Show feUGH UGH THE WALL LAND ELAND MOFFETT 1 Copyright 1909 by byTHE byTHE THE BATTLE ETC D D. APPLETON AND COMPANY COMPAN I CHAPTER TER Caching a a. Yellow Tooth quarter past rt a. a 4 and still Ull night left the Hotel Hotl d des s wore wort a soft black hat pulled I er bis eyes and nd a a. shabby black dup around his throat and he lei leather bag bag taken from th the f. f Th Tho streets were silent and andt I et t the det detective studied every ud nd corner with vigilant care undred yards behind him InBar In Bar dress came Arne Papa ito to the tho shadows with sharpest is u against human shadows bent g gM f M. M Paul moved cautiously down tn th the i St. St Michel then over the along tho river to NotrA Dame sive to towers toners ers stood out in mys- mys duty uty against the faintly lighted Hero lIer the tho leader paused tor for Jem he said as the lat lat- thim jog ng 1 T Take the bag bap and wait walt for tor me out Tout of or sight I fa nil iii 1 walked across the tho square to the rat moving slowly thinking i events of or tho the night The They had the he track of or the tho assassin that was Ml t they had discovered nothing Id ld d help In his capture except tho the tho the long little finger r. r The man nothing in his room otel this the they verified with the also l keys keS and had never nover rc- rc lIter lifter the night of the crime al- al le e had taken the room for tor a n ad aid d id paid tho the rent in advance ado lado two visits to this room one three In the afternoon of ot the 1 4 when he spent an hour there rod red Kittredge's room no doubt boots boot and the pistol tho the other I mado imado the same night when ho he return the boots and was pre- pre rom doing so 80 How he ho must hare havo that little photographer I he assassins assassin's personal appear- appear lero iero was a startling difference of oC between n tho the hotel doorkeeper porter both of whom saw flaw him k to him The ono one declared ho he ht hair and a beard heard the tho other h had dark dAlk hair and no beard tho the he was a Frenchman theas theas the tho thoas as sur sure surO he was aR a s. foreigner EvI- EvI ho he man was disguised either com com- PO so this testimony was Us to 0 all this was pleased as ho he rang tho the night bell house beside hE the tl 11 it for tor he had ono one previous clue the Ithe Indication of this ong ng little finger and he did not that In all France there ther were two th tb hands like that And ho he knew as oas ono one such man alan for tor Allen Alice had n. n Where had she ehe seen him She Sho had often oCten noticed his long little so she ahe must often orten have hll been lough ough to him to observe such a But Alice went about tic ile she had few friends and all must be known know to the to be cas easy to get et from the information which tho the girl herself withhold Hence this nocturnal Notre Dame Dame It It was of at the tho ut- ut I that havo have an l itc tc talk with Papa after a sleepy bleep salutation and ami a ae Ot e servant M. M Paul was shown a stone passageway that connects rob with tho the house and on pushing push push- ma ing na wide door covered with red rede he he e found himself alono alone In Notre lone done In utter darkness savo save for tor a ar r red light on tho the shadowy shadoW altar he the blessed sacrament i j stood uncertain which way to detective heard a step and a a low tow wid md peering among amont the arches of ot ofIr ofir Ir Ir ho bo bosaw saw a lantern advancing ad gure holding the lantern then an- an figure figuro moving before the Then ho he recognized Caesar et phee etl he whistled softly Lh a start and n. n glad rush the thene ne Is bounding to his master while stared in alarm 4 old Caesar There there thero ed d fondling the eager cager fits fit's all right and forward ho held out his hand as lifted his lantern in sus- sus scrutiny c Paul aul upon my soul exclaimed What are ara you doing here hour t a personal er little er personal matter discreetly partly about Can we sit Bit down somewhere wondering l led d th tho way ay nail nall room adjoining tho the treasure treasurer r I where a a. dim lamp was 1 burning and and his associates lS got alternates alternate s j of ot sleep during the night Francois Ho He shook a a. sleeping n 1 a a. cot at bed bcd and tho the latter roused and nd sat up Its It's time to make ld d. d is looked stupidly at n. n with a yawn awn and shrug of Ince In In- cc ce e ho ha called to the tho dog doS while prowled his reluctance all LII 11 rl right ht old fellow encouraged 11 ril see you again agan whereupon trotted rotted a away wa reassured i this chair said ald the sacristan on on the bed Wo We dont don't have mt rainy II then began M. M Paul Ill come og In a a a. dont don't minute don't dont worry orry Im I'm Imig ig nS' g to take him away But first I II Ij Io o j I a ask k about that girl who sells Sho She boards with you ou doesn't I know know she's In love 10 O with this m In a who's In prison lOW ow came amo to see ace me mo the tho other da day did lid 7 Land and tho the result of her visit was was- has made a lot of t trouble What Ing ng tg to sa say Is absolute absolutely between s you s-you you mustn't tell a sou soul least ou our ur wife can trust me M M. Paul declared rubbing his hands In Inen en enL t. t begin egin with 1 who ho Is s the tho man with W little fin finger er that she sho told me Ho put the lie question carelessly were of or no particular mom moment nt Groener Greener answered Bon Don reply tier ner er Oh her cousin 14 Interested went on the d detective e Byname la m Indifferent air because I collection of plaster hands at my m myril m mIll Ill ril 11 show It to you some day day and and one ne with a lon long little finger that lie le Ie girl noticed Is la her cousins cousin's er cr f really faIlY aIlY very lon long 1 retty long said I i think it had hecq hecl stretched In You know hes he's a wood woodI I w. w Yell Well Well that's neither hero here nor he e point is is this girl had a dream V what's tho the matter talk itak to me rae about her hr dreams f the sacristan She used to to death with em pm TUy My ly ont let Jet her tell fm em m an any morer more SRI r a n. n good thine she hc wont For man he spoke with surprising nce ce ct eton fleton eton continued the tho detective e I dont don't know whether Its It's r dreams mr or in some me other way woY t. t girl knows things that that that-that that she business to know j 1 briefly and Impressively el Co Co- old ld of the extraordinary at Alio AlI o had made mado not only to toto to to the director of the tho Sante muttered the old man I 1 p's ps s 's possessed of or f tho the devil possessed of dangerous knowl- knowl 1 J l want to know where she Rhe got ot ott pt it t to know nil about this girl l li a where she nho came camo from very every Jd that's thata where you can help Sn Ii i shook his hie head Wo Wc know Je about her and the Que l' l thing Seems to know very scry little about t p sho she knows bore more than silo she I. I t tell P but but I I dont don't think so ad so I bei be- be i perfectly honest Anyhow 51 I I I her cousin Is in a a. stupid fellow Ho In comes on from Brussels es CI C every five fire or six 7 months I and spends two nl nights with us ug ua never nevermore I more never ne Jess ess Ho lie eats ears his meals to his commissions for wood carving tak takes s Alice out once In the tho afternoon or 01 evening o gives cs my wife the tho money mon y for her board and that's all For five tho years Its It's been tho you same Trou know as much about him himIn himIn himin In ono visit Isit as you would In a n. hundred Theres There's nothing much to know lies he's I Just a a. stupid wood carver r. r You say h he takes Alice AlIco out every time I Iho ho comes Is 8 she e fond of him t Why Yh cr r yes f I think eo so but he upsets up up- sets ets her Ive I've noticed she's sho's nervous Just before his visits and sort of sad after them My I wife says tho the girl has h her r wo worst t dreams dream then took look out a box of cigarettes I You dont don't mind If I smoke And without without with with- out waiting for p permission he lighted one of his Egyptians and Inhaled If long breaths of or the tra fragrant rant smoke Not Oot a word ord I want to think Then Thenor for or full tull five minutes ho he sat silent Allent I have hare It ho he exclaimed presently Tell me mo about this man Francois Francois answered the tho sacristan In surprise p. p Why he helps mo with the tho nl night ht work here Where hero docs does ho live In n a room near here Where here does ho ha ca eat at t 1 lie Ho takes tokes two m meals als with us Ah Ah Do you ou think he would like to tomake tomake tomako make mako a hundred francs bc by Y doing nothing Of course he would 1 An And you ou would lII like e eto to mako make Five Fhe hundred francs exclaimed with a frightened look took Dont be afraid laughed the other Im lm not not planning to Bt steal a tho the treasure f When hem do you expect this wood carver again Its Us odd you should ask nek that for my wife only told m mf me this morning she's had hada hadn a n letter from him Wo We Vo didn't expect him him for or six weeks yet d but It seems poems hell he'll bo be hero next Wednesday Something must t have happened Next r Wednesday reflected lie Ho always comes when ho says nays he will 1111 1 Always Alway lies lie's as regular as os clockwork clockwork clock clockwork clock clock- work And he spends two nights with you Yes Yo rs That will be ho edn Wednesday la night and Thursday night o of next week Yes Yet Good Now ow Ill I'll show you ou how youre you're ou going oln to make this money I want Francois to have havo a little vacation he ho looks look tired I want him to go Into th thC country on Tuc Tuesday dllY and stay until Friday Fri rl da day Anti Ant his work Who Vho will do hi his I work smiled quietly and tapped his hl breast uy You ou 1 I wilt will take Francois' Francois pla place Ill I'll be ba bethe betho the tho best assistant you ever had and I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall enjoy Mother cooking You will take lake your meals meal with us cried the f sacristan n a aghast hast But they thE all knOw w you None of them will know me mt you ou wont won't know mo me yourself Ah I sea se nodded the old man wisely wise wise- ly You will havo have a t dl disguise But my wife has hat sharp harp eyes If she hc knows m me or If It the candle randle girl Irl 1 knows s no me mc Ill I'll give gl you 1000 francs Instead of ot Now here Is 15 the mone money for or he he handed d tho the sacristan a franc note note and and here hero are arA BOO francs for you ou I shall haU come on Tuesday ready for tor work When do you want me mo At 6 o'clock answered the sacristan doubtfully But what shall I say Ray If It anyone asks mo roe about It 7 Say Francois was sick and you OU got gol your our old friend Matthieu to replace him for tor a few tew days das Im I'm Matthieu Papa touched the five tI crl crisp p bank notes caressingly I their clean blue and white attracted him Irresistibly To Tobo bo continued |