ow 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 to get away! Knowing
all about him and who he was, he afforded the criminal an opportunity
for another laugh at the society he had defied! I could not help
admirin