Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-03-26

. stress THANKS. my good woman" be
said. NOW go right back to your
room and don't breathe word OF this
| to any one"
A few moments later Coquenil aud
the commissary and Papa Tignol were
standing In the courtyard near two
green tubs Of foliage plants between
which the pistol had fallen. The door
keeper Of the house had joined them.
See here" said the detective, adj
dressing him. do you want to earn
francsr The doorkeeper frightened
I'm make IL TO-" continued the other,
III you do exactly what I say. You
are to take cab--here Is the money
and drive to NOtre Dame. at the right
or the church is a high iron railing
around the archbishop's house. In the
railing is an iron gate with n night
bell for extreme JUNCTION. Ring this
bell and ask to see the sacristan Bon
neton, and when he comes out give
him this" Coquenil wrote hastily on
n card. tits an order to let you
have a dog named Caesar-my dog;
he's guarding the church with Bonne-
ton. Pat Caesar and tell him he's go
ing TO see NJ. Paui-that's me. Tel
him TO jump I'm the cab and keep still
/ He'll understandable knows more thar
most men. Then drive back here as
| quick as you can"
| Coquenil began at once with ques
tions to NJ. Gritz about private room
| No. :. Who had reserved this room
and what had prevented the person
] from occupying It? NJ. Crit replied
Il h.N
days before by an old client who. at
the last moment. had sent petit bleu
to say that he had changed his plans
I and would not require the room. The
petit bleu did not arrive until after the
crime was discovered, so the room re-
NAMED empty. More than that. the
door was locked-locked on the out
side, with the key in the lock.
Then any one coming along the
corridor might have turned the key
and entered No. ~"
1T IS possible" admitted NJ. Grit.
but very improbable. The room was
dark, and an ordinary person seeing q
door locked and n room dark
| eve are not talking about an ordl-
nary person" retorted the detective:
Eve are talking about n murderer
Come; we must look into this" and he
led the way down the corridor. nod
ding 20 the policeman outside No. G.
and stopping At the next door the last
in the line. the door TO No. Z.
| you know I haven't been I'm there
vet" He glanced toward the adioin-
ing room OF the tragedy: then. turning
the key in No. :, he tried to open the
door
"Hellol It's locked on the inside
toor'
"Tiensl You're right" said Gritz as
he rumpled his scanty locks In perplex-
ity.
Some one has been inside-some
one may be inside now"
The proprietor shook HIS head and
| rather reluctantly went on TO explain
that No. was different from the 9TH
er private rooms in thiS-that IL had a
separate exit with separate stairs lead
ing 20 an alleyway between the hotel
and wall surrounding IT, The alley
way led 10 n gate in the wall opening
on the Rue Marboeuf
As Coquenil listened his mouth
drew into an OminOus thin line and
his deep eyes burned angrily.
| IN. Gritz,' ne said In cold, cutting
voice. you are a man OF Intelligence;
you must be. This crime was com
mitted last night about Q o'clock: It's
now half past in the morning. VIM
you please tell me how il happens that
this fact OF vital importance has been
concealed from the police for over six
hoursT'
why" stammered the other. I'll
don't know"
Are You trying TO shield some one7
Who is this man that engaged No. 7?''
Gritz shook his head unhappIly. II
don't know his name. We have TO be
discreet in these matters"
But what do you call himT' per-
sisted COQuenn. You must can him
sorething."
In speaking OF him we cali him
the tall blond He has been here
several times with a woman he calls
Anita"
The detective shrugged his shout
ders. ''Some one has been here and
locked this door on the inside
want It opened"
AUST a moment" trembled Gritz.
IL have pass key 10 the alleyway
door. Wen go around"
They left the hotel by the main en-
trance and were just going around into
Rue MarbOeuf when the concierge
from across the way met them with
word that Caesar had arrived
Caesar questioned Gritz.
Hes my dog. Ph-h-eeti Ph-eet!
All. here he isw and cut OF the shad-
ows the splendid animal came bound
ing.
They had entered the courtyard now.
and Coquenn led Caesar to the spot
where the weapon lay still undiJturb-
ed.
"Chercheg' he ordered, and the dog
nosed the pistol with concentrated eff
fort. Then silently. anxiously. one
would say, he darted away. cIrcllng
the courtyard back and forth, shifting
the ground as he went. pausing oc-
casionally or retracing his steps and
presently stopping before n. Paul
with little bark OF disappointment.