Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-06-16

o must Inc them out even II he
doesn't wish to tell you. His safety
and your happiness may depend on it.
You now write down what I must
know. Then I want to know about
the lady's husband. Is he dark or
fair, tall or short? Does Kittredge
know him? Has he ever had words
with him or any trouble? Got that?"
eyes"
"Then-do you know whether M.
Kittredge plays tennis?"
Alice looked up in surprise. "Why,
yes, he does. I remember hearing him
say he likes it better than golf"
"Ah! Now I want to know If M. Kit
tredge uses both hands in playing ten
mis- or only the n hand. And I want
to know which hand he uses chiefly
that is, the right or the left?"
"Why do you want to know that" in
quired Alice, with a woman's curiosity.
"Never mind why; just remember
it's important. Another thing is to
ask M. Kittredge about a chest of
drawers in his room at the Hotel des
strangers. 1t is a piece Of old oak,
rather worm eaten, but it has good
bronzes for the drawer handles, two
dogs fighting on either side of the lock
plates"
Alice listened in establishment. 81
didn't suppose you knew where NJ.
Kittredge lived"
"Nor did 1 until this morning." he
smiled. "Since then I-well, as my
friend Gibelin says, I haven't wasted
my time"
"Your friend Gibelin?" repeated Al
ice, not understanding.
Coquenil smiled grimly. "He is an
amiable person for whom I am prepar-
ing "a little surprise"
ooh! And what about the chest of
drawers?"
cts about one particular drawer,
the small upper one on the right hand
side. Better write that down."
"The small upper drawer or the
right hand side," repeated Alice.
II find that M. Kittredge always
kept this drawer locked. He seems to
be a m%ethodical person, and I want to
know if he remembers opening it a
few days ago and finding it unlocked.
Have you got that?"
Eyes"
"Good! Oh, M thing more. Find
out If M. Kittredge ever suffers from
rheumatism or govt"
The girl smiled. "Of course he does
not. He is only twenty-eight."
"Please do not take this lightly,
mademoiselle," the detective chided
gently. "It is perhaps the most i'm
portant point Of all. His release from
prison may depend on it."
1t was after 6 when Alice left the
circular railway at the Montrouge sta
ton. She came to an open place where
she recognized Bartholdi's famous Bel
fort lion. Then she knew her way,
and, hurrying along the Boulevard
Arago, she came presently to the
gloomy mass Of the Sante prison,
which, with its diverging wings and
galleries, spreads out like a great gray
spider in the triangular space between
the Rue Humboldt, the Rue de la
Sante and the Boulevard Arago.
No sooner had the guard heard that
she came with a note from M. Paul
Coquenil than he showed her politely
to a small waiting room. A door open
ed, and a hard faced, low browed nan
of heavy build bowed to her with a
crooked, sinister smile and motioned
her into his private Office. 1t was M.
Dedet, the chief jailer.
She wanted to speak with the Amer
lean, M. Kittredge, who had been sent
speak with him alone.
The jailer snapped his teeth and mar
rowed his brows in a hard stare. did
Paul Coquenil send you here for that?"
he questioned.
Eyes, sir" answered the girl, and
her heart began to sink. "You see, it's
a very special case and"-
Special case" laughed the other
harshly. 81 should say so. It's a
case of murder"
"But he is innocent, perfectly inno-
cent" pleaded Alice.
"Of course, but if I let every MUIR
derer who says he's innocent see his
sweetheart-well, this would be a fine
prison. No, no, little one," he went on,
with offensive familiarity, IL am sorry
to disappoint you, and I hate to refuse
M. Paul, but it can't be done. This man
is au secret, which means that he must
not see any mi except his lawyer"
Alice did not move. She had been
sitting by a table on which a large
sheet Of pink blotting paper was spread
before writing materials. And as she
listened to the directors rough words
she took up a pencil and twisted 1t
nervously in her fingers. Then, with
increasing agitation as she realized
that her effort for Lloyd had failed,
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