Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-12-30

e>',~' 49, N~NS say Soou u0t. AAC
seemed to have taken his head. round
as bullet, out of box Of marbles,
| and 1t is from that. think. Il. ( his
comrades Of the press, all deter LINED
| billiard players, had given him that
nickname. which was to stick to him
and he made illustrious by him. He
was always us red as tomato, now
| gay as lark. now grave as a Judge.
How while still 50 young-he was only
sixteen AID half years old when l
saw him for the first time-had he al
ready won his way on the press?
That was what everybody who came
into contact with him might have ask
ed II they had not known his history.
| At the time Of the affair Of the woman
cut In pieces In the Rue Oberskampf,
another forgotten story, be had taken
to one Of the editors Of the CpOQue.
paper then rivaling the Matin for In
formation. the left foot, which was
missing from the basket in which the
grewsOme remains were discovered.
For this left foot the police had been
vainly searching for week. and young
Rouletabille had found 1t In a drain
where nobody had thought Of looking
for it. To do that he had dressed him.
. self as an extra sewer man. one Of q
number engaged by the administration
! Of the city Of Paris owing to an over
/ dow Of the Seine.
| When the editor In chief was In pos
session Of the precious foot and in
formed rs to the train of intelligent
deductions the boy had been led to
make he was divided between the ad-
miration he felt for such detective
/, cunning In brain Of a lad Of sixteen
years end delight ut being able to ex.
, hibit in the ''morgue window" Of his
paper the left foot Of the Rue Obers-
| kampf.
The boy faced reporter speedily
made many friends. for he was serv-
iceable and gifted with a good humor
that enchanted the most severe tenn
| pered and disarmed the most jealous
Of his companions He began to win
reputation as an unravelcr OF intrl-
cate and obscure affairs which found
Its way to the Office of the chief Of
police. When a case was worth the
trouble and Rouletabille-he had al
been started on the scent by his editor
In chief he often got the better Of the
most famous detectives.
1t was at the Bar cafe that l became
intimately acquainted with him. Grim
inal lawyers and journalists are not
enemies: the former need advertise
ment, the latter information. We chat.
ted together. and ! soon warmed to-
ward him-his intelligence was 50
keen and SO original. and he had a
quality Of thought such as have
never found in any other person.
Nearly two years passed In this way,
and the better l knew him the more
learned to love him, for in spite Of his
careless extravaganza l had discovered
In him what was, considering his age,
an extraordinary seriousness Of mind.
Accustomed a. was to seeing him
gay. and. indeed. often too gay. !
would many times ind him plunged in
the deepest melancholy. tried then
to question him ~ to the cause Of this
change Of humor, but each time be
laughed and made me NO answer. One
day, 1aving questioned him about biz
parents, Of whom he never spoke. he
left me, pretending not to have heard
what ! said.
While things were In this state BE-
tween US the famous case Of ..the vel.
low room" took place. 1t was this
case which was to rank him az the
leading newspaper reporter and to OBJ
tain for him the reputation Of being
the greatest detective In the world.
Rouletabille entered my room on the
morning Of the Goth Of October, 1892
He was looking redder than usual. and
his eyes were bullying out Of his head
as the phrase is. and altogether he ap
peared to be in state Of extreme ex'
element. He waved the Matin with
trembling hand and cried:
"Well. my dear Sainclair, have you
read lit"
1.-THE Chandler crime?"
Eyes: the yellow room! What d.
you think Of it?"
devil or the Bette du Bon Dieu that
committed the crime"
"Be serious!'
"Well, I don't much believe in muir
derers who make their escape through
walls OF solid brick. I think Daddy
: Jacques did wrong to leave behind hin
, the weapon with which the crime wal
committed. and, as be occupied the at
tic Immediately above Mile. StanRer
sons room. the builders job ordered b!
. the examining magistrate win give u
the key Of the enigma. and It will nd
= be long before we learn by what nAt1
e ral trap Or by what secret door The oll
e fellow was able to slip In and out AM
, return Immediately to the laborator.
S to NJ. stangersop without his absenc
t being noticed. That. Of course. Ii onl,
= ali hypothesis"
l. Rouletabille sat down In an armchair
o lit his pipe. which he was never will
It out, smoked for n few minutes IN 81
: lence-no doubt to calm the excitemeu
kHA