The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-04

guidance of a young detective named Bobet, selected for this duty by M Paul himself. Another man was cir cuIating in and out among friends of Martinez, whom he 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 quenil 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 g0Ue thGt key to tue 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.
 tsAh, Tignolp' he exclaimed, with a buoyant smile. .1t's a fine day, all the birds are singing, and-we're going to do great things" He rubbed his hands exultantly sT want you to do a little job at the Hotel des Etran- gers, where Kittredge lived. You are possible and spend your time playing the hute.''
 Playing the fute!'' gasped Tignol. ''I don't know how to play the f1uteY'
 ''All the better! Spend your time learning. There is no one who gets so quickly in touch with his neighbors as man learning to play the flute"
 sAh," grinned the other shreWdIy, you're after information from the sixth hoori Eh, eh? A droll idea! I'll learn to play the futer'
 Meet me at g 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 over 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 a11eyway. 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 detective, but by man wearing Kit tredge's boots, a man wearing the missing third pair, the stolen pair. Ah, there was nut to cracki This man must have stolen the boots, a@ he had doubtless stolen the pistol, to throw suspicion on an innocent per son. It 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?
 --------s-G GaaHenu reached the prison he was shown Into rne direct or's private room, and he noticed that M. Dedet received him with suspicion.
 Whats the trouble?" he asked.
 ''Everything. What the devil did you mean by sending that girl to me?,
 s'What did I mean? P repeated Co., quenil. Didn't she tell you what she wanted ?''
 Dedet made no reply, but he searched among some envelopes and produced square of faded plotting paper.
 ssTherep' he said. And, with heavy finger. he pointed to a scraw1 of words. There's what she wrote, and you know d. well you put her up to ity'
 q have no idea what this means,'' declared Coquenfl
 teYou liev' retorted the jailer.
 M. Paul sprang to his feet. ''Take that back!' he ordeed, with a look of menace, and the rough man grumbled an apology. "1ust the same,'' he nut tered. tits mighty queer how she knew it unless you told her"
 ssKnew what?'
 The jaiIer eyed Coquenil search1ngly. ssNom dun chien. guess you're straight, after aIl but how did she come to write that?" He scratched his dull head in nyStifcatiOu
 e.I have no idea.''
 Coquenil took off his glasses and rubbed them carefully. Then without more discussion he left the prison and arove directly to the Palais de Justice 50 see Vaudeville, who had previously summoned him. What did this mean? What could it mean?
 As he approached the lower arm of 9he river he saw Bobet sauntering along the quay.
 stWhat are you doing yhereY hel asked. q told you to watch that aiver'' Ahoulders. ssThe jobs done. He fount xhe auger.''
 "Ah! Where is it?''
 q gave it to NJ. Gibelin because he sold me to-
 :sYou must be crazy! You take your orders from me-
 ssDo I?" laughed the other. ''N9. Gi l nelin says take orders from him.'
 wen see about this,'' muttered NJ l Paul He entered the courtyard Of the Palais de Justice and hurried tc l the office of Judge Vaudeville. On the | stairs he met Gibelin.
 ssSee ,here,'' he said abruptly, "what 1 have you done with that auger?''
 "Put it in the department of old 1 iron," rasped the other. 'fWe can't 1 waste time on foolish clews."
 CoqueniI gIared at him. "We can't, | eh? suppose you have decided that?1 |
 ..Precisely.u retorted Gibelin.