Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-09


iously he told of his brilliant appoint
ment in Rio de Janeiro and of his i'm
minent departure. He was sailing for
Brazil in three days.
Mon Dieur murmured Bonneton in
dismay. Sailing for Brazil! So our
friends leave us. OF course I'm glad
for you. It's a great chance, but
will you take CaesarT
81 couldn't leave my dog, could II"
smiled Coquenil
"Ot course mott OF course not! And
such a dog! You've been kind to let
him guard the church since old Max
died. Come, Caesar! Just moment,
NJ. Paul"
How the course Of events would
have been changed had Paul Coquenil
remained outside Notre Dame on this
occasion it is impossible to know. The
fact is he did not remain outside; but,
growing impatient at BOnneton's de-
lay, he pushed open the double swing
ing doors, with their coverings of leath-
er and red velvet, and entered the
sanctuary. Immediately he saw a girl
She was in the shadows near a stat
ue of the Virgin before which candles
were burning. On the table were ro-
saries and talismans and candles of
different lengths that it was evidently
the girls business to sell. In front of
the Virgins shrine was a priedieu, at
which woman was kneeling, but she
presently rose and went out, and the
girl sat there alone. When she lifted
her eyes he saw that they were dark
and beautiful, though tinged with sad
ness. He was surprised to find this
lovely young woman selling candles
here in Notre Dame church.
And suddenly he was more surpris-
ed, for as the girl glanced up she met
his gaze fixed on her, and Immediately
there came into her face a look so
strange, so glad and yet so frightened
that Coquenil went to her quickly
with reassuring smile. He was sure
he had never seen her before, yet he
realized that somehow she was equal
ly sure that she knew him.
What followed was seen by only one
person-tbat is, the sacristan's wife, a
big, hard faced woman with faint
mustache and n wart on her chin, who
sat by the great column near the door
dispensing holy water out of a crack
ed saucer and whining for pennies.
Nothing escaped the hawklile eyes Of
Mother BOnneton, and now, with
growing curiosity, she watched the
scene between Coquenil and the can
4 fVNfn n
detective have in this girl, Alice, whom
she and her husband had taken in as
a half charity bOardeT?
"Holy saints. how she talks!t grum-
bled the sacristan's wife. "And see
the eyes she makes! And how he lis
tens! The man must be crazy to waste
his time on her! Now he asks ques-
ton, and she talks again with that
queer, faraway look. He frowns and
clinches his hands, and, upon my soul,
he seems afraid of herl
The incident wrought an extraordi-
nary change in Coquenil. He looked
worn, almost haggard, as he walked
to the church door with face set in an
ominOus frOwn. There's some devils
WORK IN lnlS. ne UluIleTeu.
"What is IT," asked the sacristan.
The detective faced him sharply.
"Who is the girl in there? Where did
she come fromY' He stopped alb
ruptly and pressed the fingers Of his
two hands against his forehead. mo,
no." he changed. Don't tell me yet.
I must be alone. | must think. Come
to me at tonight"
Yes, yes" nurmured the sacristan,
following him. "lut, NJ. Paul-er-
which day do you sail?"
Coquenil snapped angrily, II may not
sail at all"
A day Of sinister pOrtent this must
have been. for scarcely had Coquenil
left Notre Dame than another scene
was enacted there that should have
been happy, but, alas, was not And
again 1t was the girl who made Tou-
BILE. this seller Of candles, with her
wistful dark eyes. A pathetic figure
she was. sitting there alone in the
somber church-quite alone now. for
it was closing time. Mother Bonneton
had shuiiied of automatically after a
cutting word-she knew better than
10 ask what had happened-and the
old sacristan was making his round OF
the galleries. securing doors and win
dnws.
with a shiver of apprehension Alice
turned away from the whispering
shadows and went 10 the Virgins
shrine, where she knelt and tried 10
pray. But she found IL difficult mat
ter. Lloyd Kittredge-how often she
had murmured that name in her lone
" hours! lie would be here shortly
for his answer
And, alas. she mrst say NO 10
him. She must give him pain. She
could not hope 10 make him under
stand. How could any one understand
And then perhaps he would misjudse
her. Perhaps he would leave her In
anger and not come back any more.
Not come back any more!
A descending step on the tower