Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-04
CHAPTER XVIII.
RovletabiIle Has Drawn 4 Circle
Between the Two bumps on His
Forehead.


HI choly shake of the hands
49, Larsan's was an origina
brain, very Intelligent. but wlthou
method. ! did not go TO bed. | await
ed the coming Of daylight and the,
went down to the front Of the chatcat
and made detour. examining every
trace of footsteps coming toward it ol
going from ii. These. however, wcrC
so mixed and confusing that | could
make nothing of them. Here may
make a remari,--I am not accustomed
to attach m exaggerated importance
to exterior signs left In the track of q
crime.
"The method which traces the Grim
1nal by means Of the tracks of his foot
steps Is altogether primitive. SO man!
footprints are identical. However, IL.
the disturbed state of my mind did
60 into the deserted court md did lool:
at al the footprnts could find there.
seekin,: for some indication as basis
for reasoning.
IF l could but find Il right starting
point! IN dosnat, seated myself on .
store For over an hour I busted my.
self with the COMMON. ordinary work
Of a policeman Like the least intelli.
gent Of detectives | went OH hlindy
over the traces OF footprints which told
me just H. mere than they could.
II came to the conclusion that was
fool lower in the scale of intelligence
than even the police of the modern ro.
mo- Novelists build mountains of
stu;l hity out OF footprint on the
SAID o frou an Impression OF n hand
on the wall. That's the way innocent
men are brought to prison. IT might
convince an examining magistrate or
the head of detective department, but
it's not PROOF You writer's forget that
what the senses furnish is not proof
II l am taking cognizarce of what is
offered me by my senses | do so but
to bring the results within the circle
of my reason. That circle ma b. thf
most circum scribed. but. if it is. it has
this advantage--it holds nothing but
the truth Yes. I swear that have
never used the evidence of the senses
but as servants to my reason. | have
never permitted them to become my
master. They have not made of me
that monstrous thing worse than
blind mana man who secs falsely
And that is why | can triumph over
your error and ycur merely animal in.
telligence, Frederic I.arsan.
BE of good courage, then. Friend
Rouletabille. II is impossible that the
incident of the incxplcable gallery
should be outside the circle of your
reason. You know that. Then have
faith and take thought with yourself
and FORGET nos that YOU tool. hold OF
the right end when you drew that cir
Gle in you" brain within which to I'M
ravel this mysterior, pla. of circuln-
stance.
ITO it, once agaic. Go back to the
gallery. Take you. stand on your
reason and rest there as Frederic Lar.
soon prov. that the greet Fred is moth
Ing but a foo. --30;.. October Noon.
JOSEPH ROULETABILLE"
Il acted as l planned. With head on
hre, l retraced my way to the gallery,
and without having found anything
NOR" than ! had seen on the previous
night, the right hold had taken of my
reason drew me to something so impor.
tant that was obliged to cling to it 10
save myself from falling.
Nov for the strength and patience
Z, fA1 sensible traces to fit in with
my thinking-and these must come
Vttain the circle have drawn be.
tween the two bumps on my forehead.
-30th October Midnight.
"JOsEPH ROULETABILLE."
RTER XIX