The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-09-02

I oSyeAHNSh Ob AAAC iii CohOAAic
M of our rooms with a melan-
IU choly shake OF the hands.
IL Larsan's was an original
brain. very intelligent, but without
method. did not go to bed await,
ed the coming of daylight and then
went down to the front of the chateau
and made detour, examining every
trace of footsteps coming toward it or
going from 1t. These. however, were
90 mixed and confusing that / could
make nothing of them. Here l may
make remark am not accustomed
to attach an exaggerated importance
to exterior signs left in the track of a
crime
''The method which traces the Grim
inal by means of the tracks of his foot
steps is altogether primitive. So many
| footprints are identical. However. in
the disturbed state Of my mind did
90 into the deserted court and did look
at all the footprints l could find there,
seeking for some indication as a basis
for reasoning.
eff l could but find a right starting
pointl In despair seated myself on a
stone. For over an hour | busted my
self with the common, ordinary work
of a policeman. Like the least intelli-
gent of detectives / went on blindly
over the traces of footprints which told
me just no more than they could
81 came to the conclusion that was
a fool, lower in the scale of intelligence
than even the police of the modern ro-
mancer Novelists build mountains OF
stupidity out of a footprint on the
sand or from an impression of hand
on the wall That's the way innocent
men are brought to prison. 1t might
convince an examining magistrate or
the head of a detective department, but
it's not proof You writer's forget that |
what the senses furnish is not proof. |
Ii am taking cognizance' of what is |
offered me by my senses do so but |
to bring the results within the circle |
of my reason That circle may be the I
most circumscribed but, if it is. it has
this advantage holds nothing but |
the truth! Yes, | 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 a
blind mana man who sees falsely, i
And that is why | can triumph over
your error and your merely animal in il
Frederic Larsan.
BE of good courage. then, Friend
billie 1t is impossible that the
incident of the inexplicable gallery
should be outside the circle of your
reason. You know that! Then have
faith and take thought with yourself L
and forget not that you took hold of 4
The right end when you drew that cir
lie in your brain within which to un- [
,avel this mysterious play of circum q
stance.
ITO 1t, once againi Go back to the 9
gallery Take your stand on your I
'eason and rest there as Frederic Lar 6
an rests on his cane. You win then {
oon prove that the great Fred is moth {
ng but fool.-30th October. Noon. '
JOSEPH ROULETABILLE."
81 acted as planned. With head on
Ire, retraced my way to the gallery,
nd without having found anything \
more than had seen on the previous '
light, the right hold had taken of my I
eSson drew me to something so impor- q
ant that was obliged to cling to 1t to D
ave myself from falling g
Now for the strength and patience
0 find sensible traces to At In with d
" thinking-and these must come
yfthin the circle have drawn be- a
ween the two bumps on my forehead
Both October. Midnight Il
JOSEPH ROULETABILLE." IL
CHApTER XIX n