Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-05-12

passed as a good fellow, perhaps a lit
tie wild and hot headed.
A few minutes later the unexpected
happened. One Of the policemen burst
in to say that some one had called for
the lady's cloak and bag.
"Well?" snapped the commissary.
II was going to arrest him, SIR" re-
piled the other eagerly, "but"-
"Will you never learn your bust
ness?" stormed Pougeot. "Does Gibe-
lin know this?"
eyes, sir; we just told him."
"Send Joseph here-Quick." And to
the waiter when he appeared: "Tell
the woman in the cloakroom to let
this young man have the things. Don't
let him see that you are suspicious.
but lake a good look at him."
eyes. sir. And them"
"And then nothing. Leave him to
Gibelin."
A moment later Joseph returned to
say that he had absolutely recognized
the young man downstairs as the one
who had passed him in the corridor.
Francois, the head waiter, was posi-
tive he was the missing banquet guest.
In other words, they were facing this
remarkable situation-that the cloak
and leather bag left by the mysterious
woman of No. G had nov been called
for by the very man against whom
suspicion was rapidly growing-Lloyd
kittredge himself.
When Kittredge, with cloak and bag,
stepped into his waiting cab and for
the second time on this villainous
night started down the Champs Ely
sees he was under no illusion as to his
personal safety. He knew that he
would be followed and presently ar
rested. He knew this without even
glancing behind him. He had under
stood the whispers and searching looks
in the hotel.
The driver grumbled and cracked
his whip, and a moment later, peer
ing back through the front window, he
saw his eccentric fare absorbed in ex-
nmining a white leather bag. He could
see him distinctly by the yellow light
vi LILO WV 040C 1duIC1uS. Liz yOuuS
man had opened one Of the inner peck
cts Of the bag, drawing out a flap Of
leather under which a name was
stamped quite visibly in gilt letters.
Presently he took out a po%cketknife
and tried to scrape off the name, but
the letters were deeply marked and
could not be removed so easily. After
a moments hesitation the young man
carefully drew his blade across the
base of the flap, severing it from the
bag, which he then threw back on
the seat. holding the flap in apparent
perplexity.
AS they neared the end of the Rue
de Vanguard the American opened the
door and told the man to turn and
drive back. He wanted to have a look
at Notre Dame. three full miles away.
On the way to Notre Dame, Kit
tredge changed their direction half a
dozen times, acting on accountable i'm
pulses, going by zigzags through mar
row dark streets instead Of by the
straight and natural way, so that it
was after midnight when they entered
the Rue du Cloitre Notre Dame, which
runs just beside the cathedral, and
drew up at a house Indicated by the
American. Another cab observed by
Kittredge drew up behind them.
"Tell your friend back there" re.
marked Kittredge to his driver as he
got out, "that I have important bust
ness here. There'Il be plenty Of time
for him to get a drink" He disap.
peared in the house. leaving the cloak
and bag in the cab.
And now two important things hap.
pened, one Of them unexpected. The
expected thing was that M. Gibelin
came forward Immediately from the
second cab, followed by Papa Tignol
and a policeman. The shadowing de.
tective was in a vile humor, which
was not improved when he got the
message left by the fippant American
Gibelin turned to Kittredge's driver
Here's your fare. You can go. Tn
from headquarters. I have a warrant
for this mans arrest"
Meantime Kittredge had climbed the
four flights Of stairs leading to the
sa%cristan's modest apartment. And IL
order to explain how he happened te
be making so untimely a visit it is
necessary to go back several hours te
a previous visit here that the young
American had already made on this
momentous evening.
After leaving the Ansonia banquet
at about 8 o'clock in the singular man
ner noted by the big doorkeeper Kit
tredge, in accordance with his promise
to Alice, had driven directly to the
Rue du Cloitre Notre Dame, and a
twenty minutes past 8 by the clock II
the Tavern Of the Three Wise Men ht
had drawn up at the house where the
Bonnetons lived. Five minutes latel
the young man was seated In thu
sacristan's little salon assuring Alice
! that hn didn, mind fhn ratu that <hs