Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-09-02

He was concealins his identity.
After dinner we stfnlled across the
brightly lit Place to the cafe, and sat
outside to take our liqIeurs and listen
TO the band. II was there he drew on
his glove, not. however. without .
slight hesitation. and exhibited to me
a withered claw-like hand. 1t was in
deed hideous. l did not wonder that
he preferred to keep it gloved. The
hesh had wizened and died upon fin
gers and palm until 1t had assumed q
dark-brown color, while the zones
shone white beneath the skin.
veritable skeleton hand with long IN
trimmed nails, the hand of a demon
rather than that of human being.
Even in my ignorance of the prac-
tice OF medicine / saw that such a 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. / must admit. how
ever, that I've been none the better
Tor It,, and he smiled. coughing that
curious hacking cough.
Shall you play AGAIN." asked. al
we rose and descended into the Place.
No" he answered. glancing up at
the illuminated clock OF the Casino.
Il shall return
ITO Nice?"
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 l was in another compartment
engrossed in the Petit Journal. Il
CHANGED to be yellow rapide. and I
had to exercise considerable tact to
eVade recognition, as, with growing
restlessness, he walked along the cor
ridors from end to end, peering into
each carriage as if 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 at Nice he walked quick.
ly down the Avenue de la Care until
he came to the Cafe de la Regence.
W ORC hn n,Ntn
a table in far corner and ordering
II book. While drinking it / saw that
his keen eyes were fixed intently ON
the table. The instant he left | took
his seat, and there upon the marble
top / saw some writing in pencil. Il
was evidently a message, but he had
half effaced it by dipping his finger
IN the droppings of the beer and care
lessly smearing it 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 I translated
them as German money lender"
For few minutes / sat staring at
the writing and thinking. Then a sud.
den thought dawned upon me, and By
the next train | travelled back to
Monte Carlo, where 1 spent half an
hour over my cosmopolitan portrait
gallery. The words upon that table
had some very mysterious meaning.
Again 1 went to Nice by the eleven
o'clock rapide, that train which is al
ways filled with home-going gamblers,
and at once took cab to the central
police office, in order that the ob1erva
ton should be continued upon the
mysterious stranger at his hotel AS I
entered, however, / was surprised ia
meet Dumont, the well-known Paris
detective.
We'll" I exclaimed, greeting him
heartily. for we were excellent friscda
What brings you down here~
"A case" he answered I've beee
here week, but am returning to-
morrow. My man was believed to
have come down here for an airing
after committing a murder, but I've
been UNABLE to trace him. He's Q
hunchbac6"
"a huachback!" I exclaimed, TO
hecting for an instant. And he muir
dered German money lender?"
yes. How did you know?" in
quired Dumont, amazed.
But l 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 as he was
in the act Of packing his bag, and ero
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