were at the
safe. One wished to take the money;
the other wished to prevent its being
taken. That is certain"
Accustomed to triumphs OF this sort,
NJ Lecol was much amused at Fan.
fcriot's enthusiasm.
= There You go Oft half cooked agar"
lie said good humoredly. You regard
= rs sure proof circumstance which
may be accidental and at the most
only probable
NO, man like you could not be
mistaken. There is no doubt about il.
THAT being the case, what dcduc
tons would you draw from our discoy-
ery?"
I'm the first place, it proves the
= cashier innocent
[ How sou
because. at perfect liberty TO open
the safe whenever he wished to do SO
he would not have brought witness
L 30 MI To NIT no bpf- -
/ well reasoned. But on this suppo-
sition the banker would also be limo
cent. Think
= Fanferlot reflected, and all OF his
) ANNA lion vanished.
, 1T is So h" said in a despairing
l tone. What can be done now?'
, Find the third rogue or, rather, the
> real roruc-thc one who opened the
safe and stole the notes and who is
: still at large while others are suspect
b. ed"
| impossible. NJ. Fauvcl and his
=, cashier only had keys, and they al
, WAYS kept them on their persons"
Pardon me- on the evening OF the
/ robbery The banker left his key in the
: secretary"
Eyes. but the key alone was not SUI
p icent to open the safe. The word also
/ was necessary
/ NJ, Lccoq shrugged his shoulders i'm
c patiently.
+ What was the word?' he asked.
t "Gipsy.'
(Which IS the name Of the cashiers
grsette The day you find man suf-
: fcieutly intimate with Prosper TO bs
@ aware of all the circumstances con-
u nected with this name and at the
same time on 4 footing with the Fau-
, vel family which would give him the
Il privilege OF entering ". Fauyers
/ chamber then you will discover the
4 real thief then the problem will be
= solved
h Egotistical. like all great artists ".
(, Iccoq bad never had pupil and never
n wished 10 have one. He hated assist
ants. wishing to share neither the
i pleasure Of success nor the pain of de-
= feat. Thus Faufcrlot, who knew his
o patrons character, was surprised to
hear him giving advice who heretofore
n had only given orders.
J. Chief" lie yentured to say, lyon
= scam IN take n great DprSOnal iptereS {.