Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1909-02-11
CHAPTER IT.
In Which Joseph Rossletabille Ap-
pears For the First Time.

porter. At that time was
@ beginner at the bar and often me-
him in the corridors OF examining
magistrates when had gone to get Q
s'permit to communicate" for the pris.
on Of Mazas or for Saint-Lazare. He
had, as they say, "a good nut" He
seemed to have taken his head, round
as q bullet, out Of a box Of marbles,
and it is from that, think, that his
comrades OF the press, all determined
billiard players, had given him that
nickname, which was to stick to him
and be made nlustrious by him. He
was always as red as tomato, now
gay as lark, now grave as a Judge.
How while still SO young-he was only
sixteen and half years old when ]
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 IL 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, he had taken
to one Of the editors Of the EpoQue, q
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
flow Of the Seine.
When the editor In chief was In pos
session OF the precious foot and In
formed as 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 a brain OF lad Of sixteen
years and delight at being able TO ex-
hibit In the ''morgue window" Of his
paper the left foot OF the Rue 0bers-
kampf.
The boy faced reporter speedily
made many friends, for he was sery-
iceable and gifted with good humor
that enchanted the most severe tenn
pered and disarmed the most jealous
OF his companions. He began to win
q reputation as an unraveler OF 1ntrl-
cate and obscure affairs which found
its way to the Office OF the chief OF
police. When case was worth the
trouble and Rouletabille. had al
ready been given his nickname had
been started on the scent by his editor
In chief he often got the better OF the
most famous detectives.
It was at the Bar cafe that I 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 I soon warmed to-
ward him-his intelligence was 80
keen and so original, and he had q
quality OF thought such as I have
never found in any other person.
Nearly two years passed in this way.
and the better knew him the more
learned to love him, for In spite OF his
careless extravaganza / had discovered
IN him what was, considering his age,
An extraordinary seriousness OF mind.
Accustomed as ] was to seeing him
gay, and, indeed, often too gay,
would many times nnd him plunged In
he deepest melancholy. ] tried then
% question him as to the cause of this
change Of humor, but each time h.
aughed and made me no answer. One
lay, having questioned him about his
OF whom he never spoke. he
eft me, pretending not to have heard
what said.
While things were In this state be-
Ween us the famous case OF the vel
oW room" took place. Il was this
,ase which was to rank him as the
eading newspaper reporter and to OBJ
ain for him the reputation OF being
he greatest detective in the world.
Rouletabille entered my room ON the
morning Of the 26th OF October, 1892
lie was looking redder than usual. and
lis eyes were bullying out OF his head,
o the phrase is, and altogether he ap-
'eared TO be In state OF extreme en-
itement. He waved the Mattn with
trembling hand and cried:
"Well, my dear sainelair, have You
cad it7''
The Chandler crime z"
''Yes; the yellow roomg What do |
on think of ltY''
Il think that 1t must have bean the
evil or the Bette du Bon Dieu' that
ommitted the crime"
BE seylougl'' /
well, I don't much believe In mr.
erers who make their escape throuyn
rails OF solid brick. think Daday
acQues did wrong to leave behind him
ne weapon with which the crime was
onmffted, and, 81 ne occupied the at
c Immediately absqe Mile. Stanger-
on's room, the busldesss Job ordered By
lie examining magistrate wf1T fIvo ne