The Washington times., 1920-08-29
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francs II had cost ct the new ehips
shop In the Rue Richeiieu.
Her guestsy Ah--yss-their ius.
gage had been delivered an hoar
later, and an hour after that t,.-y
had left the hotel usins the door
that led out into the little impasse.
They had taken bottle OF wine
yes-at that table farthest from
the door. bnt they had eaten
nothing. 5aG
They had said they would re.
tuyn--no. monsieur. thoy had stated
no time. Their luggage was In
their room-wouid monsieur and
his friends like to see ity And
might she ask the gentlemen to
take . gisss of wine. just q petit
verre!-no-tbsn would they fol-
low herr
The prcprietress walked behind
the counter. laden with its crock
cry and fruit, and selected q key
from a board on which were rows
of hooks containing other keys;
then made her way up the dark and
winding staircase TO the second
floor. unlocking and holding open
the door for the three men to enter.
II was an ordinary room. such as
one hnds in hotels of this class all
over Paris. A large mahogany red.
curtained bed took up fully half Of
the polished floor. the other fur.
niturs consisting Of . miniature
washstand and Q few chairs. A
mirror. its gilt frame swathed In
dinEy muslin, hung on the wall op-
posite the door.
The window. which opened in
ward, looked out on to the corner,
and between two houses q little
glimpse OF the green Luxembourg
Gardens was visible.
That the late occupants did in
deed intend to return was obvious,
for kit-bag and suitcase were
standing in the corner by the bed.
These were locked and very heavy.
M. Brieux advised that they be
left as they were; II would not do
= to tamper with them and arouse
suspicion. He had put one Of his
assistants on to watch for the
mems rsturn--a reliable person,
this time-who would also watch
the door Of the passage.
Madame Renter led them be-
tween the little tables to the door
and bowed them out. II had been
no trouble-no-she had only been
too delighted to aid monsieur. The
waiter-doubtles the Jules of the
tureen incident-bowed also, and
then NJ. Brieux and his companions
entered the waiting fiacre and rat
tied away. -
Baxenter and Berwick took rooms
for themselves in a Comfortable
hotel in the Boulevard st. Michel,
and during the day kept within
doors. M. Brieux had promised to
let them know at the earliest mo-
ment after the visitors to the Hotel
d'Eclair returned. AS night fell,
however, and the lights of the cafes
beneath them twinkled out invit-
ingly, the restraint became irksome.
and at o'clock. leaving word
where they were to be found, they
went out on to the gaily lighted
thoroughfare, and to supper at the
Cafe d'Harcourt.
Perhaps there were few better
places from which to watch the
varied life of the Quarter than
from this lively little caferestau-
rant, where the chairs and tables
stand out on the boulevard, and ex-
tend round the corner and away UP
the Place de la Sorbonne, Before
them, in never-ending stream, the
denizens OF the district pass and
repass--merry bands OF bearded
students of to their dinner at their
own particular little brasserie, or
on their way to the Butler.
Their supper finished, Baxenter
and Berwick sat out at a corner
table enjoying the life around them
and the cool air of the evening.
From within the cafe the small or
chestra was playing a popular
waltz, and the melody reached them
In little snatches, mixed with the
clatter OF crockery and the laughter
OF the diners. There was little
traffic on the boulevard, save the
gigantic double.decked steam-trams
and taxis and fiacres bearing their
patrons off to their pleasures. Be
yond the ratings opposite. the trees
OF the Gardens made a grey-green
silhouette against the summer sky.
There were dark little openings
over the way, too-tortuous, mar
row, ill-lighted streets--and a few
doors up one Of these the men could
see the corner windows of the Hotel
d'Eolair, and they fell again to the
eternal discussion on what II could
be that had taken their quarry away
from Paris so soon after their ar
rfvsl-that was, presuming that
thew had left Paris