South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-05
THE FORTUNE TELLER.
Begin Here Today

Begin Hero Today
Seated ia the quiet OF his Paris
study,
II. JONQUELLE. greatest OF French
detectives. reads from his fathers
diary a tale Of crime and It's de-
lection In long-ago Virginia. The
story was that OF the viii or
MARSHALL. which had strangely
disappeared. The writer Of the
diary recounts how his father and
tho lawyer 4.
LEWIS, were suspicious OF
MR. GOSFORD. the Englishman
who had eXerted such a strange
influence over the deceased Mar
shall Gosford. claiming that
money was left 10 him In the
stolen viii. charged Marshall's
son with the theft.
Go on with the Story
CHAPTER II
And now. sir" continued the
Englishman. turning 20 my father,
I'VE Will inquire into the theft OF
this testament"
But my father did not appear 20
notice Mr. GOsford. He seemed per-
picked and in some concern.
Lewis" he said. what IS your
definition OF a crime?"
1T is a violation OF the law" re-
piled the lawyer.
Il do not accept your definition"
said my father. 1T is. rather. I
think. a violation OF Justice viola
. ton OF something behind the law
that makes an act a crime I think,
he went on. that God must take
broader view than Mr.. Black stone
and Lord Coke. I have seen a muir
der in the law that was. in fact. only
a kind OF awful accident. and have
seen your catalogue OF crimes gone
about by feeble men with no intent
except an adjustment OF their rights.
Their crimes. Lewis. were merely
errors OF their impractical Judg-
ment."
Then he seemed to remember that
the EngliShman was present.
And now, Mr.. Gosford." he said,
will you kindly ask young Marshall
to come in here?"
The man would have refused. with
some rejoinder. but my father was
looking at him. and he could not find
the courage TO resist my fathers
viii. He got up and went out, and
presently returned followed by the
lad and Gaeki. The old country
doctor sat down by the door, his
leather case Of bottles by the chair
his cloak still fastened under his
chin. Gosford went back to the
table and sat down with his writing
materials to keep notes. The boy
stood.
Ny father looked a long time at
The lad. His face was grave, but
when he spoke. his voice was gentle.
My boy" he said, II have had a
good deal OF experience I'm the ex-
animation Of the devils work" He
paused and Indicated the violated
room. 1T is often excellently done.
His disciples are extremely clever.
Ones ingenuity Is often taxed to
trace out the evil design IN il, and 10
stamp il as a false pIece set into the
natural sequence OF events"
He paused again, and his big
shoulders b1otted out the window.
Every natural event" he con-
tinued. "is intimately connected with
innumerable events that precede and
follow. II has so many serrated
points OF contact with other events
that the human mind Is not able TO
III a false event so that no trace or
the jolnder Will appear. The most
skilled workmen in the devils shop
are only able to give their false piece
a blurred joinder."
He stopped and turned TO the row
of mahogany drawers beside him.
Now. my boy" he said, "can you
tell me why the one who ransacked
this room, in opening and tumblinS
the contents of al the drawers
about. did not open the two at the
bottom Of the row where I stand 2"
Because there was nothing In
them OF value. sir" replied the lad.
What is in them?" said my
father.
"only old letters, sir. written 10
my father. when I was in Paris
nothing else"
And who would know that?" said
my father
The boy went suddenly white.
Precisely" said my father. You
alone knew 1t. and when you under
took 20 give this library the appear
ance OF a pillage room. you uncon-
sciously endowed your imaginary
robber with the thing you know
yourself. Why search for loot In
drawers that contained only old let
ters7 so your imaginary robber roa-
Soned. knowing what you knew But
real rohber. having no such
knowledge. would have ransacked
them lest he miss the things OF
value that he searched for"
lie paused. his eyes on the lad, his
voice deep and gentle.
Where is the will?" he said.
The white tn the boys face
changed to scarlet. re looked a
momen; about him in a sort or ter
ror: then he lifted his head and put
hack his shoulders. He crossed the
room 10 bookcase. took down q
volume. opened 81 and brought out a