Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-08-11

his hand. He can upset the ministry
by a word ove the telephone"
Coquenil lighted a cigarette and
breathed in the smoke deeply.
Papa Tignol," he said. II am
through with this case"
Tignol bounded to his feet, and his
little eyes flashed Indignantly. II don't
believe itv!' he cried. II won't have it,!
You can't tell me Paul Coquenil is
afraid. Are you afraid"
II don't think So"
And Paul Coquenil can't be bought.
can he?"
II hope not"
M. Paul felt in his coat pocket and
drew out a folded telegram. Read
that. old friend" he answered with
emotion.
Slowly Tignol read:
M. Paul Coquenil. Villa Montmorency,
Paris: House and barn destroyed by in
cendiary fire in night. Jour mother saved.
but seriously injured. NJ. Abel says IN
surance policy had lapsed. Come at once.
ERNESTINE.
"Quel malheur!! Duel malheur" ex-
claimed the old man. "And you-you
think it's his doing"
"Of course. They had warned me.
they had killed my dog, and-and now
they have struck at my mother" He
bent down his head on his hands.
she's all I've got. Tignol; she's sever
ty years old and infirm. and-no. no.
quit. I'm through"
And the insurance." Tignol asked
presently. What does that mean?"
Il ser the renewal money to this
lawyer Abel" answered Coquenil in
a dull tone. "They have used him
against me toto take my savings"
u
There followed three days of pitiful
anxiety for Coquenii at his stricken
mothers side. Nine. Coquenil. how
ever, never wavered in her sweet faith
that all was well. She was comfort
able now in the home of a hospitable
neighbor.
Finally Coquenil told her all-of the
murder Of Martinez and of the ad-
ventures that had befallen him in his
quest Of the slayer. The old woman
would not listen to her sons stopping
his hunt because Of any danger that
might threaten her. and she insisted
that it was his duty to track down the
guilty man. Coquenil pondered over
the situation for q day and a night.
The next morning he came again to
his mothers bedside with his old
buoyant smile. and after loving greet
ings he said simply: cts all right.
little mother; l e my way. Pm 60
ing to take the chance. and" he nod
ded confidently, between you and me,
/ think 1 haze discovered the aoay to 4oin
this fight against the most powerfuL forces
in all France"
Starting on his newly outlined cam
patgn against the false nobleman, Co.
quenil succeeded in having himself
employed as a stableman at his luxu-
rious establishment on the Rue de
V%arennes. Next. by a judiciously ex-
pended bride, he gained the aid Of a
the household attendants and who
kept him Informed as to the going and
coming of the master Of the house.
Thus it anne to pass that on a certain
night in August, about 2 o'clock, in the
morning. Paul Coquenil found himself
alone in the baron's spacious, silent
library before a massive safe. An ex-
perienced burglar chaser naturally be-
m a bit Of a burglar himself. At
any rate, the safe swung open in due
course. without accident or interior
ence, and the detective stood before it.
All this Coquenil had done on a
chance, without positive knowledge,
save for the assurance Of the black
whiskered valet that the baron wrote
frequently in a diary which he kept
locked in the safe. Coquenil was GER
tain that in this diary would be found
records that would prove valuable evil
dence in fastening the guilt Of crime
on the unprincipled nobleman. And
the result of his dangerous quest prov
ed the great detective to have de-
duced correctly. On one Of the shelves
Of the safe. among valuable papers
dAu SCSOAAIAVSs tA0 oSSSSLASS SAA q
thick book bound in black leather and
fastened with heavy gold clasps. 1t
was the diary.
With a thrill Of triumph. Coquenil
seized upon the volume. then closed
the safe carefully.
Coquenil now paused, opened the
diary and began to read. There were
some 400 neatly written pages-brief
separate entries without dates, sepa-
rate thoughts, as 1t were-and as be
turned through them he found himself
more and more absorbed until pres
emily he forgot time, place, danger
everything. He vas absolutely LOST
In a most extraordinary human docu'
ment-in one Of those terrible utter
ances. shameless and fearless. that are
flung out once In a century or so from
tho hot oomhop donfha ~ n mania hn