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of the policeman。 Larsan smiled and asked him what he had been
doing in America； Rouletabille began by telling him some anecdotes
of his voyage。 They then turned aside together apparently with
the object of speaking confidentially。 I； therefore； discreetly
left them and； being curious to hear the evidence； returned to my
seat in the court…room where the public plainly showed its lack
of interest in what was going on in their impatience for
Rouletabille's return at the appointed time。
On the stroke of half…past six Joseph Rouletabille was again brought
in。 It is impossible for me to picture the tense excitement which
appeared on every face； as he made his way to the bar。 Darzac rose
to his feet； frightfully pale。
The President； addressing Rouletabille； said gravely：
〃I will not ask you to take the oath； because you have not been
regularly summoned； but I trust there is no need to urge upon you
the gravity of the statement you are about to make。〃
Rouletabille looked the President quite calmly and steadily in the
face； and replied：
〃Yes； Monsieur。〃
〃At your last appearance here；〃 said the President； 〃we had arrived
at the point where you were to tell us how the murderer escaped；
and also his name。 Now； Monsieur Rouletabille； we await your
explanation。〃
〃Very well； Monsieur；〃 began my friend amidst a profound silence。
〃I had explained how it was impossible for the murderer to get away
without being seen。 And yet he was there with us in the courtyard。〃
〃And you did not see him？ At least that is what the prosecution
declares。〃
〃No！ We all of us saw him； Monsieur le President！〃 cried
Rouletabille。
〃Then why was he not arrested？〃
〃Because no one； besides myself； knew that he was the murderer。 It
would have spoiled my plans to have had him arrested； and I had then
no proof other than my own reasoning。 I was convinced we had the
murderer before us and that we were actually looking at him。 I
have now brought what I consider the indisputable proof。〃
〃Speak out； Monsieur！ Tell us the murderer's name。〃
〃You will find it on the list of names present in the court on the
night of the tragedy；〃 replied Rouletabille。
The people present in the court…room began showing impatience。
Some of them even called for the name； and were silenced by the
usher。
〃The list includes Daddy Jacques； Bemier the concierge； and Mr。
Arthur Rance；〃 said the President。 〃Do you accuse any of these？〃
〃No； Monsieur！〃
〃Then I do not understand what you are driving at。 There was no
other person at the end of the court。〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； there was； not at the end； but above the court； who
was leaning out of the window。〃
〃Do you mean Frederic Larsan！〃 exclaimed the President。
〃Yes！ Frederic Larsan！〃 replied Rouletabille in a ringing tone。
〃Frederic Larsan is the murderer！〃
The court…room became immediately filled with loud and indignant
protests。 So astonished was he that the President did not attempt
to quiet it。 The quick silence which followed was broken by the
distinctly whispered words from the lips of Robert Darzac：
〃It's impossible！ He's mad！〃
〃You dare to accuse Frederic Larsan； Monsieur？〃 asked the President。
〃If you are not mad； what are your proofs？〃
〃Proofs； Monsieur？ … Do you want proofs？ Well； here is one；〃 cried
Rouletabille shrilly。 〃Let Frederic Larsan be called！〃
〃Usher； call Frederic Larsan。〃
The usher hurried to the side door； opened it； and disappeared。 The
door remained open； while all eyes turned expectantly towards it。
The clerk re…appeared and； stepping forward； said：
〃Monsieur President； Frederic Larsan is not here。 He left at about
four o'clock and has not been seen since。〃
〃That is my proof！〃 cried Rouletabille； triumphantly。
〃Explain yourself？〃 demanded the President。
〃My proof is Larsan's flight；〃 said the young reporter。 〃He will
not come back。 You will see no more of Frederic Larsan。〃
〃Unless you are playing with the court； Monsieur； why did you not
accuse him when he was present？ He would then have answered you。〃
〃He could give no other answer than the one he has now given by his
flight。〃
〃We cannot believe that Larsan has fled。 There was no reason for
his doing so。 Did he know you'd make this charge？〃
〃He did。 I told him I would。〃
〃Do you mean to say that knowing Larsan was the murderer you gave
him the opportunity to escape？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur President； I did；〃 replied Rouletabille； proudly。
〃I am not a policeman； I am a journalist； and my business is not
to arrest people。 My business is in the service of truth； and is
not that of an executioner。 If you are just； Monsieur； you will
see that I am right。 You can now understand why I refrained until
this hour to divulge the name。 I gave Larsan time to catch the
4：17 train for Paris； where he would know where to hide himself；
and leave no traces。 You will not find Frederic Larsan；〃 declared
Rouletabille； fixing his eyes on Monsieur Robert Darzac。 〃He is
too cunning。 He is a man who has always escaped you and whom you
have long searched for in vain。 If he did not succeed in
outwitting me； he can yet easily outwit any police。 This man who；
four years ago； introduced himself to the Surete； and became
celebrated as Frederic Larsan； is notorious under another name … a
name well known to crime。 Frederic Larsan； Monsieur President；
is Ballmeyer！〃
〃Ballmeyer！〃 cried the President。
〃Ballmeyer！〃 exclaimed Robert Darzac； springing to his feet。
〃Ballmeyer！ … It was true； then！〃
〃Ah！ Monsieur Darzac； you don't think I am mad； now！〃 cried
Rouletabille。
Ballmeyer！ Ballmeyer！ No other word could be heard in the
courtroom。 The President adjourned the hearing。
Those of my readers who may not have heard of Ballmeyer will wonder
at the excitement the name caused。 And yet the doings of this
remarkable criminal form the subject…matter of the most dramatic
narratives of the newspapers and criminal records of the past twenty
years。 It had been reported that he was dead； and thus had eluded
the police as he had eluded them throughout the whole of his career。
Ballmeyer was the best specimen of the high…class 〃gentleman
swindler。〃 He was adept at sleight of hand tricks； and no bolder
or more ruthless crook ever lived。 He was received in the best
society； and was a member of some of the most exclusive clubs。 On
many of his depredatory expeditions he had not hesitated to use
the knife and the mutton…bone。 No difficulty stopped him and no
〃operation〃 was too dangerous。 He had been caught； but escaped
on the very morning of his trial； by throwing pepper into the
eyes of the guards who were conducting him to Court。 It was known
later that； in spite of the keen hunt after him by the most expert
of detectives； he had sat that same evening at a first performance
in the Theatre Francais； without the slightest disguise。
He left France； later； to 〃work〃 America； The police there
succeeded in capturing him once； but the extraordinary man escaped
the next day。 It would need a volume to recount the adventures of
this master…criminal。 And yet this was the man Rouletabille had
allowed