The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1908-08-22

felt convinced that he ala not come
from Bayonne because Of his north
ern accent.
He was concealing his identity.
| After dinner we strolled across the
brightly lit Place to the cafe. and sat
outside to take our liqueurs and listen
| to the band. II was there he drew on
his glove. not, however. without .
slight hesitation. and exhibited to me
| q withered claw-like hand. II was In.
deed hideous. ! did not wonder that
he preferred to keep 1t gloved. The
flesh had wizened and died upon I'm
| gers and palm until 1t had assumed q
dark-brown color, while the bones
shone white beneath the skin. q
veritable skeleton hand with long yn-
| trimmed nails. the hand OF demon
rather than that of human being.
Even In my ignorance OF the prac-
tice OF medicine saw that such ter
rible disease was not the result OF
rheumatism. and expressed that opinion.
But my friend merely shook his
head and pulled on the glove again.
| saying:
You're not the first doctor who has
told me that. Yet two great special
lists in Paris agreed as to the cause
| and treatment. l must admit, how
ever, that I've been none the better
for It," and he smiled, coughing that
curious hacking cough.
Shall you play again." asked. As
we rose and descended into the Place.
NO" he answered. glancing up at
the Illuminated clock Of the Casino.
II shall return"
| ITO Nice2"
| "Yes. I'm at the Anglais. When
you're over look me up
Then, with mutual civilities, we ex.
changed cards. shook hands, and
parted.
His eagerness to depart during the
last few moments struck me az
| strange; therefore returning into the
Casino / slipped on another suit, and
| when his train left the station for
| Nice I was in another compartment
engrossed in the Petit Journal. Il
CHANGED to be a yellow rapide, and
had to exercise considerable tact to
evade recognition. as, with growing
restlessness, he walked along the cor.
ridors from lend to end, peering into
each carriage as II in search of some
one.
rs this train from Ventimille" I
heard him inquire Of the guard. to
which the man gave an affirmative
answer 1t seemed as though he ex-
pected some one to arrive from the
Italian frontier.
On arrival ut Nice he walked quick
ly down the Avenue de la Care until
he came to the Cafe de la Regence.
where he entered, seating himself at
table in far corner and ordering
book. While drinking 1t saw that
his keen eyes were fixed intently on
the table. The instant he left took
top saw some writing In pencil. u
was evidently a message, but he had
half effaced it by dipping his finger
in the droppings Of the beer and care
lessly smearing 1t across. Yet the
two scrubbed words In French I was
enabled to read were sufficient to whet
my curiosity. They were as follows:
"Choucrouttmann CROCODILE"
To the uninitiated they possessed
no meaning, but my experience In
Paris had given me good knowledge
Of thieves argot and translated
them as German money lender"
For few minutes sat staring at
the writing and thinking. Then sud-
den, thought dawned upon me. and BY
the next train travelled back to
Monte Carlo, where I spent half an
hour over my cosmopolitan portrait
gallery. The words upon that table
had some very mysterious meaning.
Again went to Nice by the eleven
o'clock rapide. that train which Is al
ways filed with home-going gamblers,
and at once took cab to the central
police office. In order that the observa-
ton should be continued upon the
mysterious stranger at his hotel Az
entered, however, was surprised to
meet Dumont. the well-known Paris
detective.
WELL" I exclaimed, greeting him
heartily, for we were excellent friends
What brings you down here"
"a case" he answered. I've besH
here a week, but am returning to
morrow. My man was believed to
have come down here for an airing
after committing murder. but I've
been unable to trace him. He'S .
hunchback."
"a hunchback!" I exclaimed, re-
fiecting for an instant. "And he muir
dered German money lender?"
Eyes. How did you known in
quired Dumont, amazed.
But kept my, own counsel. and
merely answered:
You'll find your man at the Hotel
des Anglais, number LOG. Some of the
fraternity-an accessory, probably
has warned him tonight that you're
here, SO, you'd better lose NO time"
HALT an hour later Dumont arrested
the mysterious player just - he was
In the act of packing his bag. and ere
7 rofurnod TINT uiOhf I loaruoS that