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〃I think them equally valueless；〃 replied Brown。 〃Blood flows； fast or slow； in dead folk or living； for so many more million reasons than we can ever know。 Blood will have to flow very funnily； blood will have to flow up the Matterhorn； before I will take it as a sign that I am to shed it。〃
〃The method；〃 remarked the other； 〃has been guaranteed by some of the greatest American men of science。〃
〃What sentimentalists men of science are！〃 exclaimed Father Brown； 〃and how much more sentimental must American men of science be！ Who but a Yankee would think of proving anything from heart…throbs？ Why； they must be as sentimental as a man who thinks a woman is in love with him if she blushes。 That's a test from the circulation of the blood； discovered by the immortal Harvey； and a jolly rotten test； too。〃
〃But surely；〃 insisted Flambeau； 〃it might point pretty straight at something or other。〃
〃There's a disadvantage in a stick pointing straight；〃 answered the other。 〃What is it？ Why； the other end of the stick always points the opposite way。 It depends whether you get hold of the stick by the right end。 I saw the thing done once and I've never believed in it since。〃 And he proceeded to tell the story of his disillusionment。
It happened nearly twenty years before； when he was chaplain to his co…religionists in a prison in Chicagowhere the Irish population displayed a capacity both for crime and penitence which kept him tolerably busy。 The official second…in…command under the Governor was an ex…detective named Greywood Usher； a cadaverous； careful…spoken Yankee philosopher； occasionally varying a very rigid visage with an odd apologetic grimace。 He liked Father Brown in a slightly patronizing way； and Father Brown liked him； though he heartily disliked his theories。 His theories were extremely complicated and were held with extreme simplicity。
One evening he had sent for the priest； who； according to his custom； took a seat in silence at a table piled and littered with papers； and waited。 The official selected from the papers a scrap of newspaper cutting； which he handed across to the cleric； who read it gravely。 It appeared to be an extract from one of the pinkest of American Society papers； and ran as follows：
〃Society's brightest widower is once more on the Freak Dinner stunt。 All our exclusive citizens will recall the Perambulator Parade Dinner； in which Last…Trick Todd； at his palatial home at Pilgrim's Pond； caused so many of our prominent debutantes to look even younger than their years。 Equally elegant and more miscellaneous and large…hearted in social outlook was Last…Trick's show the year previous； the popular Cannibal Crush Lunch； at which the confections handed round were sarcastically moulded in the forms of human arms and legs； and during which more than one of our gayest mental gymnasts was heard offering to eat his partner。 The witticism which will inspire this evening is as yet in Mr Todd's pretty reticent intellect； or locked in the jewelled bosoms of our city's gayest leaders； but there is talk of a pretty parody of the simple manners and customs at the other end of Society's scale。 This would be all the more telling； as hospitable Todd is entertaining in Lord Falconroy； the famous traveller； a true…blooded aristocrat fresh from England's oak…groves。 Lord Falconroy's travels began before his ancient feudal title was resurrected； he was in the Republic in his youth； and fashion murmurs a sly reason for his return。 Miss Etta Todd is one of our deep…souled New Yorkers； and comes into an income of nearly twelve hundred million dollars。〃
〃Well；〃 asked Usher； 〃does that interest you？〃
〃Why； words rather fail me；〃 answered Father Brown。 〃I cannot think at this moment of anything in this world that would interest me less。 And； unless the just anger of the Republic is at last going to electrocute journalists for writing like that； I don't quite see why it should interest you either。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Mr Usher dryly； and handing across another scrap of newspaper。 〃Well； does that interest you？〃
The paragraph was headed 〃Savage Murder of a Warder。 Convict Escapes；〃 and ran： 〃Just before dawn this morning a shout for help was heard in the Convict Settlement at Sequah in this State。 The authorities； hurrying in the direction of the cry； found the corpse of the warder who patrols the top of the north wall of the prison； the steepest and most difficult exit； for which one man has always been found sufficient。 The unfortunate officer had； however； been hurled from the high wall； his brains beaten out as with a club； and his gun was missing。 Further inquiries showed that one of the cells was empty； it had been occupied by a rather sullen ruffian giving his name as Oscar Rian。 He was only temporarily detained for some comparatively trivial assault； but he gave everyone the impression of a man with a black past and a dangerous future。 Finally； when daylight bad fully revealed the scene of murder； it was found that he had written on the wall above the body a fragmentary sentence； apparently with a finger dipped in blood： ‘This was self…defence and he had the gun。 I meant no harm to him or any man but one。 I am keeping the bullet for Pilgrim's PondO。R。' A man must have used most fiendish treachery or most savage and amazing bodily daring to have stormed such a wall in spite of an armed man。〃
〃Well； the literary style is somewhat improved；〃 admitted the priest cheerfully； 〃but still I don't see what I can do for you。 I should cut a poor figure； with my short legs； running about this State after an athletic assassin of that sort。 I doubt whether anybody could find him。 The convict settlement at Sequah is thirty miles from here； the country between is wild and tangled enough； and the country beyond； where he will surely have the sense to go； is a perfect no…man's land tumbling away to the prairies。 He may be in any hole or up any tree。〃
〃He isn't in any hold；〃 said the governor； 〃he isn't up any tree。〃
〃Why； how do you know？〃 asked Father Brown； blinking。
〃Would you like to speak to him？〃 inquired Usher。
Father Brown opened his innocent eyes wide。 〃He is here？〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why； how did your men get hold of him？〃
〃I got hold of him myself；〃 drawled the American； rising and lazily stretching his lanky legs before the fire。 〃I got hold of him with the crooked end of a walking…stick。 Don't look so surprised。 I really did。 You know I sometimes take a turn in the country lanes outside this dismal place； well； I was walking early this evening up a steep lane with dark hedges and grey…looking ploughed fields on both sides； and a young moon was up and silvering the road。 By the light of it I saw a man running across the field towards the road； running with his body bent and at a good mile…race trot。 He appeared to be much exhausted； but when he came to the thick black hedge he went through it as if it were made of spiders' webs； or rather （for I heard the strong branches breaking and snapping like bayonets） as if he himself were made of stone。 In the instant in which he