Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-05-26

S~A ~ S"SS WILL 1oC0-
lions to M. Gritz about private room
Nc. Z. Who had reserved this room,
and what had prevented the person
from occupying it? M. Gritz replied
that No. Z had been engaged some
days before by an old client who, at
the last moment, had sent a petit bleu
to say that he had changed his plans
and would not require the room. The
petit bleu did not arrive until after the
crime was discovered, so the room re-
NAMED empty. More than that, the
door was locked-locked on the out
side, with the key in the lock.
"Then any one coming along the
corridor might have turned the key
and entered No. u"
ut is possible" admitted Nj. Gritz.
"but very improbable. The room was
dark, and an ordinary person seeing a
door locked and a room dark
"We are not talking about an ordi-
nary person." retorted the detective;
1--WE are talking about a murderer.
Come; we must look into this" and he
led the way down the corridor, nod
ding to the policeman outside No. G
and stopping at the next door, the last
in the line, the door to No. Z.
"You know I haven't been in there
yet" He glanced toward the adjoin-
ing room Of the tragedy; then, turning
the key in No. Z, he tried to open the
door.
"Hello! It's locked on the inside
too!'
"Tiens. You're right" said Gritz as
he rumpled his scanty locks in perplex-
ity.
"Some one has been inside-some
one may be inside now"
The proprietor shook his head and
rather reluctantly went on to explain
that No. Z was different from the 9th
er private rooms in this-that it had a
separate exit with separate stairs lead
ing to an alleyway between the hotel
and a wall surrounding it. The alley
way led to a gate in the wall opening
on the Rue Marboeuf.
AS Coquenil listened his mouth
drew into an ominous thin line and
his deep eyes burned angrily.
I'M. Gritz," he said in a cold, cutting
voice, you are a man Of intelligence;
you must be. This crime was COM
mitted last night about 9 o'clock; it's
now half past 3 in the morning. Will
you please tell me how it happens that
this fact Of vital Importance has been
concealed from the police for over six
hours?"
why stammered the other, Ell
don't know"
care you trying to shield some one?
Who is this man that engaged No. 7?'
Gritz shook his head unhappily. 81
don't know his name. We have to be
discreet in these matters"
"But what do you call him?" per-
sisted Coquenil. "You must call him
something"
"In speaking Of him we call him
the tall blond He has been here
several times with a woman he calls
Anita"
The detective shrugged his Shout
ders. "Some one has been here and
locked this door on the inside. I
want it opened"
"Just a moment" trembled Gritz.
IT have a pass key to the alleyway
door. Well go around"
They left the hotel by the main en-
trance and were just going around into
Rue Marboeuf when the concierge
from across the way met them with
word that Caesar had arrived.
"Caesar?" questioned Gritz.
"He's my dog. Ph-h-eet! Ph-eet!
All, here he isl" and out of the shad-
ows the splendid animal came bound
ing.
They had entered the courtyard now,
and Coquenil. led Caesar to the spot
where the weapon lay still undisturb-
ed.
"Cherche" he ordered, and the dog
nosed the pistol with concentrated ef-
fort. Then silently, anxiously. one
would say, he darted away, circling
the courtyard back and forth, shifting
the ground as he went, pausing oc-
casionally or retracing his steps and
presently stopping before M. Paul
with a little bark of disappointment.
Nothing. eh? Quite right. Give me