Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-04-09
CHAPTER TX
By SPECIAL ORDER.

L LIZ IAHHeQ q nlEnI or SuMcr-
a ing and slecplessness after
h her lovers arrest. The next
& day Mother Bonnetou brought
before her q lady Of striking beau
y, who wanted to see the towers
or the ancient cathedral When alone
with her Alice was amazed 20 hear
her visitor speak Of knowing LLOYD
hittredge, and she learned that the
woman ia some mysterious way was
connected with the shocking murder
OF MARITIME. That the strange visitor
hhd come 20 further some purpose as
ISOLATED with kittredge became cvf
dent TO Alice. whose amazement grew
apace, Tor, in addition. the woman
seemed 70 know considerable about NJ
COQuenn
Finally the visitor said: You must
70 20 NJ Coquenu at once. Tell the
old sacristan / have sent you on an
errand for % francs"
Alice smiled family. Il can manage
that But what shall 7 say 10 NJ
Paul2"
The woman drew forth q ron Of 100
franc notes and handed them 90 Alice.
Speak TO him about getting "a good
lawyer for the prisoner-and the mon
ey; l viii send more II necessary. Tell
him what has happened between us
and then Tut yourself In his hands.
DO whatever hc thinks best. There
IS one thing / want VI Klttredge 10
be told wish YOU would write II
down SO as to make no mistake. Here
IL pencil. and here Is a piece OF
paper With nervous haste she tore
q page from "a little memorandum
book and dictated message TO the
American prisoner IN the conciergerie.
which Alice took down carefully.
II was not until after vespers that
Alice was able Co leave Notre Dame
and start for the VILLA Montmorency.
Left alone in CoQuenirs study bv n
servant 90 await his coming. Alice
glanced IN surprise about this strange
room. She saw a photograph OF Cae-
ser and his master on the wall and
went nearer 90 look az &c. Then she
noticed his collection Of plaster hands
and was just bending over IL when
Coquenn entered. She turned with a
start.
IL beg your pardon" she muir
INJURED.
Are you interested in my plaster
castsF' he asked pleasantly.
Il was looking at this hand" replied
the girl Il have seen one like IT."
Coquenn shook his head good ma
turedly. THAT is very improbable"
Alice looked closer. "Oh. but have"
she insisted.
You mean in a museum
''No. no; IN life"
'You have seen a hand with a little
finger as long as this oneT"
yes; it's as long as the third finger
and square at the end. I've often no
ticed it,
Then you have seen something very
uncommon. mademoiseile That is the
most remarkable hand in my collec-
ton. IL is the hand OF a man who
lived nearly 200 years ago He was
one OF the greatest criminals the world
has ever known"
The detectives curiosity was arOus-
ed. Would you mind telling me the
name Of the person-Of course it's a
man-who has this hand?"
Yes" said Alice, its a man, but l
should not like TO give his name after
what you have told me"
"A man that you likeT"
"Why-er-why. yes, like him"
But the detective noticed a strange look
In her eyes. He changed the subject.
You'll have a cup OF tea with me.
won't you? Then we can talk com
fortably. You haven't told me your
name"
MY name is Alice Groener. My
family lived IN Belgium. but l have
only cousin left He is a woodcar-
yer IN Brussels. He would pay my
board with the Bonnetons, but / don't
want 70 be a burden. so | work at the
church"
The girl was seated In the full light,
and as they talked COquenn observed
her attentively, noting the pleasant
tones OF her voice and the charming
lights In her eyes, studying her with
personal as well as a professional in
terest, FOR was not this the young wo-
man who had so suddenly and so unac-
countably influenced his life?
Would you mind telling me some
thing, mademoiselleT' he said sud
denly.
What Is itT'
"Pm asking this In the interest OF NJ.
Kituedge. Tell me IL you know any
thing about this crime OF which be is
accused. DO You know who was muir
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