Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-03-19

Mon Dieu" murmured BOnnetoD In
dismay. sailing for BRAZIL SO our
friends leave US. or course I'm glad
for you. It's a great chance. but
viii you take CassarT"
I couldn't leave my dog. could IT.
SMILED CoQuenil.
-Of course mott or course nOtI And
such a dog. You've been kind to let
him guard the church since old Max
died. Come. Caesarl Just a moment
N Paul"
How the course Of events would
have been changed had Paul COquenil
remained outside Notre Dame on this
secession u IS impossible TO know. The
fact IS he did nor remain outside: but
saving impatient az BonnetOn's de
lay. he pushed open the double swing
Bg doors. with their coverings OF leath
or aud red velvet. and entered the
sanctuary. Immediately be saw Eirl
She was In the shadows pear stat.
ne OF the Virgin before which candles
were burning on the able were ro-
81 ries and tahsmRns and candles OF
different lengths that q was evidently
the girls business 20 sell IN front Of
the Virgins shrine was a priedieu. a.
which a woman was kueeliug. bus she
presently rose md went out. and the
girl sat there alone When she lifted
her eyes be saw that they were dark
and beautiful. though hinged with sad
ness. he was surprised % end ihi,
lovely young woman selling Caudle~
here In Notre Dame church
And suddenly be- was more surpri~
Cd. FOR as the Eiri glanced mp she met
bis gaze dIed on her. aud immediately
there came into her face a look SO
strange so glad and YET so frightened
that CoQueui went 10 her quickly
with reassurlng smile He was sure
be had never seen her before. yet be-
realized that somehow she was equal
" sure tina she knew him.
what followed was seen by only one
PersOn-thRt II, the sacristan's wife. a
big. hard faced woman with a faint
mustache and wart on her chin. who
sat by the great column near the door
dispensing bo!y water out OF crack.
ed saucer and whining for pennies.
Nothing escaped the hawkllke eyes OF
Mother B0nneton. and now. with
growing curiosity. she watched the
scene between COQucnu and the can.
die seller. What interest could a great
detective have In this girl. Alice. whom
she snd her husband had taken IN as
a half charity boarder7
Holy saints. how she taiksr~ grum.
bled the sacristsn'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 cues.
ton. and she talks again With that
queer. PARKWAY look. He frowns and
clinches his hands. and. upon my soul.
he seems afraid OF her!
The incident wrought an extraOrd
nary change in COquenf He looked
worn, almost haggard. "a be walked
20 the church door with face set In an
ominous frown. There's some devils
work in this" he muttered
What Is itT' asked the sacristau.
The detective faced him sharply.
who Is the girl In there? Where did
she come FROM He stopped alb
ruptly and pressed the fingers OF his
two hands against his forehead. NO.
mo-" be changed. Don't tell me yet
] must be alone. must think Come
to me at o tonight"
Yes. yes" murmured the sacristan.
following him. But. NJ Paul-er-
which day do you sailY'
Coquenil snapped angrily. II may not
sail at Alll''
A day OF sinister portent this must
have been. for scarcely had COquenil
left NOtre Dame than anothar scene
was enacted there that should have
been happy. but alas. was not And
again IL was the girl who made trou-
bic. this seller or candles with her
wistful dark eyes. A pathetic figure
she was. sitting there alone In the
somber church-quite alone now. foI
it was closing time. Mother BonnetoD
had shufied or automatically after a
Sotting word-she knew better than
20 ask what had unprecedented the
old sacristaD was making his round OF
the galleries. securing doors and win.
dOws
With a SILVER OF apprehension Alice
shadows and went TO the Virgins
shrine. where she knelt and tried to
pray. But she found IL a 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 must say mo" to
him. She must give him pain. She
could not hope TO make him under
stand How could any one UNDERESTIMATE
And then perhaps be would mssjudge
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
stairs broke In upon her meditations.
and she rose quickly from her knees.
The sacristaD had finished his rounds
and was coming TO close the outer
doors IL was time for her 10 GO And.
with glance at her hair In a little
glass and touch TO her bat. she went
our into the garden back OF Notre
Dame. where she knew her lover