Messengers of Evil

ast night's tragedy he could get into touch with

and thereupon every person present has to submit to being searched-an exhaustive search! Nothing comes of it. Then Bertillon arrives on the scene, and it seems he has obtained very distinct imprints of finger marks. If they are as distinct as all that, the task of the police will be simplified; but, on the other h

e Palais, Fandor uttered a

not clear about: let us hope Bertil

c department was under the discre

immediate arrest, do they? We are going to have some complica

utes after he found himself in th

t me to tell you?" asked

ery's guests?... Have you obtained such perfect reprints that, in your hasty examination, you can be cert

llon

rposes! That, let me tell you, is because you are not acquainted with our procedure. The impressions I o

or b

r!... But, do be kind enough to tell

urse you know about the affair-how the Pr

ad been rendered unconscious; that the theft of a pearl necklace worn by the victim had been the motive of this criminal attempt; that Monsieur Havard, ca

d did not fi

e investigations had terminated: at the moment when they were about to take the Princess home. She had regained consciousness by this time and declared she knew nothing except that she

ur Havard s

er, an expert in his way, noticed that the Princess had been half strangled by the thief in his haste to secure the pearl coll

ere wer

pe of the neck ... blood had been pressed on to the skin of h

at suff

! The thief must have given the neck a violent squeeze with his hands, conse

s hand to his neck as if he

pressions im

or the colour of his eyes. The curves or rings, the various forms taken by these lines already exist in the newly born and never change to the day of his death. Even in case of a burn, if the skin grows again, the ridges reappear exactly as they were before the accid

"The service your department renders

ainly, irrefutably. Unfortunately, we cannot always obtain

this

it! I will even go so far as to declare that the fellow who committed the crime has already bee

ell, and asked the of

ed the imprints I

already been measured he

turned t

d for this very month, for the number is a recent one, and I shall know the name of th

tillon was turning over the l

s the 9200

rom his hands, and he excla

question

at has robbed Princess Sonia Danid

is imp

hrugged his

hy, since the pro

ues Dollo

hief of yeste

aking a mi

ake!... Jacques Dollon

Jér?me Fandor: he coul

know that I am certain-positively certain, t

science sho

lon taken a few days ago, and this made from the impressions obtained this very night, or, to be exact,

ncid

the lines of the thumb, all out of shape!... The presentment of the thumb itself is not normal either; it denotes habitual movement in a certain direction:

tely: "Jacques Dollon is dead!

e no impression on

part, I can declare that the man who committed the theft yesterday evening is the identic

Princess Sonia Danidoff were, beyond dispute, those of Jacques Dollon-then the mystery surrounding this affair,

s, of Fant?mas in the depths of mystery, presi

has, as it were, put his signature, his identification mark to this crime!... But Dollon is no

o make

not make an