Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-07-07

m part Of a days work M. Paul
had taken steps for the finding
I'M of the auger dropped into the
81 Seine by Pussy Wilmott, and
betimes on the morning after that la
dy's examination a diver began work
along the Concorde bridge under the
guidance of a young detective named
Bobet, selected for this duty by NJ.
Paul himself. Another mar was cir
culating in and out among friends Of
Martinez, whom be must study one
by one until the false friend had been
discovered. And another thread was
hurrying still another man along the
trail Of the fascinating Anita, for Co.
quen1l wanted to find out why she had
changed her mind that night and what
she knew about the key to the alley
way door. Somebody gaze that Ken to
the assassin!
Besides all this, and more important.
M. Paul had planned a piece Of work
for Papa Tignol when the old man
reported for instructions this same
Wednesday morning.
"Ah, Tignol!" he exclaimed, with a
buoyant smile. "It's a fine day, all
the birds are singing, ~and-we're going
to do great things" He rubbed his
hands exultantly. II want you to do
a little job at the Hotel des Etran-
gers, where Kittredge lived. You are
to take a room on the sixth floor if
possible and spend your time playing
the flute"
"Playing the fute" gasped Tignol.
II don't know how to play the futew
Cali the better! Spend your time
learning. There is no one who gets so
quickly in touch with his neighbors as
a man learning to play the fute.'
"Ah," grinned the other shrewdly,
''you're after information from the
sixth floor! Eth, eh? A droll idea! I'll
learn to play the flute"
"Meet me at 8 tonight at the Three
Wise Men and-good luck. I'm off to
the Sante."
He proposed to make Lloyd walk
back and forth several times in a pair
of his own boots owe soft earth in
the prison yard and then show the i'm
pressions Of these new footprints were
different in the pressure marks and
probably in the length Of stride from
those left in the alleyway. This
would be further indication. along
with the differences already noted in
the nails, that the alleyway footprints
were not made by Kittredge.
Not made by Kittredge, reflected the
tredge's boots, a man wearing the
missing third pair. the stolen pair.
All, there was a nut to crack! This
man must have stolen the boots, as he
had doubtless stolen the pistol, to
throw suspicion on an innocent per-
son. 1t was essential to his purpose
that the boots be found in Kittredge's
room. He must have intended to re-
turn them. Something quite unfore-
seen must have prevented him from
doing so. What had prevented the as
sassin from returning Kittredge's
boots?
AS soon as Coquenil reached the
prison he was shown into the direct
or's private room, and he noticed that
M. Dedet received him with suspicion.
"What's the trouble?" he asked.
Everything. What the devil did
you mean by sending that girl to me?'
"What did l mean" repeated Co.
quenil. Didn't she tell you what she
wanted?"
Dedet made no reply, but he searched
among some envelopes and produced a
square of faded blotting paper.
'Therew! he said. And, with a heavy
finger. he pointed to a scrawl Of
words. There's what she wrote, and
you know d well you put her up
to itw
II have no idea what this MEANS"
declared Coquenil.
"You lie" retorted the jailer.
M. Paul sprang to his feet. stake
that back!" he ordered, with a look Of
menace, and the rough man grumbled
an apology. Gust the same" he NUT
tered. 'it's mighty queer how she
knew 1t unless you told her."
"Knew what"
The jailer eyed Coquenil searchingly-
"Nom dun chien, / guess you're
sstraiGht. after all. but how did she