"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