The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-01-29
Continued from page g.


ing man. They skirt the lake here and
nnally disappear just before this path,
which leads to the high road to Epi.
nay. The man continued his flight to
Paris"
What makes you think that?" I
asked, "since these footmarks are not
continued on the path?"
What makes me think that? Why,
these footprints. which 1 expected to
find! he cried, pointing to the sharply
outlined imprint of neat boot. "See"
And he called to Frederic Larsan.
IN. Fred, these neat footprints seem
to have been made since the discovery
of the crime"
"Yes, young man, yes. They have
been carefully made" replied. Fred
without raising his head. "You see,
there are steps that come and steps
that go back"
"And the man had bicyclev cried
The reporter.
Here, after looking at the marks of
the bicycle, which followed, going aud
coming, the neat footprints, 1 thought
might intervene.
'The bicycle explains the disappear
ance of the murderer's big footprints"
l said. 1.-THE murderer, with his rough
boots, mounted bicycle. His accom-
plice, the wearer Of the neat boots,
had come to wait for him on the edge
of the lake with the bicycle. 1t might
be supposed that the murderer was
working for the other"
''NO, nor replied Rouletabille, with
strange smile. 81 have expected to
find these footmarks from the very
beginning. These are not the foot
marks Of the murderer"
Then there were twoY
mo; there was but one, and he had
no accomplish"
Every good! Very goodw cried Fred
eric Larsan.
Look continued the young report
er, showing us the ground where it
had been disturbed by big and heavy
heels. 'The man seated himself
there and took Off his hobnailed boots
which he had worn only for the pur-
pose of misleading detection, and then
no doubt, taking them away with him,
he stood up in his own boots and
quietly and slowly regained the high
road. holding his bicycle in his hand,
for he could not venture to ride it on
this rough path. That accounts for
the lightness of the impression made
by the wheels along 1t in spite Of the
;softness of the ground. If there had
been a man on the bicycle the wheels
would have sunk deeply into the SOIL
No, no; there was but one man there
the murderer on foot"
Bravo. Bravor' cried Fred again.
And. coming suddenly toward us and
planting himself in front Of Nj. Rob-
ert Darzac, he said to him:
"If we had bicycle here we might
demonstrate the correctness of the
young mans reasoning, NJ. Robert
Darzac. Do you know whether there
is one at the chateau?'
mo" replied NJ. Darzac "there is
not. / took mine four days ago to
Paris, the last time I came to the
chateau before the crime"
THAT'S a pity" replied Fred very
coldly. Then. turning ID Rouletabillc,
he said: IF we go on ut this rate We'll
both come to the same conclusion. Have
you any idea as to how the murderer
got away from the yellow room|'
'Yes," said my young friend, 81
have an idea
$50 have l." said Fred, "and it must
be the same as yours. There are no
two ways of reasoning in this affair.
/ am waiting for the arrival of my
chief before offering any explanation
to the examining magistrate"
"Ah! Ia the chief of the police
coming?"
"Yes, this afternoon. He is going to
summon before the magistrate in the
al those who have played
any part in this tragedy. 1t will be
very interesting. 1t is pity you
won't be able to be present"
II shall be present." said Rouleta-
bile confidently.
Really you are an extraordinary
fellow for your age" replied the de- |
tective In tone not wholly free from
IOu uc-
tective-lf you had little more meth !
od-lf you didn't follow your instincts
and that bump on your forehead AS
have already several times observed |
NJ. Rouletabille, you reason too much |
You do not allow yourself to be guild |
I'd by what you have seen. What do |
you say to the handkerchief full of |
blood and the red mark OF the hand |
on the wall? You have seen the stain |
on the wall, but I have only seen the
"Bahr' cried Rouletabile. "The
murderer was wounded In the hand
by Mile. Stangerson's revolver"
Defective Observation-Disclosures OBJ
servation! The examination of the
the numberless little
round scarlet stains the impression of
drops which l found In the tracks of
the footprints at the moment when
they were made on the floor, prove to
me that the murderer was not wound
I'd Mt all. M. Rouletabille, the muir
lcrer bled at the nosep'
The great Fred spoke quite seriously.
However. / could not refrain from ut
Lering an exclamation.
The reporter looked gravely at Fred