Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-10-28
CHAPTER VIII

At 6 o'clock Fanferlot was up-it was
necessary to rise very early If he wished
to catch M. LecoQ at homeland, re-
freshed by cup Of strong coffee, he di-
rected his steps toward the dwelling of
the celebrated detective. The door was
opened by Janouille, NJ. Lecoq's old SER
want, who had the manner and appear
ance of grenadier.
"Well, M. Fanferlot," she said, "you
come In time for once in your life. Your
governor wants to see you"
In the middle of a large room curious
ly furnished, half library and half green
room, was seated at desk the same
person with gold spectacles, who had
said to Prosper at the police office:
Have courage"
This was M. Lecoq in his official char
acter. Upon Fanferlot's entrance as he
advanced respectfully, bowling till his
backbone was perfect curve, NJ. Lecoq
laid down his pen, and said, looking
sharply at him,
"Ah, here you are, young man. Well,
1t seems you haven't made much pro-
gress in the Bertomy case. l know that
you have muddled everything until you
can't see your way out, SO that you are
ready to give up"
"You are right, patron" said Fanfer-
lot. "But how could go about an affair
like this, where there was not even a
trace or sign to start from?"
"Why, don't you know that on the
very day you were sent for with the COM
missary to verify the robbery, you held
in your great stupid hands the means Of
knowing which key had been used when
the money was stolenT
"How2 WhatT
| "You want to know, do youl I will
tell you. Do you remember the scratch
you discovered on the safe door? You
thought that this scratch was made at
the time of the theft. Now, with what
was it made? Evidently with key.
That being the case, you should have
asked for 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"
"Idiotv'
"You have rightly named yourself, "
said M. Lecoq. "This proof stares you
right in the face, and you don't see it
This scratch is the sole and only clew to
work the case upon, and you must &c
and lose the traces of it. If 1 find the
guilty party 1t will be by means Of this
scratch: and am determined that will
find him."
you must have been working UP this
case, patron?'
Probably have, but am not infalli
BILE, and may have overlooked some i'm
portant evidence. Take seat, and tel
me all you know"
M. Lecoq was not the man to be hood
winked, so Fanferlot told the exact trutf
"A rare thing for him to do.
at seems to me, Master Squirrel, thai
You have forgotten something. How fal
, did you follow the empty coach?"
Fanferlot blushed, and hung his hea(
like a guilty schoolboy.
"Oh" he cried, "and you know abou
that tool How could you have
But a sudden idea flashed across hi
brain; he stopped short, bounded off hi
, chair, and cried: "Oh, know now! Yo'
,, were the stout gentleman with red whis
: kers." His surprise gave so singular al
! expression to his face that M. Lecot
could not restrain a SMILE
"Then," said Fanferlot, clinging to hi
idea, "you have been more successful
than Madame Alexandra; you have mad
the girl confessl You know why sh
leaves the Archangel, and why she doe
not wait for M. de Clameran."
, "She is following my advice"
! ''Do you know who the thief is, pat
!, ROM"
II know no more than you do, Fanfer
!, lot. l am certain of but one thing, an
that is, that n scratch was on the SAT
door, We start from the scratch, see?
4 (To be oontinuedo
/ The male Sandwich Islander has