Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-13
through the Wall
BY
CLEVELAND MOFFETT
CHAPTER XXI.
TIN LOST DOLLY.

CHAPTER XXI.
TIN Lost DOLLY.
XXI I'VE been % frightened Alice
said 10 him. 1.-The man said
you wanted me. and came
- at once, but in the automo.
bile. felt something was wrong, and
-you know he 10 outsideY
Does Pougeot know about this7"
She shook her head. 1.-THE man came
for N. Pougeot first. They went OF
together. I'm afraid it was a trick.
Then about twenty minutes later the
same man came back and said M. Pou-
geot was with you and that he had
been sent to bring me to you. He
showed mo your ring and
Eyes, yes, understand" interrupted
Coquenil. "My poor childw he NUT
tered Taking the candle. Coquenil
went through the arched opening into
the larger chamber and made a hur-
ried inspection. The room was about
fifteen feet square and ten feet high.
with everything of stone-walls, floor
and arched ceiling. Save for the pas
sage into the smaller room there was
no sign OF an opening anywhere ex-
cept two small square holes near the
ceiling. probably yentilating shafts.
Around the four walls were logs
piled evenly, to the. height Of nearly
six feet, and at the archway the pile
ran straight through. into the smaller
room. The logs were in two foot
lengths, and as the archway was about
four feet wide the passage between
the two rooms was half blocked with
wood.
Coquenil walked slowly around the
chamber, peering carefully into cracks
between the logs, as II searching for
something. AS he went on he held the
candle lower and lower and presently
got down upon his hands and knees
md crept along the base Of the pile.
What are you doingW asked Alice,
watching him in wonder from the arch.
way.
Without replying, the detective rose
above his head. examined the walls
above the wood pile. Then he reached
mp and scraped the stones with his
finger nails in several places and then
held his fingers close to the candle
light and looked at them and smelled
them. His fingers were black with
SCOT.
begged the girl.
Gust minute, just minute" he
answered absently. Then he spoke
Mitla-qu4ek decision, Ym going to set
you to work." he said. "By the way,
haye.you any idea where we ate?'
Il She looked at him in surprise. 'sWhy,
don't you know
~ think we are on the Rue de Va
rennes-a big hotel back Of the high
wall
That's right" she said.
.Ah, he didn't take me awayw re-
aecfed NJ. Paul. THAT is something.
Pougeot will scent danger and will
move heaven and earth to save US.
He viii get Tignol. and Tignol knows
I was here. But can they find usy'
Suddenly he said to the girl: Il may
- veil tell you our lives are in dan
ger. He's going to set fire to this
wood and
.oar, she cried, her eyes starting
with terror.
~see here" he said sharply. "You've
kpk to help me. We have chance
get. The fire will start in this big
chamber, 1nd-I want to cut It OF by
blocking the passageway. Let's see"
He searched through his pockets. HE
Ahes taken my knife. All, this will dor
And, lifting plate from the table.
~ broke it against the wall. '.rhere!
Take one Of these pieces and zee 1t
you can saw through the rope. Use
The jagged edge-lilEe this. That cuts
1t. Try over there"
Alice fell to work eagerly, and in a
few moments they had freed a section
~ the wood piled in the smaller cham
bsr from the restraining ropes and
stakes.
"Now, then" directed CoQuenil, you
carry the logs to me, and I'll make a
barricade In the passageway."
The word passageway is somewhat
misleading There was really dis
lance Of only three feet between the
two chambers, this being the thickness
Of the. massive stone wall that sep
aratedt them. Half of this opening
was already filed by the wood pile. and
Coquenil proceeded to fill up the other
half, laying logs on the floor length
wise In the open part Of the passage
from chamber to chamber and then
laying other logs on top of these, and
20 on.as rapidly AZ the girl brought
wood
z, They worked with all speed. Soon
the peSsageway was solidly walled
with closely fitted logs to the height of
Gig feet. Above this, in the arched
part, Coquenil worked more slowly,
selecting logs Of such shape and size
)as would I'LL the curve with the fewest
Inumber of cracks, between them.
ITbere was danger in cracks between
the obstructing logs, for cracks meant
4 draft, and draft meant the spread
lng Of the fire.
!. NOV" said NJ. Paul, surveying the
Knocked passageway, ''that is the best
M can do-with wood We must stop
lelsese cracks with something else.
kWhat did you wear?" He glanced at
M ch6df whefe Alice had thrown her
hhines. "A white cloak and straw
1T With white veil and Q black vel