o. Rouletabille went
up and shook him heartily by the hand. His manner toward the detective
showed that he had got the better 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,