River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-08-13


terly careless of the future, for when
l asked him where lie was going he
looked at me blankly across the table
and answered that he hadn't the least
idea.
Il drift about" he added 81 have
drifted about Europe all my life"
Il haven't travelled very much,"
said. Il came along here from Biar-
ritz. Do you know it?"
NO. he answered. i've never been
south of Bordeaux"
These words were an admission that
the entry in the register of the Hotel
des Anglais at Nice was false. l had
felt convinced that he did 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. 1t was there he drew off
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
flesh had wizened and died upon fin
gers and palm until it had assumed a
dark-brown color, while the bones
shone white beneath the skin, a
veritable skeleton hand with long I'M
trimmed nails. the hand of a demon
rather than that of human being.
Even in my ignorance of the prac-
tice of medicine l saw that such ter
ribie 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
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.
Il shall return"
"To 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 as
strange; therefore returning into the
Casino 1 slipped on another suit, and
when his train left the station for
Nice l was in another compartment
engrossed in the Petit Journal. 1t
chalced 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 end to end, peering into
each carriage as if in search Of some
one.
rs this train from Ventimille?" l
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,
where he entered, seating himself at
a table in far corner and ordering
a 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. 1t
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 l 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 l 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 / spent half an
hour over my cosmopolitan portrait
gallery The words upon that table
had some very mysterious meaning.
Again l went to Nice by the eleven
o'clock rapide, that train which is al
ways filled with me-going gamblers,
and at once took a cab to the central
police Office, in order that the observa-
ton should be continued upon the
mysterious stranger at his hotel. AS
entered, however, l 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. 1--WE been
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 a
hunchback."
"a hunchback!" l exclaimed, re-
flecting for an instant. "And he MUIR
dered a German money lender?"
uuoa IJou did Won know 2O in