The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-07-15

-.
J who the murderer isT.
No. monsieur, don't know who
the murderer Is But don't be afraid
n. Robert Darzae. I shall know"
could not bat observe that NJ. Oar.
Fac was deeply moved. ard / suspect.
ed that ROuletabnle's confident asser-
ton was not pleasing to him. Why,
u asked myself II he was really afraid
that the murderer should be discover
ed. was he helping the reporter 10 ind
himl Ny young friend seemed TO
have received the same impression.
for he said bluntiy:
M. Darzac. don't you want me TO
and out who the murderer WASP"
~Oh. I should like to kill him with
my own handr' cried Nile. stanger-
sons hance. with a yehemence that
amazed me.
At believe you" said Rouletabille
gravely. But you have not answered
my question"
We were passing by the thicket Of
which the young reporter had spoken
30 us a minute before. entered Il
and poiIted ont evident traces Of a
nan who had been hidden there
Rouletabille once more was right
Eyes, yes" he said. I'VE have to do
with a thing Of flesh and blood. who
uses the same means that we do. TIN
all come out on those lines"
Having said this, he asked me for
the paper pattern Of the footprint
which he had given me to take care
of and applied it to very clear foot
mark behind the thicket "AhaP he
said, rising.
thought he was now going to trace
back the track Of the murderer's foot !
marks to the vestibule window, but be
led us instead far to the left saying |
that 1t was useless ferreting In the
mud and that he was sure now OF the |
road taken by the murderer.
"He went along the wall to the hedge
and dry ditch, over which he jumped.
See, just In front of the little path
leading to the lake, that was his near.
est way to get out"
How do you know he went to the
lake?"
Because Frederic Larsan has not
quilted the borders of 1t since this
There must be some impor-
tant marks there"
A few minutes later we reached the
lake.
It was a little sheet of marshy wa
ter, surrounded by reeds, on which
aoated some dead water lily leaves.
The great Fred may have seen us APP
preaching, but we probably interested
him very little, for he took hardly any ..
notice Of us and continued to be stir
ing with his cane something which !.
We could not see.
"Lookr' said RouletabiIle. Here
gain are the footmarks Of the escap- !
ng man. They skirt the lake here and
lnally disappear just before this path, ;
which leads to the high road to Epi :
ay. The man continued his flight to :
'aris."
what makes you think that?" l q
sked, "since these footmarks are not 4
ontinued on the path?' n
what makes me think that? Why, n
aese footprints, which l expected to q
ndT' he cried, pointing to the sharply
utlined imprint Of a neat boot. "Seew Fl
nd he called to Frederic Larsan. a
~. Fred, these neat footprints seem
J have been made since the discovery h
the crime" al
Yes, young man, yes. They have
cen carefully made" replied Fred s,
ithout raising his head. you see, eC
Iere are steps that come. and steps r.
at go back" 10
"And the man had bicycle" cried fe
70 reporter. 70
Here, after looking at the marks Of of
e bicycle, which followed, going and
ming, the neat footprints, thought ri
might intervene. us
'"The bicycle explains the disappear m
ICE of the murderer's big footprints" be
said. 1.-THE murderer, with his rough an
ots, mounted bicycle. bis accom- re-
d come to wait for him on the edge 70
the lake with the bicycle 1t might tn
supposed that the murderer was :
,rking for the other" ]
No, nor replied Rouletabille, with Gel
strange smile. II have expected to a
d these footmarks from the. very biz
ginning. These are not the foot cut
Lrks Of the murderer" ma
Then there were twor he
No; there was but one, and he had the
accomplish" tw
Very good! Very RoodY cried Fred tab
c Larsan. DEL
Lookv' continued the young report bel
showing rs the ground where 1t est
! been disturbed by big and heavy to
lis. THE man seated himself see
re and took or his hobnailed boots SIN:
ich he had worn only for the pur-
e of misleading detection, and then
doubt, taking them away with him,
stood IN In his own boots and