Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-27
Copyright. 1909. by
D.. Appleton a Company.
CHAPTER ].
A B~Iood-red sky.

A4aN lGAAA0AA1 a ~
Coquenil, was ever engaged, a case
OF more battling mystery than the
Palais ROYAL diamond robbery and of
far greater peril to him thar the Mar
settles trunk drama-in short, a case
mai ranks with the most important
ones of modern police history-would
never nave been undertaken by Co
duenil and in that event might never
have been solved) but for. h eNtraor-
binary faith this nan had in certain
strange intuitions or forms of half
knowledge that came to him at critical
moments of his life, bringing marvel
Gus guidance. Who but one possessed
Of such faith would have given up
fortune, high position, the reward of
a whole career, simply because a girl
whom he did not know spoke some
chance words that neither he nor she
understood. Yet that is exactly what
Coauenil did.
Ii was late in the afternoon of a hot
July day. the hottest day Paris had
known that year $500 and NJ. Coquenil,
followed by a splendid white-and-
brown shepherd dos, was walking down
the Rue de Ia Cite, past the sombe~
mass OF the city hospital. Before reach
ing the Place Notre-Dame he stopped
twice, once at a flower market that or
fered the grateful shade Of its gnarled
polenia trees just beyond the Con-
eiergerie prison, and once under the
heavy archway of the Prefecture de
Police. At the flower market he bought
j white carnation from a woman III
green apron and wooden shoes, who
looked in awe at his pale, grave face.
and thrilled when he gave her a smile
end friendly word. She wondered If IL
was true. as people said, that M. Co
quenil always wore glasses with a
slightly blush tint so hat no n could
see his eyes.
The detective walked on. busy with
pleasant thoughts. This was the hour
If his triumph and justification, this
made up for the cruel blow hal hae
fallen two years before and resulted,
no one understood why, in his leav-
ing the Paris detective force at the
Very moment of his glory when the
whole city was praising him for the
st. German investigation. Beau Co
eono! That was the name they shad
given him; he could hear the night
crowds shouting it in a silly couplet'
II nous faut-o
Beau Cocono-oi
And then what a change within a
week. What bitterness and humllla-
ton! NJ. Paul Coquenil, after scores
Of brilliant successes, had Withdrawn
from the police force for personal rea-
sons. said the newspapers. His health
was affected, some declared; he had
laid by a tidy fortune and wished to
enjoy it, thought others; but man
shook their heads mysteriously and
vvhispered that there was something
aueer in all this. Coquenil himself SAID
nothing.
But now facts would speak for nm
more elouuently than any words; now,
within twenty-four hours, 1t would DC
announced that he had been chosen. on
the recommendation of the farls
police department, to organlze the
detective service of a foreign capltai'
with a life position at the head OF this
service and a much larger salary thah
he had ever received, a larger salary,
in fact. than Paris paid to its own CHEZ
Of police.
M. Coouenil had reached this point IN
his musings when he caught sight OF d
red-faced man, with a large purplsn
nose and a suspiciously black mustache
flor his hair was gray, coming for
ward from the prefecture TO meet him.
"Ah. Papa Tignol!' he said briskly.
How goes it,"
The old man saluted deferentially,
and then. half shutting his small gray
eyes. replied with an ominous chuckle,
as one who enjoys bad news: Eth, well
enough. N. Paul; but I don't like h a
And. lifting an unshaven chin, ne
pointed over his shoulder with a n
grimy thumb to the western sky.
always croaking!" laughed the other.
why, it's a fine sunset. mani"
Tignol answered slowly. with object
ing nod: Its too red And it's barred
with purple
Like your nose. Ha, ha!" And
coqueniTs face lighted gaily. Forgive
me. Papa Tignol"
Have your joke. if rou will, but.
he turned with sudden directness,
don't you remember when we had a
blood-red sky like that? All. you don't
laugh now!"
1t was true, C%oqueniis look had deep
ened into one of sombTe Renaissance.
You mean the murders in the Rue
aontaigne?"
"Pre-cisely.'
Pooh! A foolish fancy" How many
red sunsets have there been since we
found those two poor women stretched
out in their white-and-gold salon?
Well, I must get o Come tonight at
nine. There will be news for YOU"
News for me- echoed the old a
AAu revoir, NJ. Paul" and he watched
the slender, well-knit figure as the de-
tective moved across the Place Notre-
Dame, swapping his fingers playfully
at the splendid animal that bounded
beside him I'M speaking to the dog in
confidential friendliness.
Wen show 'em. eh, Caesar" And
the dog answered with age barking
and quiek-wagging tail.
So these two companions advanced
toward the great cathedral, directing
their steps to the left-hand portal under
the northern tower. Here they&paused
before statues of various saints and
angels that o%verhang the blackened
doorway While Coquenil said something
to a professional beggar. who straight
way disappeared inside h church.
Caesar, meantime, with painting tongue,
was cycling the decapitated st. Denis,
asking himself, one would say, how
even a saint could carry his head in
his hands.
And presently there appeared a white
kanr1Ad G onFfGfa N III IN a fhrna-nnrnnrnd