The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-03-25

Eoulctalillc opened the door Of his
room and after We had passed in care
fully drew the bolt. | had not had
time 10 glance around the place in
which lie had been Installed when he
uttered a cry Of surprise and pointed
TO n pair of eyeglasses on n side table.
what are these doing here he
asked. .
should have been puzzled to an
swcr him.
Il wonder" he said 81 wonder If
this Is what | have been searching for.
| wonder If these are the eyeglasses
from the prcsbytcry."
lie seized them eagerly, his fingers
careSSimg the glasses. Then looking ut
me. with an expression Of terror on
his face, he murmurcd, ooh, OH
lie repeated the exclamation again
and again, as If his thoughts had sud
denly turned his brain.
lie rose aud. putting bis hand on my
shoulder, laughed like one dcmcntcd as
he said:
''ThoSc glasses viii drive me silly.
Mechanically speaking, the thing is
possible. but humanity speaking it j.
impossible, or aftcrward, or after
ward
Two light knocks struck the door.
RoulctabtIlc opened It. \ figure en-
tered. recognized the concierge
whom | had seen when she was being
taken to the pavilion for examination.
I wa AnpppiGnt tbipIinr GI,n n-ng Gin
under lock and key. This woman said
In a very low tone:
"ln the grove Of the parquet.'
RouletahiIle replied. Thanks" The
woman then left, lie again turned to
me, his look haggard. after having
carefully rcfastcned the door, muttcr-
Ing some incomprchensible phrases.
IF the thing is mathcmatically pos
siblc why should II not be humanity ?
And If it Is humanity possible the mat
ter Is simply awful"
| Interrupted him In his %soliloquy.
"IIavc they set the concicr"es ut lib-
erty. them | asked.
Yes" he replied. IL had them libcr-
atcd. | needed people | could trust.
The woman is thoroughly devoted to
me. and her husband would lay down
his life for me-
Ohio" | said. When will he have
occasion to do itT'
This evening. for this evening | cX-
pect the murderer
You expect the murderer this even
ing? Then you know him."
II shall know him, but | should be
mad TO affirm categorically at this mo-
ment that ! do know him. The mathe-
matical idea | have Of the murderer
gives results SO f~rightful. so non
strous, that ! hope it is still possible
that ! am mistaken. | hope SO with all
my heart"
Five minutes ago you did not know
the murderer. How can you say that
You expect him this evening"
Because ! know that he must
come"
Rouletabillc very slowly filed his
pipe and lit it. That meant an interest
ing story. At that m we heard
some n walking In the gallery and
passing before our door. Rouletabille
listened. The sound Of the footstep
died away in the distance.
rs Frederic I.arsan in his ROOM I
asked. pointing to the partition.
"No." my friend answered. He went
To Paris this morning. Still on the seen
OF Darzac, who also left for Paris,
That matter will turn out badly | ex-
pect that NJ. Darzac will be arrested I'm
| the course of the next week. The worst
of It Is that everything seems to be
In league against observation-disclosures.
things. people, Not Al hour passes
without bringing some new evidence
against him. The examining mag!s-
trate Is overwhelmed by 1t and blind"
"Frederic Larsan, however. is not a
novice" | said.
Il thought So" said Rouletabille,
with Il slightly contemptuous turn Of
his lips, Il fancied he was n much
ADLER man. | had. indeed, Il great ad.
miration for him before | got to know
his method of working. It's deplorable.
lie owes his reputation solely to his
plility, but he lacks reasoning power.
The mathematics of his ideas are very
poor
| looked closely at Rouletabille and
could not help smiling on hearing this
boy of eighteen talking of n man who
has proved To- the world that he vas
the finest police sleuth hound in En.
rope.
You SMILE he said. "You are
wrong. l swear | will outwit him and
In u striking way. But l must make
haste about ii. for he has an enormous
start of me. given him by NJ. Robert
Darzac. who Is this evening going to
Increase IL still more. Think of Ii.
every TIM. the murderer INT to the
chateau NJ. Darzac 10y a strange fatal
ity absents himself and refuses to give
any account Of how he employs his
time"
Every time the assassin comes 10
| the chateau. cried. "IIas he re-
turned, them"
"Yes. during that famous night when
the strange phenomenon occurred"
/ was now going 10 learn about the as
tonishing phenomenon to which Roulc-